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Nov 06, 2024

2024 Jaguar F-Type R75 Convertible Is a Last Gasp for Gas

With Jaguar going electric, the R75 stands alone as the final internal-combustion Jaguar sports car. From the March/April 2024 issue of Car and Driver. It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to

With Jaguar going electric, the R75 stands alone as the final internal-combustion Jaguar sports car.

From the March/April 2024 issue of Car and Driver.

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to the Jaguar F-type. The company will end production of the F-type in 2024 and lay it to rest in its native England. Cause of death: electrification—more specifically, Jaguar's impending switch to an all-electric lineup. The F-type leaves behind red-blooded driving enthusiasts who already face a dearth of V-8–powered sports cars.

Few of them sound as good as the F-type, with its supercharged 5.0-liter. A hair-raising exhaust note has been the Jag's trademark from the get-go. It's now devoid of theatrical crackles and pops on overrun, but wide-open throttle still unleashes an intoxicating 90-decibel roar.

Freshened just once over a decade, the F-type's timeless design still makes our knees weak. The long hood, wide hips, and two-seat cockpit are classic traits dating to the 1949 XK120. To celebrate 75 years of sports cars, Jaguar created the 75 Edition (along with a new ZP Edition) for the F-type's final run. And to pay our respects, we summoned a 575-hp R75 roadster for a final drive.

Along with exclusive visual bits and additional standard features, the F-type R75 has revised upper ball joints and cast-aluminum rear knuckles with larger wheel bearings aimed at improving steering feel. On the street, the high-fidelity steering provided progressive effort buildup through turns and faithfully communicated road surfaces. Things did get twitchy on broken pavement, and the R75 also tramlined in grooves.

The F-type has always been a bit raucous, but its fun-loving personality makes that easier to forgive. It may not go, grip, or stop as well as a Porsche 911 GTS or a Chevy Corvette Z06, but the Jaguar's stats are strong. The special-edition F-type hits 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. It averaged 1.04 g's on the skidpad and stopped from 70 mph in 148 feet. Those results rival Aston Martin's Vantage, which runs roughly $30,000 more than our $119,875 test car.

Every R-rated F-type has all-wheel drive that favors the rear axle, preserving the rear-drive platform's tail-happy dynamics. The starchy suspension is better for back-road blasts than grand tours. Avoid the stiffer damper setting that turns the cabin into a bounce house.

The leather-lined interior fits as snugly as a baseball glove. Minimal cubby storage and a tiny trunk only accentuate this tightness.

Jaguar will not be making another internal-combustion sports car, so the 2024 F-type is truly the last of its kind. Its visceral thrills will likely never be matched, but at least the F-type isn't going quietly.

Specifications

2024 Jaguar F-Type R75 ConvertibleVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible

PRICEBase/As Tested: $116,275/$119,875 Options: full extended leather upgrade, $2550; Giola Green Metallic paint, $950; nubuck-edged carpet mats, $100

ENGINESupercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 305 in3, 5000 cm3Power: 575 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 516 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

TRANSMISSION8-speed automatic

CHASSISSuspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented disc/14.8-in vented discTires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4 F: 265/35ZR-20 (99Y) J Extra Load R: 305/30ZR-20 (99Y) J Extra Load

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 103.2 inLength: 176.0 inWidth: 75.7 inHeight: 51.5 in Curb Weight: 4134 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS60 mph: 3.4 sec100 mph: 7.9 sec1/4-Mile: 11.6 sec @ 122 mph130 mph: 13.4 sec150 mph: 18.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.8 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.6 secTop Speed (mfr's claim): 186 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 148 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 282 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.04 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMYObserved: 15 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 23 mpg 75-mph Highway Range: 420 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMYCombined/City/Highway: 18/16/24 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.

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