Some time ago, rumors began circulating about a serious design overhaul allegedly planned for the Jaguar F-type coupe and roadster series. Sources, who claimed to be the company’s insiders, said the series would switch to a new vehicle architecture called PLA-D7b, get four sports seats (2 front, 2 rear) by default, and ship with a revised selection of powertrains. Based on these latest spy shots made at the Nürburgring Circuit in Germany, the F-type is much more likely to get a mid-generational refresh – although a major one, at that.
The test vehicle depicted here – which many believe to be the new 2021 Jaguar F-type – has redesigned doors, fenders, front grille, glass house and roof. It also sports new trapezoid-shaped headlights the likes of which you can see on the I-Pace, E-Pace, and XE. Overall, its body contours appear edgier than before.
Changes may or may not come to the engine palette. Right now, both the coupe and the roadster ship with three powertrain choices: a 2.0-liter turbo-four @ 300 hp / 224 kW, a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 @ 380 hp / 283 kW, and a 5.0-liter V8 @ 575 hp / 430 kW. Rumors insist that the company considers replacing the latter with BMW’s 4.4L V8 twin-turbo, which pumps out between 600 and 625 metric horsepower (approx. 460 – 460 kW).
Jaguar has given no official comment yet. As such, what we saw at the Nürburgring might as well turn out being the second-generation F-type, rather than some mid-generational refresh. That would be appropriate, too, given that the roadster came out in 2013 and the coupe only a year after that.
Photos: motor1.com