10 Things You Need To Know About The 2016 Jaguar F-Type

2016 Jaguar F-Type AWD Coupe ・ Photo by Jaguar

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type family grows for the current model year as the British brand continues to tweak the successful formula that has made this modern sports car so much fun to drive. After leading off with a convertible model, and then introducing a coupe the following year, 2016 sees Jaguar making several important changes to its drivetrain options, as well as adding a host of extra standard equipment to its most popular trim levels. The net effect has been to enhance the appeal of what was already one of the most exciting, stylish, and well-priced luxury sports cars on the market.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2016 Jaguar F-Type.

1) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Offers A New V-8 Model

It used to be that if you wanted the most powerful engine in the Jaguar F-Type stable, you had to order the coupe and forthe open-air fun of the somewhat less-mighty convertible. That's all changed for 2016, as the V8 S convertible model has left the order sheet and been replaced by the R AWD across both drop top and fixed-roof models. The 5.0-liter V-8 that is standard for the R AWD model generates 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque (identical to last year's R coupe), thanks in large part to a supercharger that feeds the behemoth plenty of tasty compressed air.

Photo by Jaguar

2) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Now Features All-Wheel Drive

You might have noticed three little letters tagged on to the end of the 2016 Jaguar F-Type R's name: AWD. That acronym brings us to the second big change for the Jaguar F-Type this year, and that's the inclusion of an all-wheel drive system. For the R cars with their hulking V-8 engines, all-wheel drive is now mandatory, which will make fans of smoke shows and donuts raise a glass in a toast to a bygone era. For six-cylinder editions of the Jaguar F-Type, it's still possible to choose between either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, a strategy that's designed to tempt those living in the northern states to try the sports car as a year-round daily driver.

Photo by Jaguar

3) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Still Delivers V-6 Power

As mentioned above the 2016 Jaguar F-Type hasn't dropped its V-6 starting point, merely expanded the drivetrain choices surrounding it. The base Jaguar F-Type starts out with a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 that's good for 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, but if you select the S model then you'll enjoy 380 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque thanks to more aggressive engine tuning. The S also allows you to choose all-wheel drive as an option, a feature that entry-level shoppers aren't offered, and as with the V-8 version of the car the system is designed to emphasize rear-wheel drive dynamics as much as possible.

Photo by Jaguar

4) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Adds A Manual Transmission Option

While the base 2016 Jaguar F-Type might not be able to claim membership in the all-wheel drive club, it does offer something its AWD siblings do not: a manual transmission. New for 2016 is a standard manual gearbox for both the V6 and V6 S editions of the car, a feature that has long been clamored for by sports car enthusiasts who longed to row their own gears behind the wheel of the F-Type. The manual features six forward speeds and notably doesn't include an automatic rev-matching feature, with Jaguar representatives instead telling buyers that they can 'make their own soundtrack' (via heel-and-toe shifting) without the aid of computers.

Photo by Jaguar

5) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Still Features A Fierce Automatic Gearbox

Despite the presence of a manual, the 2016 Jaguar F-Type of course hasn't erased its eight-speed automatic transmission from the spec sheet. The Jaguar F-Type's eight-speed offers paddle shifters, throttle-blipping on gear changes, and some of the quickest shifts imaginable from an autobox. This is even more surprising once you learn that the ZF-sourced tranny isn't a dual-clutch design: it's actually a traditional torque converter-equipped unit that has simply been perfectly tuned by Jaguar's engineering team. When not engaged in high speed shenanigans, the transmission selects gears with remarkable smoothness, allowing you to simply cruise comfortable with the selector in 'Drive.'

Photo by Jaguar

6) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Steps Up with World-Class Performance

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type's mechanical bona fides are more than enough to guaranteed some of the most sizzling performance you'll ever experience from a sports car. The new all-wheel drive system's additional traction makes for repeatable 3.9-second sprints to 60-mph all day long in eight-cylinder models, regardless of whether you are driving the coupe or the convertible. Even the V6 S is gifted with phenomenal acceleration, reaching 60-mph from a standing start in just 4.8 seconds when equipped with its manual transmission. A top speed of 186-mph for the Jaguar F-Type R AWD shows just how potent its package is in a high speed environment.

Photo by Jaguar

7) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Installs New Standard Equipment

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type makes a strong appeal for new buyers with more than just an exciting set of mechanical enhancements and upgrades. The Jaguar F-Type now comes with a host of additional standard equipment that improves comfort and performance, depending on which trim level you select. The entry-level F-Type gains surround sound audio, keyless entry, and 14-way power adjustable sport seats, while the V6 S benefits from an active exhaust system, a Dynamic drive mode, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. The R Coupe has been gifted a power tailgate, and all coupes regardless of trim now come with a full glass roof to help them compete with the convertible in the rush hour tanning department.

Photo by Jaguar

8) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Makes You Choose Between Blue Skies and Road Trips

If there's one reason why you might choose to pass on the 2016 Jaguar F-Type, you'll find it in the trunk. Or rather, it's more about what you won't find in the Jaguar F-Type's boot, and that's enough room to haul all of your gear. Although the F-Type coupe offers a hatchback design, there's a scant 11 cubic feet of room back there to take advantage off, and its arranged so that you might have trouble fitting in larger items. The convertible's 7 cubic feet of storage space will have you swearing off road trips that require you to pack anything more than an overnight bag, especially if you plan on bringing a friend.

Photo by Jaguar

9) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Skimps Somewhat on Active Safety

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type comes with all of the key safety features you'd want, including a full suite of airbags and a multi-stage electronic traction control and stability control system. Where it falls short is in the active safety department. It's possible to add a blind spot monitoring system to the car, but there's really nothing else on the table when it comes to advanced equipment - no lane monitoring feature, forward collision warning or mitigation, or drowsiness alert system are offered with the car. This places it at somewhat of a disadvantage as compared to several more gifted rivals.

Photo by Jaguar

10) The 2016 Jaguar F-Type Pricing Remains Competitive

The best part of all the changes made to the 2016 Jaguar F-Type? The company hasn't raised the starting price. The base F-Type coupe retails for $65,000, just like it did last year, while S (MSRP $77,300) and R AWD ($103,600) have seen their prices increased by $300 and $4,600, respectively. Taking into account the additional equipment for the S and entry-level Coupe (although you're looking at having to pay a premium to get back into an automatic that you didn't have to shell out for last year), as well as the fact that convertible pricing has adopted a similar strategy, and it looks like the 2016 F-Type will be competing that much harder against rivals like the Porsche 911 and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

Photo by Jaguar