With recent rumours having claimed that the next F-Type could swap the still mainly Ford-based engines for powerunits supplied by BMW, the Indian owned British automaker has applied mostly underbody changes to the F-Type, in the form of retuned dampers for R models and a new rear upper ball joint and control arm for the SVR. The only other addition is the fitment of a reverse camera across the entire model range.
Arriving in April next with pricing still to be announced, the limited run Chequered Flag is said to celebrate 70 years of Jaguar sports cars, with an extensive assortment of bespoke exterior and interior touches.
Using the Coupe and Cabriolet versions of the R-Dynamic model equipped with either the 221kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged Ingenium engine or the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 in 250kW/450Nm and 280kW/460Nm forms, the Chequered Flag’s aesthetic additions includes 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels with a diamond turned finish, red brake calipers, a Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) Black Design Pack with wider door sills and a contrasting black roof reserved for fixed-head models only.
Inside, all models come with the otherwise optional premium Meridian sound system and 10-inch Touch Pro infotainment system, with unique touches being a dark brushed aluminium trimmed centre console, Ebony Windsor leather with red or cirrus contrasting stitching and so-called slimline Performance seats with Chequered Flag embossed headrests and optional cooling/heating function.
As with the standard F-Type, the mentioned power outputs for the Chequered Flag is routed to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, although the 280kW V6 does have the option of all-wheel drive.
