Goodbye, F-Type: Jaguar reveals final petrol-powered sports car

Jaguar has revealed the final version of its F-Type sports car. Called the ZP Edition and inspired by a pair of racing E-Types from the 1960s, 150 examples will not only mark the end of the F-Type, but also the end of petrol-powered Jaguar sports cars.

To be built in 2024, the cars come from Jaguar’s SV Bespoke division and feature exclusive blue and grey paint options, along with contrasting interiors that mirror a pair of limited-edition E-Types produced by Jaguar Classic earlier in 2023.

Those beautifully restored E-Types were themselves inspired by the first two E-Types to win races, back in 1961. Jaguar clearly wants to have a good rummage around in the company archives before killing off the current range and taking a big leap into an all-new, all-electric future.

And who can blame them? It’s a rich history to call upon, and there’s no doubt these ZP Edition F-Types will become instant collectors’ items – especially in the UK, where only 10 examples are to be made available.

The name comes from those first two race-winning E-Types, which were known internally at Jaguar as ‘Project ZP’. The final F-Types are offered in colourways matching those of the first E-Type racers, of Oulton Blue Gloss paint over a Mars Red interior, and Crystal Grey Gloss over Navy Blue leather. Both feature racing-style roundels on the doors, hand-painted in Porcelain White Gloss to match the front grille surrounds.

Both colour schemes work wonderfully with the F-Type, and I’m particularly keen on the blue convertible used in Jaguar’s marketing images. Neither colour has been available on any previous F-Type, and all 150 examples of ZP Edition are treated to a unique wheel finish, ZP branding and ‘one of 150’ plaque between the seats, which themselves are fitted with an exclusive pattern of horizontal fluting.

The cars are powered by Jaguar’s familiar (and also soon to be extinct) supercharged V8 engine, which sends 575 PS and 700 Nm of torque to all four wheels through an automatic gearbox. They can sprint to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and have an electronically-limited top speed of 186 mph. Unlike the ZP Collection E-Types, these are offered individually instead of as a pair. Jag collectors with just a single parking space remaining can breathe a sigh of relief.

Once it finally bids farewell to internal combustion, Jaguar plans to relaunch in 2025 as a luxury all-electric brand, in a bid to take on the likes of Bentley.

Jaguar director Rawdon Glover said: “As Jaguar embarks on the boldest transformation in its history, to become a modern luxury all-electric brand from 2025, this is an unrepeatable celebration of Jaguar’s internal combustion sports car provenance. 

“F-TYPE has captivated sports car drivers for more than a decade, just as the E-type did five decades before it. The ZP Edition is the ultimate celebration of that lineage, joining an illustrious roster of heritage-inspired collector’s editions including the 2015 Project 7 and 2020 Heritage 60 Edition.”