Is Jaguar’s last petrol sports car a fitting finale for F-type?

The limited-run F-Type ZP has the weight of Jag’s illustrious petrol-powered heritage on its shoulders, but will the revisions be enough to satisfy grieving petrol heads?  

Whether it’s a humble Fiesta or a growling big cat, it’s never easy when the time comes to lay a motoring icon to rest. And, judging by Jaguar's reluctance to let the F-Type die with repeated ‘one last encore’ specials, they have struggled to come to terms with the news just as much as we have.  

Nonetheless, as the brand continues its charge towards a fully electrified range by 2025, the F-Type’s days are numbered. Get your tiny violins and handkerchiefs ready as we look back at the F-Type’s life and celebrate this final chapter of its story.  

Introduced in 2013 with the mission of shaking the lingering pipe and slippers image which had haunted Jaguar through the ‘90s and early noughties, the F-Type was met with immediate praise from press and public alike. It was every inch the E-Type for the 21st century, but without falling down the usual retro rabbit hole which other models — S-Type and X-Type being the most abject offenders — had before.  

Over the course of its decade-long model run the F-Type featured in an almost limitless array of combinations and configurations. You could have your two-door Jag as a convertible or a coupe, with either a supercharged V6 or V8, or even a turbocharged 4-cylinder in later facelifted models. That 5.0-litre supercharged V8 was without doubt the most revered of all the powerplants fitted, though, so it makes sense that Jag has chosen it for the swansong.  

Subtly drawing inspiration from race-bred E-Types of the 1960s, the F-Type ZP Edition benefits from hand-painted white roundels and grille detailing, as well as exclusive Oulton Blue and Crystal Grey paint finishes. On the inside buyers will appreciate new, horizontal seat fluting, kick-plates, and a commemorative ‘one of 150’ plaque denoting the model’s rarity.  

But what has the Coventry-based brand fettled behind the scenes? Nothing, actually. Mechanically unchained from the standard F-Type R 75, the ZP makes do with the same 567 bhp and 3.5 second 0-60 mph time. And while it would have been nice to get a little extra firepower for this ultimate special, the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke…’ probably applies.  

Getting your hands on one certainly won’t be easy. Jaguar is promising to build just 150 ZPs, with only 10 of those making their way to the UK in 2024. You’ll also need to stump up the heady sum of £134,925 for the coupe, or a further £3,500 for a drop top. This makes the ZP £30,000 — or the price of a Toyota GR86 — more expensive than the regular, otherwise identical V8. Although, we would argue that this could be a worthwhile investment given the future collectors’ potential of such a rare animal.  

Do you think the final F-Type is worth the premium, or would you rather save some cash and get a nicely optioned standard V8?