2020 Jaguar F-Type Checkered Flag Edition Review

Limited edition coupe celebrating the brand’s rich sports car heritage

Jaguar is a company with a long history of producing sporty automobiles. Notable examples from the company’s works include the C-Type, D-Type and E-type coupé and roadsters, as well as the venerable XK models throughout the years – XK120, XK140 and XK150. 

The F-Type is the brand’s current sporting flavour, and is available in number of guises in both roadster and coupé form. 

An F-Type Coupe to ring in 70 years of Jaguar sports cars

For model year 2020 Jaguar is offering the F-Type Checkered Flag edition to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Jaguar sports car. In 1950, after two years of working out the fine details on various hand-built prototypes, Jaguar rolled the quick and nimble XK120 Roadster into mass production and the small company’s sporting heritage took flight. 

2020 Jaguar F-Type Checkered Flag Edition logo
Features include ‘Checkered Flag’ badging, and unique branding on the headrests, tread plates and dark brushed aluminum centre console finisher. Photo: Russell Purcell

The 2020 F-Type Checkered Flag edition will be available in both coupé and roadster form, but in limited numbers. 

The car’s foundation is based on the regular model line’s well-equipped R-Dynamic trim, albeit gussied up with a host of special styling cues and equipment.  

Exterior and Interior impressions

Exterior elements include a bold black roof, unique to this car gloss black 20-inch alloy wheels with a diamond turned finish, extended side sills, red brake calipers and special badges.  

Also Read: 2018 Jaguar F-Type SVR Review

The interior treatment features Performance sport buckets wrapped in Windsor leather upholstery with embossed head rests, special tread plates, red seat belts, and a dark aluminum cap on the centre console.  The coupé’s headliner is a deep ebony coloured suede material and the steering wheel is graced by a red-stripe centre marker at the 12 o’clock position. 

2020 Jaguar F-Type Checkered Flag Edition interior
Inside the limited edition coupe expect Windsor Leather with embossed Performance Seats, Ebony Suede cloth headlining and steering wheel with red top centre marker. Photo: Russell Purcell

All the expected comfort and accessories are accounted for but the Touch Pro infotainment system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capable, and helps make using the top-tier Meridian sound system even more enjoyable.  

The Checkered Flag F-Type is available in three colours, Caldera Red, Fuji White or Carpathian Grey. Our evaluation union was dressed in the latter, and in concert with the black roof, grille and wheels looked all business and track ready.

Performance and Handling

Under the forward lifting bonnet you will discover a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine that generates a very healthy 380-hp and 339 lb.-ft of torque.  Acceleration runs to 100 km/h from a standstill can be executed in a tick over 5-seconds if you choose to choose aggressive shift-points using the alloy paddles, as the 8-speed Quickshift ZF automatic transmission is a silky operator. 

2020 Jaguar F-Type Checkered Flag Edition engine
Powered by the 296-hp turbocharged four-cylinder (RWD) or 380-hp supercharged V6 (AWD) engines exclusively with eight-speed Quickshift transmissions. Photo: Russell Purcell

Power is delivered very efficiently as this car is fitted with Jaguar’s Instinctive All-Wheel-Drive system with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics. What this means for the driver is the car will demonstrate superior grip and traction as the system distributes power exactly where needed to optimize and maintain both traction and stability.

If you find yourself in the market for something a little special but with an enormous fun-factor, the F-Type Checkered Flag Edition is worth a long look…

Add to this adaptive dampers and brake-based torque vectoring and you have a machine equipped to test your limits but inspire confidence. In short, this car remains planted and carves through the twisty bits like a scythe.    

And the sound that burbles and crackles out of this car’s two-stage active sport exhaust system as you explore its broad power-band is unmatched and a treat for the ears of any driving enthusiast. 

Takeaway

So if you find yourself in the market for something a little special but with an enormous fun-factor, the F-Type Checkered Flag Edition is worth a long look and definitely an extended test-drive. 

Check out our past F-Type Reviews here.

Photos:


Technical Specifications: 2020 Jaguar F-Type P380 AWD Checkered Flag Edition

  • Base price (MSRP): US$71,900; C$105,000
  • Price as tested:  C$112,200
  • Body Style: Compact, two-seat sports coupé or roadster
  • Layout: Front-engine, all-wheel drive
  • Engine:  3.0-Litre super-charged V6
  • Horsepower:   380 hp @ 6.500 rpm
  •  Torque:  339 lb-ft @ 3,500-5,500 rpm
  • Transmission:  8-speed automatic
  • Brakes (front/rear): Disc/disc
  • Fuel economy (L/100km):  13.0 city; 9.2 highway
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Author:
Russell Purcell
Russell Purcellhttps://www.flickr.com/people/autoexposurecanada/
Russell Purcell is an award-winning automotive journalist and photographer based in Vancouver, B.C. His passion for automobiles was sparked at the tender age of six, when a family friend gave the wide-eyed first grader a ride to school in a track prepared Porsche 911 RSR. He continues to fan the flames by building an impressive library of automotive related books as well as a vast collection of interesting automobilia and motoring artefacts. Russell is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and is active on Twitter as RoadTestRuss.