Jaguar F-Type Rally Cars Celebrate 70 Years of Sports Car Heritage

F-Type rally cars offer stunning homage to Jaguar XK 120, revealed in 1948, which saw success in rallies across Europe.

Jaguar has a storied history in motorsport of all forms, one of which is stage rally. In fact, Jaguar sports cars, like the XK 120, have been sliding around corners and through the dirt since 1948. Now, the brand has produced two F-Type convertible tribute models, built to FIA specification, which feature rally-ready modifications and upgrades.

These rally-spec F-Types feature the 296 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged Ingenium four-cylinder engines, as many rally classes are divided by engine size and displacement. From there, Jaguar claims that “comprehensively uprated brakes and suspension” are fitted alongside a protective rollcage, race-seats with six-point harness, hood-mounted light pod and fire extinguisher, all of which sounds promising.

To be specific, the rally F-Types feature addition of grooved brake rotors with four-piston calipers front and rear. Hand-built competition dampers and softer springs ensure the high performance cars can be driven flat-out over rough rally stages. Said dampers are three-way adjustable, which allows the cars to be tuned for different surfaces. Additionally, rubber suspension bushings and ball joints have been replaced with spherical bearings for added precision, similar to Project 8. With motorsport-spec wheels and tires specifically for use on gravel, a limited-slip differential improves power delivery on loose surfaces while a hydraulic handbrake helps drivers tackle hairpin bends. Now we’re talking.

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The rally cars’ livery takes design inspiration from the new, UK-exclusive F-TYPE Chequered Flag Limited Edition, which features a range of subtle exterior visual enhancements, including unique 20-inch gloss black wheels with a diamond turned finish and a black contrast roof on the coupé. Inside, the ebony windsor leather interior features performance bucket seats with embossed chequered flag headrests and a dark brushed aluminum center console trim finisher.

Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design, had this say: “The opportunity to design a rally car doesn’t come along very often so I was fascinated to see how we could take our modern day sports car to a similar character. These models are a fitting tribute to the XK 120 and all the great Jaguar sports cars since its reveal 70 years ago, including the latest F-TYPE Chequered Flag Limited Edition.”