2023 Jaguar F-Type Convertible

The Jaguar F-Type Convertible has been around since 2013, and in that time, it has remained one of the best-looking machines in the sports car class. But nearly a decade on, and with only one facelift to its name, some might argue it's no longer as pretty as it once was and nowhere near as advanced as rivals, which come from all sides like the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, Porsche 718 Boxster, Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, and forthcoming machinery like the Lotus Emira. But can its old-school charm - much of which can be attributed to the burly, 444-horsepower supercharged V8 - and sleek styling compensate for its cramped interior? Fortunately, it has the assistance of impressive driving dynamics, coupled with the ability to choose rear- or all-wheel drive. Gone is the manual gearbox and the V6, while if you want more power, we review the Jaguar F-Type R Convertible separately. The old cat may yet have a trick or two up its sleeve, though.

The Jaguar F-Type has proven itself an adept handler. But many will overlook this or not even notice it as they fall in love with its engine. Jaguar culled the four- and six-cylinder options for the USA previously, leaving just a V8, and what a V8 it is. It displaces 5.0 liters and has a supercharger strapped on for good measure, generating 444 hp in P450 guise and sending it all to either the rear wheels or all four via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. 0-60 mph comes up in 4.4 seconds in all configurations.

Whichever drivetrain you choose, the handling dynamics are much the same, as even the AWD system is heavily biased towards the rear axle. We might argue that with the sonorous V8 up front, the F-Type has lost a little of its handling sharpness, but it's still agile with loads of grip and good suspension characteristics when loaded up mid-corner. It has a fair amount of feel, too, but seems to run out of tricks when the going gets tough. It's old school in this regard, putting the driver on notice - you mess up, it's on you; the car won't save you.

The F-Type might be one of the oldest cars in its class, but that doesn't make it bad. Not by a long shot. The convertible sports car is still gorgeous, despite the facelift changing up some of its most alluring characteristics. Importantly, the lack of a roof doesn't hamper its abilities. The V8, while oozing character, perhaps dulls the experience the most by taking away the sharpness of the steering and the turn-in characteristics, but it makes up for it in spades with the sheer amount of noise it produces. It's got plenty of power, and the choice of RWD or AWD makes this one of the few to offer that.

The F-Type Convertible isn't without its weaknesses, though. The interior is cramped, the tech not quite up to snuff, and at $84,700, it's a pricey piece of kit that can be beaten soundly by more affordable options. We love the F-Type, but it caters to a very specific type of buyer who wants old-school charm at the expense of modern precision. The F-Type deserves a place in this world, but it deserves a little more love than what Jaguar has shown it.