When Jaguar first revealed the F-Type back in 2013, the only transmission choice was an eight-speed automatic (much to the dismay of enthusiasts). Frankly, the eight-speed auto box was fantastic but it didn't stop people on the internet from complaining. In 2015, Jaguar caved in to demand and gave the F-Type an optional six-speed manual transmission.
And of course, since there was "such an upswell of demand" from enthusiasts, almost none of them went out and actually bought one. As it turns out, people on the internet are much more likely to bang on their keyboards rather than go into a showroom and buy what they said they wanted. The sales figure don't lie, so Jaguar decided to discontinue the manual option for the 2020 model year, leaving the automatic as the only option.
We like to say this all the time - if you are passionate about a specific car, you have to go out and buy one new or the automaker will stop making it. Jaguar may no longer be offering the F-Type with a manual but there are plenty of used examples on the second-hand market.
Why You Should Buy One
Now that the manual option is dead, the number of stick shift F-Types is finite and bound to increase in value compared to the automatic cars. Just take a look at the manual Ferrari F430 we wrote about in a previous Smart Buy piece, and you'll see how rare manual transmission cars are in high demand. Although you could never get a stick shift F-Type with a V8, even the shouty supercharged V6 model felt more involving to drive with a manual.
Just go to any Jaguar dealership and you will see plenty of used F-Types sitting on the lot with an automatic transmission. When we ran a search for manual cars, however, we only found a total of 13 currently up for sale (as of this writing). These are clearly rare cars and they will only become harder to find as time goes on.
The Price
Despite their rarity, manual F-Types are not yet commanding a significant price increase over similarly-equipped automatic cars. Most of these cars have less than 20,000 miles on them and are available in both coupe and convertible bodystyles, both of which look great. You can expect to find a base F-Type starting at around $36,000 while the more powerful S model tops out around $55,000.
The Performance (And The Noise)
Since the manual transmission was only available on V6-powered F-Type models, you only have two choices of power output. The base V6 model uses a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 producing 340 horsepower, good for a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds. If you opt for the V6 S, the output increases to 380 hp and the 0-60 mph time drops to 4.8 seconds. It is worth noting these are times for the automatic models and the manual is likely a tad slower.
Aside from the added power and subsequent 'S' badges on the exterior, the S model also gains adaptive dampers, a limited slip differential, and the active exhaust as standard. That last item may appear the most trivial but is actually the most important. The F-Type is one of the best sounding sports cars on the market and the active exhaust further intensifies the car's bark. You might be able to tune the base car to produce more power but we suggest opting for the S model.
The Interior
You won't find any major changes in the interior of the base and S model F-Type. Jaguar designed a minimalistic cabin with a driver-centric layout. While it may not be the most well-appointed luxury car on the market, the F-Type won't disappoint most customers wanting a luxurious sports car experience. Jaguar's infotainment has received some flack for being slow and unresponsive but it is easy to use thanks to a simple touchscreen interface. Modern amenities such as navigation, Bluetooth, and smart entry are present on the F-Type.
The Practical Stuff
Even though most people do not buy a sports car with practicality in mind, there are a few things to consider with the F-Type. The convertible offers a tiny 7.3 cubic feet of storage while the coupe nearly doubles that figure with 14.4 cubic feet. Neither will handle a trip to Ikea very well but the coupe is more practical to drive every day.
As with most used luxury cars, we suggest buying the F-Type with a Certified Pre-Owned warranty. Jaguar's CPO program includes a seven-year, 100,000 miles warranty (whichever comes first), so all of these cars are still eligible for a few more years. Just keep in mind, the warranty begins from the car's original in-service date, not when you buy it.
Verdict
The Jaguar F-Type is one of the prettiest cars of the past decade and used prices have now reached a point where they can be considered affordable. Almost no one decided to buy one with a manual transmission when they were new, likely because they were waiting for them to get cheap on the used market. To these people, we say enjoy your heavily depreciated manual F-Type now before they become impossible to find but just remember, there likely won't be another manual sports car to replace it with when you're done.
