A test mule for the 2017 Jaguar F-Type R Convertible has been spotted running with new bumpers and updated headlights.

The bumper ditches the current car’s vertical intakes and replaces them with more rounded openings, reminiscent of the ones featured on the F-Type Project 7 but with horizontal slats through their upper halves.

The car’s headlights also swap L-shaped daytime running lights for what look to be double layered ones. These have previously been seen on test mules for the forthcoming four-cylinder F-Type.



Today’s F-Type R Convertible mule, which was photographed on a road near JLR’s Coventry headquarters, appears to have no other major aesthetic tweaks, and a quick check on the DVLA website confirms it’s also running a familiar supercharged 5.0-litre V8.

This backs up claims from sources that the 2017 car will only be lightly updated.

The biggest change will likely be the fitment of Jaguar’s latest infotainment system.

The optional InControl Touch Pro was first introduced in the F-Pace and features improved smartphone integration thanks to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The F-Pace’s system has a quad-core processor, 60GB of solid-state storage and a 10.2in touchscreen and it works through a fast-transmitting ethernet network.



If our sources are right and the 2017 F-Type inherits InControl Touch Pro, it would give Jaguar’s sports car a real boost in digital capability. It’s not cheap, however – in the F-Pace it’s a £1710 option.

Like the Coupé, pricing for the drop-top F-Type R isn’t expected to change much from the current model, which costs from £92,310. Again like the current car, it’ll be available in rear or four-wheel-drive form.

No date of arrival has been announced, but sometime early next year seems likely.

 

I always question reports like this when they can't even get the model year right. 2017 is already on sale and it wasn't face lifted. They must mean 2018.

 

It's probably due to differences between the UK and US in how model years are recognized. In the UK, the first F-Type MY was 2013, but it was a 2014 in the U.S.

 

I have a 2017 Jaguar R Type coupe sitting at the dealer waiting for me to pick her up. I saw the car this past Saturday and the 2017 car has none of the features/upgrades you mentioned. It's the same as a 2016 model year car. I would have been excited to see upgraded bumpers and especially the infotainment system being a new system. No changes at all.

 

I prefer the vertical flutes to horizontal ones. Good thing...since that's what I got.

 

My wife's XE has InControl Touch Pro. It's hardly an improvement over what I had in my 2013 Evoque and 2014 F-Type. Basically just rearranges the same functionality and makes it slightly faster to access.

 

having played around with the new 10" screen, i definitely want this, even though it crashed a couple times - i heard a few journos complain about the same when watching f pace reviews

i didn't think the screen would physically fit within the console

release of new cars here in Australia is often delayed compared to US/Europe, realistically we won't see the facelift f-type till 2018, so if i still have the car by then ill look into a retrofit via spare parts department


the headlight drl looks the same here




looks like they're doing same bumper vent treatment as XE and f pace with the lower spec/smaller engine cars having the horizontal slats

 

I am very curious to how that new bumper will look? For me it seems to ruin the original flowing lines that is one of the key features to why the F-type looks so good.


In the original design, there is a line going from the tail-light, and all the way along the side of the car, through the headlights (with the vertical part of the DRL as a part of the line) and down through the vertical bumper vent which also is designed to be a part of that line. I think that is a very nice feature, which will be lost with the horizontal vents.


This pic shows what I mean. Here you can see how the lines flows all the way down to the lower end of the vents:

 

I agree, but I am glad that they are introducing these changes as time goes on. It will allow enthusiasts to determine the model year of a car by looking at it. It will also lead to certain model years becoming more desirable than others.

 

That is a very good and valid point. And it might also be that they manage to find some very good design changes. It is also very subjective. That's why I said I was qurious (and not negative) to see which changes they will make.

So far the only visible difference between a 15 and 17 mod. rwd are the side sills as far as I know, and no difference between the 16 and 17? And maybe the same regarding the vert, where the 14-15 is the same
and 16-17 is the same, and the only (external visible) change between the 14-17 are the sills?

 

marketing department are most busiest today than they ever have been, often changing a design just for the sake of it to stay current in the media/press

but that bumper treatment looks like they are going for a corporate look across all models

 

i still don't think the 10" screen will fit in the dash

i'd bet it's the newer system from facelift XJ instead, which has the same issue with not being able to fit inside the console

 

just noticed 2016 build year SVR has updated infotainment software

does anyone know if you can do software updates on the existing screen like you can with other manufacturers?

 

damn you mobile page...

 

Hi guys

Just noticed 2016 build cars have started landing with the XE 8" screen software

Has anybody looked at getting the dealer to upgrade the firmware. Our market and dealer network is so small here, i'd doubt they'd be of much help

I remember doing this upgrade many years ago when i had a BMW E46 M3, you could download the firmware onto cd and install yourself

 

Very interested if they let you update versions to the latest!!

 

It's really not worth pulling your hair out. I've used both and the newest software on the XE and F Pace is an insignificant improvement.

 

I used the 17 in the xf loaner from the dealer and agree with Nati. My main issue with both is that it's so ****ing slow. I can't believe they actually decided to sell it considering the speed of the systems from the German competitors.

 

When you say slow, which features are you referring to and what do you mean by slow?

I've noticed that on Destination Entry it checks what's been typed after each 'key press', but it isn't actually any slower than this site accessed from an iPad Mini* running anything later than IOS8.

It also doesn't need to be reloaded every few minutes - unlike this site...

*MD528B/A

 

I think your iPad mini has a problem or your internet. This site doesn't run slow for me but the Jaguar informant is the slowest car system ever. My 2004 BMW X5 nav system was even faster than than jag