Jaguar F-Type updated: Electric power steering standard; manual, AWD optional

For the update, Jaguar has swapped out the current car's hydraulic power steering setup for one that utilises electric assistance. As elsewhere, this change is aimed at improving the car's fuel consumption.

Jaguar says that work on system began way back in 2008, with tuning done to the "control algorithms [to] ensure that the F-Type's steering is free from any trace of the synthetic feel".

A manual transmission will be available for the first time in the revised F-Type. Heel-toe friendly pedals and a short throw of 45mm are said to aid the two-door Jag's quest for driving involvement.

The six-speed unit is available for buyers of the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 powered F-Types: the 250kW/450Nm F-Type and the 280kW/460Nm F-Type S.

According to Jaguar's figures, cars equipped with the manual transmission are slower than their automatic equivalents. The F-Type manual takes 5.7 seconds to complete the 0-100km/h dash instead of 5.3, while the F-Type S manual requires 5.5s instead of 4.9.

All-wheel drive should boost the car's appeal to potential buyers in snowy climes. Available on the F-Type S and the 405kW/680Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 F-Type R, the coupe and convertible's AWD system is paired exclusively with the company's eight-speed automatic.

Visually all-wheel drive models are distinguished by a larger bulge and vents on the bonnet, as well a clutch of AWD badges.

The new AWD system comes with a weight penalty of 80kg and in the F-Type S this results in less brisk performance off the line, with the 0-100km/h dash completed in 5.1 seconds in the AWD model and just 4.9s in rear-wheel drive version.

In the V8 F-Type R, however, the situation is inverted, with the AWD model quicker (4.1s) to 100km/h than the RWD variant (4.2s).

Other changes ushered in as part of this update include the availability of torque vectoring on V6 models, revised instrumentation, and some new alloy wheel designs.

Also present is the company's new InControl Touch entertainment and navigation system whose primary interface is an eight-inch touchscreen.