Some may think that the car above is the very first Jaguar rally car ever. But the brand’s history in rallying goes back to to the legendary Jaguar XK 120. The older car competed in three consecutive Alpine Rallies in the 1950s.

Anniversary edition

The car you see above was created to celebrate 70 years of Jaguar heritage since the XK 120 was revealed in 1948. The rally-specification F-Type Convertibles, of which two have been made, are powered by Jaguar’s 224 kW 2,0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

Both cars were built to FIA specification, with comprehensively uprated brakes and suspension fitted. A rollcage, race-seats with six-point harness, bonnet-mounted light pod and fire extinguisher are part of the safety equipment list.

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Not a show car

As you can see the Jaguar rally car is no show pony, but more than capable of attacking a rally stage. The rally F-Types feature upgrades to the brakes, suspension and drivetrain.

Grooved discs with four-piston calipers are employed front and rear. Hand-built competition dampers and softer springs ensure maximum traction over rough rally stages. Motorsport-spec wheels are shod with gravel-spec rally tyres. A limited-slip differential improves power delivery and a hydraulic handbrake helps drivers to kick out the tail when needed.

A showroom version… of sorts

The rally cars’ livery takes inspiration from the new F-Type Chequered Flag versions. These limited edition variants feature a range of visual upgrades, including 20-inch gloss black wheels with and a black roof on the Coupé. The interior features performance seats with embossed Chequered Flag headrests and aluminium centre console trim.

In his own words

Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design, said: “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.

Limited edition Chequered Flag versions go on sale in the UK