If I were to create a list of cars that don't need a facelift over the next 10 years, the Jaguar F-Type would definitely be included. The sports car that put Jaguar back on the performance map is downright gorgeous and its design seems timeless. Granted, the way car designs evolve nowadays will probably make the F-Type seem dated in a decade or so, but this Jag will only get better with time in the eyes of British sports car enthusiasts. Jaguar also seems to agree, as the F-Type's refresh for the 2018 model year is as mild as its gets.

So what changes you may ask? Well, go get a magnifying glass because there isn't much new to talk about in terms of styling. Look close enough and you'll notice full LED headlamps, revised bumpers front and rear, and slightly altered grilles for all models in the lineup. For instance, the R-Dynamic model, which replaces both the base and the S variants gain gloss black bezels. Around back, the LED rear lights clusters have been subtly updated. Needless to say, Jaguar didn't meddle too much with the design, which is actually a good thing if you ask me.

Inside, the British sports car received new lightweight seats with sculpted surfaces and frames made of magnesium alloy for weight savings of more than 17 pounds. The new design also allows the seatback to move rearwards by up to 50 mm (two inches) more than before, which provides a lower seating position and increased legroom. The new seats come in two flavors. The Sport versions is offered with the R-Dynamic line, while the Performance variants, which has more detailing and more pronounced bolstering, comes with the R and SVR models.

Other cabin highlights include a Satin Chrome finish for the engine start button and gearshift paddles, Noble Chrome for the door switch packs and air vent bezels. Also, in order to further differentiate the models in the range, Jaguar added Delta aluminum and Linear Vee aluminum in the R-Dynamic and R models, respectively, with a carbon-fiber option available across the lineup. Another noteworthy addition is ReRun, an app created with GoPro. The new features combines GoPro footage with speed, steering, and throttle information. It's very similar to GM's Performance Data Record and will come in handy at the race track.

Under the hood, things are pretty much the same, but there's a new, limited-edition model called the F-Type 400 Sport. Sporting a name seemingly borrowed from Lotus, the 400 Sport uses the same supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 as the base and S models, but massaged to deliver 400 horsepower. That's 60 horses more than the entry-level car and 20 horsepower more than the F-Type S. This engine can be paired with rear- or all-wheel drive, but it only comes with the eight-speed automatic. It also comes standard with the bigger Super Performance brakes and 20-inch wheels. There are a couple of downsides though. It can only be ordered in white, silver, or black, and it's only available for the 2018 model year. It's likely very expensive too, although there's no specific info on pricing as of January 2017.

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Why it matters

Launched in 2013 and upgraded to include AWD and various setups on certain models in 2015, the F-Type didn't really need another update for 2018, but it seems that Jaguar is trying to stay ahead of the competition by adding all sorts of features once every two years. Not a bad strategy if you ask me, but it seems to me that we're heading to a point where cars will get upgrades for each model year. And even though this would benefit the customer at first, it might become a bit too expensive for the automakers in the long run, which will lead to more expensive cars. All told, the most exciting addition to the F-Type for 2018 is the 400 Sport model and the ReRun app. The latter will make R and SVR customers very happy.

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