The whistling of a turbocharger, the unmistakable whine of a supercharger – these are the noises that we’ve associated with performance for the better part of two decades. It’s not like we had a choice, as automakers were forced to choose forced induction over displacement, but that’s a story for another day. The point of this story is to emphasize the fact that not everybody likes to hear these noises that we now associated with performance, and that’s exactly why the Jaguar F-Type – all V-8 models and the recently discontinued V-6 models – are all quieter than the used to be.
Why is the Jaguar F-Type Quieter?
All examples of the Jaguar F-Type that feature the now-discontinued supercharged V-6 or the monstrous V-8 are actually quieter than that used to be. It’s not your ears playing tricks on you – it’s actually Jaguar playing tricks on you. If you’re not sure where I’m going with this quite yet, I’m talking about the supercharger whine that isn’t so noticeable anymore. This isn’t because of the revised exhaust systems, petrol particulate filters, or any change to the superchargers used on these engines at all. Instead, it comes courtesy of additional insulation under the engine cover and better sealing at the end of the hood. In an interview with Car Throttle, JLR’s Vehicle Integration Manager, Tanmay Dube, confirmed just this:
Apparently, this change came after listening to customer feedback and with the idea of making the car more comfortable or appealing to drive:
While this did make some consumers happy, if left those of us that actually prefer this kind of audible feedback wanting more. Jaguar even went so far as to reconsider making adjustments and bringing back at least some of the noise. There was also consideration to make it even quieter. But, in the end, things have been left the same way they’ve been for the last couple of years.
That said, you can still hear the whine a little bit, but it’s nowhere near as prominent as it used to be. One could argue, however, that you could make your 2019 or 2020 F-Type a little louder by simply stripping the insulation from that engine cover and swapping out the bonnet seal with one from 2017 or 2018. There’s no definite date for when the changeover occurred, but stepping back to late-2017 or early-2018 for the older bonnet seal should help liven up the soundtrack coming from under the F-Type’s hood.