It Won’t Go Quietly: Jaguar F-Type V8 ‘roar’ archived for posterity

As the world moves away from internal combustion engines, some manufacturers are striding ahead in the race to become all-electric. With a goal date of 2025, Jaguar’s purring engines will soon be a thing of the past, as petrol models are phased out in preparation for a new luxury all-electric future.

For autophiles, one of the most striking things about this transition will be the move away from the thrilling roar of the internal combustion engine towards a near-silent driving experience. For nostalgic motoring enthusiasts, Jaguar has recognised the significance of this shift, taking steps to preserve the iconic sound of its F-Type V8 engine for posterity.

While a trip to the British Library will be required to fully enjoy the full symphony of the engine’s unmistakable, supercharged roar, the two available tracks were captured inside a semi-anechoic chamber at the Gaydon Engineering Centre. This soundproof room has historically been used to develop and test the refinement and sound quality of Jaguar’s vehicles, and recordings were taken both inside the cabin and outside the car.

As the last combustion-engine Jaguar sports car, it’s perhaps only fitting that the special edition 2024 Model Year F-Type R 75 Coupé has been used for the recording; created to celebrate the final year of the F-Type and 75 years of Jaguar sports cars.

Putting the car through its paces, the recording captures the crisp upshifts and downshifts through the 8-speed Quickshift transmission, and the distinctive, hallmark crackles and pops on the overrun from its quad tailpipes.

Cheryl Tipp, the British Library’s Curator of Wildlife & Environmental Sounds, commented: “We’re delighted to be able to preserve recordings of the F-Type V8 engine for Jaguar enthusiasts and listeners around the world. As production of this engine comes to a close, this unique noise takes its place in the nation’s archive alongside other sounds that can no longer be heard today.”

Charles Richardson, Senior Sound Engineer, Jaguar, added: “The sounds you experience driving the F-TYPE R 75 – is something we want to be available for generations to come. Archiving it with the British Library allows us to do that, and that’s something we’re very proud of.”

To discover more and hear the F-TYPE’s roar, visit the British Library in London.

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