P450 or 550 how to tell?

[V6ontheway]

I viewed a 5 litre F type today on a 2019 plate. I looked through the paperwork and noticed it was a P450 version. I thought all pre facelift were 550bhp? How do I know if a 5 litre F type is 450bhp or 550bhp?

 

[Cluck]

A P450 on a 19 plate? Surely that's a private plate, as the facelift was only revealed in early December of that year and to the best of my knowledge there wouldn't have been any customer deliveries until early 2020 (I got mine in early March '20)

The obvious giveaway would be the headlights. If it really is a P450 then the headlights will be the slim, horizontal type, rather than the shape that was there from 2013.

 

[V6ontheway]

It definitely said P450, it was an official Jaguar print out from the dealership with all the services too.

It was the first time I was driving a V8 F type and I was expecting very fast acceleration, but surprisingly it didn't feel much faster than the V6 400 sport I tested last week. This would make sense if the car was only 450 bhp

 

[V6ontheway]

Also it was on the original plate OE19ZZU.

 

[Dynamic Dek]

If this is the car, it is NOT a P450, it's 550hp F-Type R
Bit of a scuff on the back end and whoever owned it likes to kerb the alloys!
(click one of the images and there are a couple more on the FB page)
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930126953110&set=pcb.851930176953105
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930130286443&set=pcb.851930176953105

ATB
DD

 

[Cluck]

Yeah, that's the pre-facelift, so it will indeed be a 550hp model. The P450 did not exist before the facelift as I am going to assume Jaguar introduced it to provide something between the 300hp 4-pot and the 575hp 'R' after the discontination of the V6 variants.

EDIT: Also, it's got the R badge on the front (and I assume on the rear too), that's the biggest giveaway of all. The P450 has an R-Dynamic badge on the front and, unless the buyer ticked the 'no badges' option, then there will be a P450 badge on the rear RHS, level with the F-Type badge on the other side.

 

[YorkshireSam]

Yeah as others have said P450s were facelifts, all with the newer headlights shown here. I believe they started on a 69 plate.

While on paper there's quite a gap between the V6 and V8 outputs, in real world driving there may not be as much difference as you may expect from the figures, especially if road conditions differ between test drives.

Also worth bearing in mind the V6s and V8s sound quite different, which can influence perception of speed.

 

[YorkshireSam]

If this is the car, it is NOT a P450, it's 550hp F-Type R
Bit of a scuff on the back end and whoever owned it likes to kerb the alloys!
(click one of the images and there are a couple more on the FB page)
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930126953110&set=pcb.851930176953105
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930130286443&set=pcb.851930176953105

ATB
DD

That's a great find mate! Useful photos for anyone considering buying.

 

[scm]

On a pedantic point, it's "only" 543 bhp, the 550 is the PS rating.

 

[V6ontheway]

If this is the car, it is NOT a P450, it's 550hp F-Type R
Bit of a scuff on the back end and whoever owned it likes to kerb the alloys!
(click one of the images and there are a couple more on the FB page)
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930126953110&set=pcb.851930176953105
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=851930130286443&set=pcb.851930176953105

ATB
DD

Thanks, that is a great help, looks like I have dodged a bullet there! Where did you find these pictures?

I must say I was quite disappointed with the performance

 

[V6ontheway]

Yeah as others have said P450s were facelifts, all with the newer headlights shown here. I believe they started on a 69 plate.

While on paper there's quite a gap between the V6 and V8 outputs, in real world driving there may not be as much difference as you may expect from the figures, especially if road conditions differ between test drives.

Also worth bearing in mind the V6s and V8s sound quite different, which can influence perception of speed.

You are right, real world it didn't "feel" much faster than the V6 400. As it's a 27% power increase I expected bonkers acceleration, and the needle moved round the Speedo quickly but I didn't feel thrust back in my seat. Perhaps I expected too much.

The sound of the V8 wasn't that impressive, even with sports exhaust switched on. I think that this was because it's a 19 plate, meaning the gpf, updates etc was holding it back. It wasn't even that loud when driving. When I drove the 17 plate 400 it had a roar, with crackles and burbles, which I didn't get from the V8.

Reading my message back it seems that I should just buy the F type 400! I am seeing another V8 on Thursday so I can make a proper decision after that.

 

[Dynamic Dek]

If this is the car, it is NOT a P450, it's 550hp F-Type R
Bit of a scuff on the back end and whoever owned it likes to kerb the alloys!
(click one of the images and there are a couple more on the FB page)

ATB
DD

Thanks, that is a great help, looks like I have dodged a bullet there! Where did you find these pictures?

I must say I was quite disappointed with the performance

I just searched the reg using Google images.
Glad it was of some help.
ATB
DD

 

[YorkshireSam]

[/quote]

I must say I was quite disappointed with the performance
[/quote]

Before I got my V8 I asked how the V8 and V6 compared in terms of performance (on a different forum so apologies to mods if external forum links aren't allowed). Here's the link...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=85&t=2046050

A few people had owned both so provided useful insights.

My plan was to find a main dealer who stocked both and drive them back-to-back. Then my car came up and I just went for it.

I'd say the V8 power delivery is muscular and progressive, rather than peaky or turbo-like. It definitely shouldn't disappoint!

Regarding the sound, as you rightly say the 2019 will have emissions "upgrades" which make it more muted than earlier cars. The easy solution is to remove fuse 15, which controls the active exhaust valves.

It transforms the sound - much more raw with louder overrun crackles lower down the rev range. A huge difference!

 

[scm]

You are right, real world it didn't "feel" much faster than the V6 400. As it's a 27% power increase I expected bonkers acceleration, and the needle moved round the Speedo quickly but I didn't feel thrust back in my seat. Perhaps I expected too much.

Were you in dynamic and S modes?

 

[V6ontheway]

You are right, real world it didn't "feel" much faster than the V6 400. As it's a 27% power increase I expected bonkers acceleration, and the needle moved round the Speedo quickly but I didn't feel thrust back in my seat. Perhaps I expected too much.

Were you in dynamic and S modes?

Yes I was in Dynamic mode, what is S mode?

 

[scm]

Sport - push the stick across to the left, then you can use it like a manual sequential shifter, too, instead of the paddles!