IT'S arguably the definitive British sports car and now Jaguar's F-Type is more striking and potent than ever and promises an extraordinary experience for those lucky enough to get behind the wheel.

With a new and more aggressive front-end and a range of four and eight-cylinder engines as well as a revamped interior - it is now on sale from a little over £54,000 rising to just over £102,000.

The F-Type is not the company's best-seller by some distance but it is vitally important to the brand, providing real kudos and a halo effect for the rest of the firm's saloons and SUVs as well as some design cues.

With a 71 year history dating back to the XK120, Jaguar has always been famous for its sports cars but the company isn't sitting on its laurels and has sharpened the F-Type's act to get it ready for a renewed challenge on the global sports car market.

Highlights include a more sculpted and assertive exterior design and a 575PS five-litre supercharged V8 version capable of 0-60mph in a blistering 3.5 seconds and with a 186mph top speed.

The two-seater's cabin, meanwhile, is swathed in top-notch materials including leather from Bridge of Weir. It also features beautiful detailing and has the latest digital technology, including a 12.3in interactive driver display.

The outgoing model, penned by former design director Ian Callum notched up 50,000 sales - most of them exported. Callum was also involved in this refresh and one of his last acts before leaving to set up his own design company was to sign-off the new car.

Changes at the front include a bigger, bolder grille with a smart mesh finish, a sculpted front bumper, contrasting slim LED headlights and a new clamshell bonnet and vents.

Side on, there are striking 20 inch, ten-spoke alloys for the top-end F-Type R, fender vents sporting a leaping jaguar, and flush, deployable door handles, while the rear haunches enhance the purposeful stance. Neat touches at the back include slender rear lights with a "chicane" signature graphic.

The interior combines traditional Jaguar craftsmanship with rich, contemporary materials such as Windsor leather and satin-finish chrome.

Beautiful details include monogram stitch patterns in the seats and door trims, leaping Jaguar motifs in the headrests, and subtle "Jaguar Est.1935" markings on the centre console finisher, glovebox release button surround, and seat belt guides.

Tech on board includes the marque's high-end Touch Pro infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, two superb Meridian sound systems and software with over-the-air functionality so that future updates can be made at the customer's convenience.

But the highlight for those at the wheel will undoubtedly be the reconfigurable interactive driver display - which includes a full map mode. As befits a true sports car, the default mode is characterised by a large central rev counter.

The new F-Type - both coupe and convertible - is offered with a choice of three petrol engines, all mated to an eight-speed Quickshift automatic transmission.

Kicking things off is a two-litre 300PS turbocharged four-cylinder unit driving the rear wheels that's capable of sprinting to 60mph in 5.4 seconds and going on to a top speed of 155mph. It will officially average 34.9mpg with CO2 emissions of 184g/km.

Next up is a new five-litre 450PS supercharged V8, with a maximum torque of 580Nm, available in either rear or intelligent all-wheel drive. Its' stats are 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds, a redlining 177mph and fuel economy of 26.5mpg and 244g/km CO2 levels for the RWD and 25.7mpg and 252g/km for the AWD.

Finally, there's the all-wheel-drive 575PS, 700Nm beast reserved for the R variant which can manage 25.6mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 252g/km.

Jaguar's engineers have used what they learned from developing the limited-edition 200mph XE SV Project 8 to recalibrate the Quickshift transmissions for the V8 models for a more engaging driving experience with faster, crisper gear changes when the driver shifts manually via the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the SportShift gear selector.

Customers who choose the V8s benefit from a new Quiet Start function, which ensures a more subtle, refined sound. But, if desired, Quiet Start can be over-ridden by selecting Dynamic Mode or by pressing the switchable exhaust button before starting the engine. The distinctive crackle and pop on the overrun synonymous with the F-Type remains.

The increased power is matched to a comprehensively uprated chassis with new adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and stiffer rear knuckles and ball joints, delivering even greater agility and responsiveness.

Built at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich plant in the Midlands, the F-Type will be available in four trim levels, including R-Dynamic and a special First Edition version.

F-Type line director Alan Volkaerts said: "The new F-TYPE is the definitive Jaguar sports car and continues to set the benchmark for design purity, driver engagement and reward, and a truly visceral driving experience - it makes every journey extraordinary."