Jaguar has announced a new four-cylinder petrol engine for the F-Type sports car, as part of a minor facelift.

Available in coupe or convertible, with rear wheel drive, the new 2.0-litre Ingenium unit develops 300PS and will cost from £49,000 when it goes on sale in Spring.

The car can accelerate from 0-60MPH in just 5.4 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 155MPH.

Fuel consumption is reduced by 16% over the V6 model, with the new derivative achieving an average 39.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 163g/km.

The engine has been engineered to minimise turbo lag and can deliver its full 400Nm of torque from 1,500rpm.

To ensure buyers don’t miss out on the snarling exhaust note associated with larger engine F-Types, the new model features an active exhaust with a single centre exit tailpipe.

Alongside the new engine, the entire range receives updated bumpers and the option of full LED headlights.

Ian Callum, Jaguar’s director of design, said: “Retaining the silhouette of F-Type across the model range is really important to us whether it’s the 200mph SVR or the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder. This is a true Jaguar sports car and a true F-Type – we didn’t want to dilute the design DNA. Even so, this car has its own unique character, and the new single tailpipe finisher exemplifies this.”

The new F-TYPE range also offers a wider range of advanced driver assistance systems underpinned by the integration of a highly sophisticated forward-facing stereo camera. These systems help to improve safety and reduce driver workload, and include Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning as standard, and optional Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Speed Limiter and Driver Condition Monitor.