Jag design boss reveals his plans for a more hardcore hardtop F-Type to spearhead an R revolution
Jaguar F-Type designer Ian Callum has raised the tempting possibility that the hot R version of the stunning new roadster could in fact be a coupe. Bit like how BMW's M division created the wild breadvan tintop variant of the Z3 M.
C-X16 coupe previewed F-Type, hints at coupe
In fact, he's so bullish about the F-Type that he told PistonHeads it could spawn a sub-brand within Jaguar with all manner of variants.
He's pretty certain the coupe is a given. "There is definitely a business case to do a coupe, that decision will be made quite soon," he told us.
Then we got talking about a hot R version - might that be the coupe? "It could well be," he said. He wouldn't discuss engines, but the R version would have to borrow the 550hp engine from the XKR-S, given that the standard V8 S F-Type with 495hp already comes close to the XKR output. Probably wouldn't be far off in price either with standard V8 S costing £79,950.
Callum has big plans for the aluminium-bodied two seater. "Personally I think we'd be mad not to turn this car into something more. It's going to end up almost its own brand, the F-Type brand," he told us in an interview.
A hardcore 550hp coupe version? Yes please!
"We can work on having a portfolio [of models]. We'll do that," he said. Suggestion of a shooting brake results in him making a face, but he says "who knows?"
Interestingly the coupe concept seen at the Frankfurt show last year came after the convertible. "That was an F-Type with a fastback," he told us. "We'd already finished F-Type. I said to the design team, if we were to do a coupe, what would it look like, so we put a model together."
Engineers working on any R version would welcome a coupe shape, much like Z3 M lead engineer Burkhard Goschel wanted it for the BMW - the fixed roof makes it that much stiffer.
It may even allow Jaguar to remove some of the weight too, a good thing given that the entry V6 weighs almost 1,600kg. Whether that matters at all depends entirely on what it's like to drive. It SHOULD be brilliant. Fingers crossed.
Far far far too expensive. Knock £20K off and I would start to look at a massively depretiating car like Jag builds. Until then I'll stick with M series and Porsches...
Far far far too expensive. Knock £20K off and I would start to look at a massively depretiating car like Jag builds. Until then I'll stick with M series and Porsches...
Nice - but I don't feel the same way about it that I did when the Alfa 8C arrived. My view is that stylists are putting too many gash's slats and slits on cars and focusing on nicely blended lines and shut lines.
It looks awesome, of course. But I struggle to see any Jaguar in it!
I know we're all bored of other manufacturers making styling updates so lame we can't tell one model from another, but at least Porsche, Aston, Mercedes etc LOOK like the brand they are... At least there's a signature there, or a nod to a begotten hero.
Maybe I don't know Jag enough, can anyone find a pic of something that hints at this from the Jag archives?
Have to agree with Cyrus1971. It's in the same price range as the better-looking XK, for which it offers internal competition. I thought Jaguar were supposed to be making a Boxter / SLK / Cayman competitor. Too expensive & too heavy I'm afraid...
It looks awesome, of course. But I struggle to see any Jaguar in it!
I know we're all bored of other manufacturers making styling updates so lame we can't tell one model from another, but at least Porsche, Aston, Mercedes etc LOOK like the brand they are... At least there's a signature there, or a nod to a begotten hero.
Maybe I don't know Jag enough, can anyone find a pic of something that hints at this from the Jag archives?
