Friday 10th August 2012

Jaguar F-Type confirmed for Paris

Just couldn't wait for Geneva, eh chaps?

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Jaguar has confirmed the F-Type will take its production ready debut at the Paris show at the end of September. A decision we expected but riles our purist streak for admittedly sentimental reasons.

Pre-debut teasing campaign well under way

The F-Type is the spiritual successor to the E-Type, so we're told - but the E-Type made its 1961 debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Come on guys, what about a bit of historical resonance here?

Oh, forget it. Especially since the F-Type is mooted to appear as a convertible first, whereas a last minute decision saw a switch to the coupé for the original E-Type reveal. Given Ian Callum has already stated that modern Jaguar is doing its own thing here, we probably won't be seeing any shipping crates, either...*

Anyway, before this descends too far into the depths of pointless geekery let's talk engines. Meaty, supercharged, multi-cylinder engines.

Shape has been teased - see it undisguised soon

There's no hint of any four-pot downsizing nonsense for this Jag just yet. The smallest motor confirmed for the F-Type is an all-new 3.0-litre petrol V6 - with a supercharger. It will come in 340hp and 380hp guises.

That's obviously not enough to be irritating the Porsche Cayman with, however, so Jaguar is also dropping in a revised version of its supercharged 5.0-litre V8. 500hp ought to be enough.

Every motor feeds the rear wheels via an eight-speed gearbox. The nod to eco consciousness comes from the standard stop-start system.

As well as all the physical testing, Jaguar is playing up the virtual evaluation - suggesting no fewer than half a million parameters have been digitally assessed. Gladly the fine-tuning is firmly fixed in the real world, with the chassis engineers aiming for not just "great" but "exceptional".

We'll soon see.

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* Geekery time: the very first public unveil of the Jaguar E-Type took place at a restaurant in Geneva on the night before the 1961 show, and involved a crane lifting a shipping crate to reveal the car - unusually dramatic for the time. That very car is currently on display at the V&A museum, but be quick as the exhibition ends on Sunday 12 August.

[CarsGoVroom]

How is 340 or 380hp "not enough to irritate a porsche cayman"?

[CarsGoVroom]

ZesPak said:

What I was thinking

500bhp is deep into 911 territory.

Isn't 340 more than the most you can get from a stock Cayman?
Cayman S/Cayman R 330bhp?

Exactly. Maybe they were bringing a sarcastic point!!

Nevertheless...the car will be fantastic.

[CarsGoVroom]

Raitzi said:

Obviously you have no clue how heavy cars they are again planning to make

No clue at all, however.....you obviously know with the scores of detail you refer to here.

Besides - the point is the weight hasn't been released yet, how do PH know? It's all a bit subjective "it'll be heavier, therefore it'll be slower". Don't forget current Jags are world leading in terms of aluminium chassis & body architecture. The XJ is lighter by a considerable margin than the 7 series. The XK is not as heavy as the SLK or the 6 series...cars with which they are competing directly.

Perhaps considering the target might be a 911 or cayman, or both....you'd expect it to be near.

[CarsGoVroom]

Twincam16 said:

I've heard the JLR management refer to the F-type as 'Jaguar's Evoque'.

Ha!! Hearsay and conjecture I'm sure. Either that or someone somewhere is trying to start a rumour.

[CarsGoVroom]

Raitzi said:

Not released, 1600kg was presented previously with concept. I hope it is light. At least lighter than bulky corvette.

I think we can all say with confidence it will be 1600kg, at its heaviest, with the 5.0V8 SC engine. The XK is around 1650kg with 2 extra seats.