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"?

[Vilhelm]

I've got a good feeling that this car is going to be a stunner.

[ZesPak]

CarsGoVroom said:

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

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?

[throne444]

I'm sure it'll look great, but I'm disappointed it just looks like a mini XK, rather than more like one of the early prototypes:

Edited by throne444 on Friday 10th August 12:27

[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.

[richb77]

As much as I love Porsches of old (bar the 911, the the modern range is pretty dyer I.M.O) someone needs to take the fight to them.

Well done Jaguar. If I had the money it would be down for an F type.

[Presuming Ed]

So is it auto only?

If so I see it more likely to be taking on the rather more limp wristed competition then the like of Porsche.

It would also make it a no from me and I guess a lot of other Pistonheaders.

[Prawnboy]

will it still be £50k?
will it look as good as the coupe with the top down?
looking forward to seeing this.

[OlberJ]

CarsGoVroom said:

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

Well what do they both weigh?

[Twincam16]

Presuming Ed said:

So is it auto only?

If so I see it more likely to be taking on the rather more limp wristed competition then the like of Porsche.

It would also make it a no from me and I guess a lot of other Pistonheaders.

I'm guessing it'll have a paddleshift control for the gearbox.

Annoyingly the car ran at the Goodwood Festival of Speed covered in disguise panels. IMO they should just have launched it then and there - why keep faffing about?

[Daveyraveygravey]

Presuming Ed said:

So is it auto only?

If so I see it more likely to be taking on the rather more limp wristed competition then the like of Porsche.

It would also make it a no from me and I guess a lot of other Pistonheaders.

It's a shame if it is auto only, but how long will Caymans come with a choice? I read the next 911 GT3 is PDK only didn't I?

[300bhp/ton]

Reckon this should be voted with a big fat zero for all the bullst about being the spiritual successor to the E-Type. What a load of old tosh.

[PhantomPH]

I'm really struggling seeing where this fits into the range - just seems too close to the cabrio XK.

£50k (rumoured) for a 2-seat Jag would make me look very long and hard at the brand's track record for residuals, build quality, etc. compared to the competition (Porsche for example).

Dunno - I really want to love this, but I have a funny feeling it's just going to be priced too high to compete with the new Boxster/Coxster's of this world...and don't even get started on a slightly used XKR...

[300bhp/ton]

throne444 said:

I'm sure it'll look great, but I'm disappointed it just looks like a mini XK, rather than more like one of the early prototypes:

Edited by throne444 on Friday 10th August 12:27

Or the even earlier F-Type.. although it might look familiar to some.

[irocfan]

far be it for me to be picky but...

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

I'd have hoped they were multi-cylinder engines.....

[300bhp/ton]

PhantomPH said:

I'm really struggling seeing where this fits into the range - just seems too close to the cabrio XK.

I agree.

PhantomPH said:

£50k (rumoured) for a 2-seat Jag would make me look very long and hard at the brand's track record for residuals, build quality, etc. compared to the competition (Porsche for example).

I'd say if you look the Jag would come out on top mostly. For many years Jag has done very well in reliability and owner surveys. Top 10 or higher finish.

Also looking at how cheap a 924, 944, Boxster, 996 are. I'd say Jag coupes have probably fared better considering their retail price.

[Raitzi]

CarsGoVroom said:

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

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

[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.

[RJ59 Racing]

Funny - Just started looking at Easy Jet flights into Paris !!!

I'm just hoping this car still looks something like concept after they take all that disguise wrap off, now just need to go and chat with the local Jaguar dealer who seems to know nothing yet about cars imminent release!

[Kong]

OlberJ said:

CarsGoVroom said:

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

Well what do they both weigh?

Well even if it weighs 1600kg (which I doubt), 380bhp would still give it the same bhp/ton as a Cayman S. So if Jaguar can nail the styling then I'd certain say 380bhp would be plenty enough to irritate a Cayman.

I think the article was being tongue-in-cheek though