Jaguar F-Type 2016 News

Jaguar will reveal a new F-Type design study at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Christened ‘Project 7’, the concept features retro-themed race livery and several other performance enhancements over the recently launched F-Type convertible.The most noticeable change is a pronounced driver’s headrest fairing, referencing the early aerodynamic element used by the D-Type racer of the 1950s.A close look at the fairing line shows it appears to echo the profile of recently spied F-Type Coupe prototypes – likely an intentional nod to the upcoming hardtop. According to Jaguar design chief Ian Callum, the Project 7’s premise is more simple: "It has one purpose: to be driven fast and enjoyed. Jaguar sports cars are known for exceptional performance and clean design. Project 7 captures that spirit in its purest form."Other Project 7 enhancements include a more aggressive front apron, plus carbon fibre sideskirts, rear diffuser rear-view mirrors, and a tall bootlid spoiler.The front apron --with larger openings than the standard F-Type--appears quite production-ready and could find its way onto the upcoming F-Type R performance model. The remaining enhancements could find their way onto more extreme F-Type R-S, and F-Type R-S GT models further down the track.The Project 7’s suspension has also been dropped 10mm, and black 20 inch Blade forged alloys wear tyres with Jaguar white lettering on their sidewalls. The F-Type’s windscreen has also been lowered for a more raked profile, and the folding roof mechanism has also been ditched to make way for the headrest fairing. The Project 7’s 5.0 litre supercharged V8 has been upgraded to match the 404kW/680Nm of the existing XFR-S and XKR-S models – up 42kW and 55Nm over the existing F-Type V8 S, and could also hint at the F-Type R's spec. Purists will be disappointed that the F-Type’s eight-speed auto transmission remains for the Project 7, suggesting that the F-Type R will also be a two-pedal affair. Nonetheless, Jaguar claims 0-96km/h acceleration in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 300km/h – figures which would likely satisfy any potential F-Type R owner.On the inside, the driver’s seat has been replaced by a composite bucket race seat, with the passenger seat replaced altogether by a harnessed helmet holder, and the whole lot trimmed in diamond-quilted leather. The Project 7’s name refers to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans 24 hour race wins between 1951-1990, and its blue paintwork is an homage to the 1956/57 Le Mans-winning D-Type racers. The Project 7 will make its first public outing along the Goodwood hillclimb route this weekend, at the hands of Jaguar’s chief chassis engineer Mike Cross.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Anyone who wants a truly affordable F-Type Jaguar will have to wait a while. The starting price for the F-Type convertible is set today at $139,000, right between the Porsche Boxster S and 911, but the bottom line is likely to fall by at least $10,000 in late 2014 when the Cat coupe arrives. The convertible is the obvious early focus as Jaguar finally gets serious about sports cars for the first time since the 1960s, with a car that reinvents the classic E-Type. There are three models of F-Type convertible - at least for now - with the V6-powered starter car at $139,000, the F-Type S V6 at $171,400 and the V8 S at $202,300. “It's a relative bargain in Australia. And it is a lot of car,” says Jaguar's brand manager for Australia, Mark Eedle. “This car does what the box says. This is all about performance.” He rejects any suggestion that the F-Type is over-priced, and says the car sits right on target and that Australian buyers are getting a good deal. “We have worked very hard to make this car as affordable as possible. If you look at some of the other markets, we're doing alright. Some people might think it's not as affordable as they hoped, but it is more affordable than lots of other countries,” Eedle says. But the timing for the F-Type announcement is not good, as the Boxster S has just had a $6000 price cut in Australia that means it's now starting at $126,500. “There is white space between the Boxster S and 911. All along we've been talking about where we are positioning the car, and the pricing is exactly that,” says Eedle. “It wasn't intended to be head-to-head against Boxster S. So it shouldn't have been expected to be on their pricing.” Carsguide gets a first drive in the F-Type later this week in Spain, driving all three models. The basic F-Type has a 3-litre supercharged V6 that makes 250 kiloWatts for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds - with standard equipment including 18-inch alloys, performance brakes, sports suspension and exhaust - while the V6-powered S jumps to 280 kiloWatts and 4.9 seconds, with the supercharged 5-litre petrol V8 producing 364 kiloWatts for a sprint time of 4.3 seconds. “We're talking about the sporting bloodline with this car. It you look at the E-Type it was 1961. It's been a lazy 52-year break since then,” Eedle says. “The F-Type was designed as a true sports car, not a grand tourer. This is taking us into the hard-core driver's segment. It's 911 all over.” Eedle refuses to discuss the upcoming F-Type coupe, or the potential for R and RS models with even better performance, even though they are clearly part of Jaguar's planning. “We don't comment on future product. But Jaguar's brand ambassador Adrian Hallmark is on record as saying 'It's a car we can do so many things with',” he says. This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover  

“His job was simple: deliver a car. But in the desert, nothing is simple.” And with those catchy phrases, Jaguar manages (quite nicely, we might add) to suck you into Desire, an upcoming short film by Ridley Scott Associates that makes us want the 2014 Jaguar F-Type more than we already do. Piecing the plot together from earlier teasers, Desire is the ageless boy-meets-mysterious-girl-and-heavily-armed-drug-lord story, set in the “middle of a lawless desert.” Damian Lewis plays the ever-composed delivery driver, Sidney Clark, while Shannyn Sossamon portrays the mysterious woman on the run. All is not as it appears, and when asked “Who are you,” Lewis delivers what may be the film’s best line. “Like I said, I do deliveries,” Lewis quips in a flat voice, clearly after proving that his skills extend far beyond handing over a set of keys. For that brief, fleeting second, the Sidney Clark character manages to come across as cooler than James Bond, which makes us want to see the film that much more. Look for Lana Del Rey’s song of the same name to feature in the film as well, which will really centre around screen time for the Jaguar F-Type. Like the car, we sincerely hope the video lives up to the hype surrounding it. www.motorauthority.com

Supercars stretch alluringly alongside family sedans. Auto exotica co-exist with humble hatchbacks. A good motor show is like that. Having been privy to every exhibit on view at the Australian International Motor Show, Carsguide was struck afresh that AIMS serves two purposes. The first is to provide car porn, to enable you to stare wantonly without risking arrest or society's censure. The second reason -- and this, ultimately, is why car makers gather their wares in vast pavilions - is to show you the cars you're going to buy. Given this glaring polarity, there's no single list -- definitive, subjective or otherwise -- of the “best in show”. There must be two lists. This year's AIMS marks the world debut of a unique, purpose-built and probably priceless German supercar and a little French five-door that's one of the best things you can get under $20,000. Batman's very own Lamborghini V12 is just across the room from Ford's 1.0-litre mini-SUV. The world debut of a Lexus sports coupe is separated by one stand from a returning name in affordable fun, the Pulsar SSS. Take it all in. If you can't be there to see it in person, see our iPad app. If you are at Darling Harbour in Sydney over the next week, family in tow, Carsguide asks only that you remember the cars are not creches. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster  Price: $600,000 (est) Engine: 6.2-litre V8, 420kW/650Nm Thirst: 13.3L/100km Ably supported by two other special-edition AMGs, this topless, lustrous two-seater was created especially for AIMS. As with the Jaffa C63 and SLS Coupe of 2010, it comes with unique paint itself worth $20,000. See it while you can. 'see more Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster images and video' Lexus LF-FC II  Price: concept Engine: petrol-electric hybrid Thirst: N/A A mid-size coupe that retains even half the styling cues of this best-in-show contender is what's needed to shed Lexus's worthy but unexciting image. The Lexus Future-Luxury Coupe II packs a hybrid drivetrain, good for more than 370kW combined that is put to the ground via all four wheels. 'see more Lexus LF-FC II images and video' Lamborghini Aventador   Price: $754,000 Engine: 6.5-litre V12, 515kW/690Nm Thirst: 17.2L/100km This very bull-mobile appeared as Bruce Wayne's daily driver in that ultimate comic character realisation, 'The Dark Knight Rises', fitting in seamlessly with the usual array of stylised fantasy devices. It's in an all-star cast with two special Gallardos - a 550-2 Tricolore and a 570-4 Spyder Performante. 'see more Lamborghini Aventador images and video' Jaguar F-Type  Price: $250,000 (est) Engine: includes supercharged V6 Thirst: N/A Nostalgia isn't what it used to be, a lesson brought home by Ian Callum's roadster. Sure, it's a spiritual descendant of the endlessly feted E-Type but, as the alphabetical designation conveys, it's moved on in the manner of all recent Jaguars. The F-Type reminds us that Indian ownership is the best thing ever to happen to this quintessentially British brand. 'see more Jaguar F-Type images and video' Range Rover Vogue   Price: about $200,000 Engine: 4.4-litre V8 turbo diesel Thirst: 8.7L/100km From Paris in autumn to Sydney in spring, the new Rangie makes its first appearance outside Europe. A stride forward in most respects but the newcomer's most significant advance could be in what it lacks over the previous model - some 400kg. The leaner, meaner but greener turbo diesel V8 is the variant on show, complete with power tailgate and sunroof. 'see more Range Rover Vogue images and video'  

The first true Jaguar sports car for 40 years vies for centre stage at the show. The F-Type makes only its second public appearance anywhere in the world. A reinvention of the classic ’60s star, the E-Type, it’s a sure sellout when it gets here next year.  We’ve already seen, touched, explored and sat in the F-Type, which is the work of design guru Ian Callum. Everything points to a top-quality British roadster, priced between Porsche’s Boxster S and 911 Cabriolet, with a choice of three engines - and a supercharged V8 F-Type RS and coupe also in the car’s near future. The F-Type has classic sports car proportions, but is much more modern and muscular than the E-Type. Sure, there are nods to the ancestor car - look at the muscular haunches and the tail lamps - but Callum says the F-Type is something completely new. “It’s a car we’ve wanted for a long time. It makes you turn your head,” he says. “You’ll know from 200 yards away that this is a Jaguar sports car. I’ve never owned a car that I’ve designed before, but I’m going to pay my own money for one of these.” Callum is expected in Sydney for the show, accompanying his baby on the quick trip from its global unveiling at the Paris motor show. He is quick to put the F-Type into perspective alongside the E-Type that inspired it. “If you want an E-Type then you should buy an E-Type. This is something different and better. You will like driving it far more than driving an E-Type.” The F-Type is a true two-seater, not a 2+2 like Jaguar’s XK roadsters, with a tightly drawn body that uses a folding canvas top that can be opened or closed in 12 seconds at up to 50km/h. It will come with a basic V6 engine, a supercharged V6 and a V8, with Jaguar’s latest eight-speed automatic gearbox — tweaked for much sportier shifts than the XJ limousine - and classic rear-wheel-drive. The boot is a 200-litre space that’s good for a single set of golf clubs. The press preview of the F-Type starts dramatically when a car roars down a specially built driveway at a house on the side of the River Thames, about an hour from London. “You have to see a car in motion for the first time,” Callum says. The impact is immediate. The F-Type is a little like a Ferrari California, at least in the basic shape and proportions, but looks far more masculine than the Italian sports car. Though pumped-up, it’s also elegant and a little soft. Jaguar plans for the F-Type to lead a huge new-model push that includes an updated XJ and F-Type, which get a four-cylinder engine and new V6s for 2013, and is confident it has the goods. It is very impressive and a great looker, from the giant air intake in the nose through to the tightly drawn tail, which has central exhausts for the V6 and side exits for the V8. “We started out as a sports car company. Without a sports car, Jaguar is just not Jaguar,” says Adrian Hallmark, the global brand director for Jaguar. Jaguar F-Type Price: about $250,000 Date of release: 2013 Engine: choice of V6s or a V8 Thirst: untested  

Calling the new Jaguar F-Type convertible a milestone for the storied automaker is no exaggeration, as it’s the first no-compromise sports car from the brand in decades. It’s clear that Jaguar invested a significant amount of time and effort into its creation, and now that the car is nearing production we have to wonder what’s next from Jaguar. Autocar believes it has the answer, based on statements from Jaguar head Adrian Hallmark. First, Hallmark clarified the company’s position on the F-Type, saying, “Without the F-Type, our heritage would not be complete. The F-Type is the core of our range, and from now on it is our orientation point.” Saying that an SUV/crossover and a compact sedan are the most likely new products from Jaguar, Hallmark emphasised that “Whatever we do will be driven by the three pillars of our brand: innovation, design and performance leadership. Those three can be applied to different degrees in cars, but they must always be present.” Perhaps even before a Jaguar crossover or sub-XF sedan can be launched, expectations are that Jaguar will introduce a coupe version of the F-Type, to better counter rival products like the Porsche 911 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. When an F-Type coupe will hit the market is anyone’s guess, but popular opinion has it following a year after the convertible’s launch. Whatever product is next in line, one thing is clear: based on Hallmark’s statements, it will be exceptional in design and in the driving experience. We’ve been impressed with Jaguar’s progress in recent years, so we’re not surprised to witness the brand’s ongoing success. www.motorauthority.com