Jaguar F-Type News

“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  

When I was a little bloke, a visit to the old Sydney Showgrounds was always a very special event.

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  

The all-new F-Type is Jaguar's first true sports car since the 1960s. It's the spiritual successor to the classic E-Type, with a driving-first layout and a muscular body that's pulled tight around the mechanical package. It goes public today in Paris for the biggest European car show of the year and is also being rushed down under to star at the opening of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney next month. It's certain to be successful, with a look that's new and fresh and distinctive, an alloy chassis, a choice of V6 and V8 engines, and pricing that will put it squarely in the fertile range between Porsche's Boxster S and 911 Cabrio - likely to mean a base price around $200,000 in Australia. The F-Type is much chunkier than the dainty E-Type, but that's down to modern safety regulations and a conscious decision not to run the sixties car through a 3-D photocopier. Design guru Ian Callum and his team have done a fantastic job and he admits there will eventually be a coupe to follow the F-Type roadster. “It's a very complete car. It's a car we've wanted for a very long time,” Callum reveals to Carsguide during a sneak preview in London last month. “There is nothing I'd like to change, other than to take a couple of inches out of the height of it. I'm actually going to buy an F-Type with my own money.” It's hard to gauge the size of the F-Type from pictures, but Jaguar says the car is 2 centimetres shorter and 11 wider than a new 911. It will play in a tough sandpit already filled by the Porsches, Audi's R8, the Lamborghini Gallardo and Aston Martin V8. Mechanically, the only real shortcoming is the lack of a manual gearbox. Jaguar says it's happy with a tweaked version of its latest eight-speed auto but, in reality, getting a manual would have added an unacceptable 12-month delay to the project. There are three models - F-Type, F-Type S and F-Type V8 S - and the major difference is the engines. The basic car gets a V6 with 250kW/450Nm for a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 260km/h, the supercharged V6 takes it to 280/460 and 4.9/275 and the V8 is good for 364/625 and 4.3/300km/h. Fuel economy is as good as 9.0 litres/100km, weights are from 1597 to 1665 kilos, and Jaguar says it's possible to fit a set of golf clubs in the boot. But the F-Type is about driving, so that's where all the effort - beyond the styling - has gone. The car was even driven into the press preview event, because Callum believes “You have to see a car in motion for the first time”. A lot of effort has gone into keeping the weight down, and the front-rear balance close to 50:50, with rear-wheel drive and plenty of electronics to make it responsive while quick and safe. It's hard to know exactly how the F-Type will drive, but Jaguar says it's going to be way sharper than the brutal-but-brunt XK models - even the hotrod RS - and that it has been developed for the 21st century. “Jaguar is a sports car company and without a sports car Jaguar is not Jaguar. But we did not sit around worshipping the ashes of our dead ancestors,” says Adrian Hallmark, global brand director for jaguar. “It's a Jaguar sports car - ultra-precise, powerful, sensual and, most of all, it feels alive.” We won't know until the F-Type is available to drive, sometime early next year, if Hallmark and Callum are just jabbering. But everything looks good and the F is a bit like a Ferrari California that's been working out, with similar proportions but a much more muscular look. It's not like anything else on the road today, it's backed by the massive Indian investment that's brought Jaguar back from the dead with a string of showroom hits, and the name alone is going to ensure the car is easy to sell for the first couple of years. Jaguar F-Type On sale: 2013 Pricing: from $200,000 (estimate) Body: two-door roadster Engines: 3-litre V6, 3-litre supercharged V6, 5-litre V8; 250kW/450Nm, 280/460, 364/625 Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive, LSD on S models Dimensions: 4470mm (L), 1923mm (w), 1297mm (h)  

We’ve all been waiting to see what the Jaguar F-Type looks like under the camouflage it’s been wearing in official photos and teaser videos - and here it is. In full-dress glory, it echoes the styling cues of the Jaguar C-X16 concept unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt motor show. A single image was leaked last week and that was followed early this morning by a whole lot more. The Jaguar F-Type will be initially launched as a convertible with a choice of three supercharged petrol engines: 250kW and 280kW versions of a new 3.0-litre V6, plus a higher-powered version of the current Jaguar 5.0-litre V8 - all equipped with Stop/Start technology. All three variants of the Jaguar F-Type will be rear-wheel-drive with an eight-speed-transmission. The F-Type will get a second public unveiling - and a chance for Aussies to get a closer look -- at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney next month, where we’ll also get more details on local spec and prices ahead of the car going on sale mid-2013.

The Australian International Motor Show confirms that Jaguar will be revealing its all-new sports car, the F-TYPE at Sydney in October. In its second unveiling to the world, but first in the Southern Hemisphere, the F-TYPE’s unveiling at the Australian International Motor Show will aid in marking Jaguar’s return to the sports car market. So far, teaser images are all that have been released of this all-new aluminium two-seater sports car, with the world waiting with baited breath for its covers to come off in its very first reveal at the Paris Motor Show in September. The F-TYPE will be initially launched as a convertible with a choice of three petrol engines – 340PS and 380PS versions of Jaguar’s all-new 3.0-litre supercharged V6 and a new derivative of its existing supercharged 5.0-litre V8. All three variants of the Jaguar F-TYPE will be rear-wheel-drive with an eight-speed-transmission and equipped with Stop/Start technology. “The all-new F-TYPE is guaranteed to amaze the world’s automotive industry and its unveiling is certainly a momentous occasion in Jaguar’s illustrious history,” said Russ Tyrie, Show Director. “As Jaguar have stated, the F-TYPE will break new ground by delivering stunning sports car performance while demonstrating its cutting-edge engineering technologies and world-class design excellence. “We are honoured and excited that the 2012 Australian International Motor Show has been selected as the platform for the second official world unveiling of the all-new Jaguar F-TYPE convertible.” Jaguar will also have on display the 2013 models of its XF and XJ, making the 2012 Australian International Motor Show one of their biggest local shows to date. The Jaguar F-TYPE convertible will join the all-new Range Rover from Land Rover as vehicles currently confirmed to make their second world reveal and Southern Hemisphere debuts at the Australian International Motor Show. The 2012 Australian International Motor Show will be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour from October 19-28, 2012. For further information about the Show and to purchase early bird tickets, visit the AIMS website. www.motorshow.com.au