Written by Jonny Williamson
The new F-TYPE will be a two-seater convertible with a chassis taking advantage of Jaguar’s wealth of experience in all-aluminium construction. There will be a range of petrol engines to choose from, though the concept car the F-TYPE will be based on was fitted with a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Developed by the Formula1 industry, the system uses a lithium-ion battery charged via advanced energy regeneration technology mounted on the rear axle.
The concept car in question was the C-X16, unveiled in September 2011. The car garnered such a positive response at the time, that Jaguar has accelerated its development of an all-new sports car.
Speaking at the New York Auto Show, Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director for Jaguar Cars, said:
“The core appeal for Jaguar’s cars is their sporting heart, and that heart will beat stronger than ever before in the F-TYPE. Its development is a vivid representation of the confidence and ambition of the Jaguar brand, and the desire amongst our engineers and design team to produce a world leader in a market segment that we have been absent from for too long.”
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Jaguar hasn’t released a sports car since the iconic E-TYPE last rolled off in the production line in 1975, the successor to both the C and D-TYPE.
Ian Callum, Director of Design, reminisces on Jaguar’s sports car heritage:
“A true sports car needs to be pure in both its purposes and its form; to have the opportunity to produce such a car for Jaguar has been a privilege both for me and for my team. The C-TYPE, D-TYPE and E-TYPE Jaguars were all sports car that held true to this principle in their era, and the F-TYPE will hold true to that same principle in its time, a time that is soon to arrive.”
Regarding the engineering development of the F-TYPE, Ian Hoban, Jaguar’s Vehicle Line Director, said:
“The F-TYPE is focused on delivering a heightened level of dynamic driving reward. We are excited about our progress to date and are looking forward to soon being able to demonstrate what we have achieved.”
The F-TYPE is scheduled to go on sale in mmid-2013 and will be built in Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Birmingham, UK.
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