German Car Forum

Jaguar’s F-Type Concept caused so much excitement back in 2000 when it was first rolled out at the Detroit Auto Show that officials decided to green light the project within that same year. This was before Jaguar’s sales slumped and the carmaker started posting multi-million dollar losses. All of a sudden, plans for an exotic flagship like the F-Type were dropped in favor of the mass market X-Type sedan.

The years went by and nothing seemed to change and then, finally, Jaguar was up for sale. Now with a new owner expected to be announced next month and a potential injection of funds on its way, hope is reignited that new and exciting Jaguar models will soon follow. Already in the works is a replacement for the XJ flagship as well as the high-performance XF-R and XK-R models, but now there’s talk of a car based on the original F-Type Concept being produced.

The car is tipped to be a two-seater sports car designed to take on Porsche, reports The Sun. Carrying on the tradition of classic sports cars like the C and E-Type models of the 1950s and ‘60s, the new F-Type would be a high-performance sports coupe that could rival the 911. To save development costs the car could be built off a shortened XJ platform and share the same naturally aspirated and supercharged V8 engines with the recently launched XF range.

The only ‘problem’ is if the F-Type is produced then the chances of the entry-level X-Type being replaced becomes next to nil.


Source: Motor Authority >> Jaguar could build new sports car

Would be nice if they could do this along with a compact RWD sports sedan based on the same chassis. Get Volvo's I6 and re-tune it and stick it in the a real RWD chassis that can be shared between the sedan and sports car and you'll have a winner. MB/BMW/Audi all do it so why can't Jaguar.

M

A revived well-executed F type would be a great idea in theory.

I don't want to be a downer on this. But I really don't think a new expensive low volume model is going to do much to improve the plight of Jaguar anytime soon.

I would much rather see Jaguar devote all its (already limited) energy and resources into building or improving its current model line up and future models.

Jaguar barely sells more than 100,000 cars a year and the new owners, the Tata Group, have much to do in order to keep Jaguar a viable business proposition.

Jaguar desperately needs to increase sales volume. They first need to shake off the old staid image its cars have. The XF is an excellent start. Its exterior styling and the interior features are contemporary and adventurous at the same time. The technology and dynamics are current with the best in class. A diesel engine and a sporty estate version of this car will definitely add volume.

The current three-spoke steering wheel looks awful and feels even cheaper. Please bin it ASAP and give us something better quality.

The XJ is an excellent aluminium platform but too expensive and not versatile enough to be adapted for use by other models. The XJ will soldier on for a long while and there is only a very limited scope in what could be done to make it a credible competitor to the short wheelbase S Class, A8, 7 Series, and the Lexus LS. A new interior is a MUST!!!!! The current interior looks dated and feels cheap and Jaguar knows it (that Ford-sourced plastic clock in the middle of the dash is appalling and the tactility of the switchgear is dreadful and the quality of the leather and plastic are second rate at best). The tired exterior styling needs all the help it can get.

The XF............how should I put it...............its better than the 6 series but leagues behind the SL. The embarassing thing about the XK is that its only been around for two years but it already looks like it can do with an interior update. Again, the materials let it down.

All these works require significant investments and I hope Jaguar would instead put all its efforts and resources into these rather than reviving the F Coupe.

Interesting post and I agree with most of it, but I'm going to hate seeing this:



be replaced. It is so classic, but as you point out it is too much so a classic at this point.

I think a new sports car could work, but only if a sedan is built from the same platform in the way MB does with the C/SLK and BMW with the 3/Z4. This would take a huge investment, but if done right it would pay off big time for Jaguar.

M

"Could rival the 911" Ahw please, I hate when journalists say such stuff. But let's see what happens, I'm longing for coupe similar to the E-type.

Illustrated: Jaguar's Porsche 911 fighter


For the past several weeks, rumors have been circulating about a possible new model from Jaguar to compete with the Porsche 911. The project has not yet been approved, but Jaguar insiders have described it as the "top priority" for the automaker in terms of targeting a new niche.

Well-placed sources recently confirmed Jaguar presented the idea to Tata Motors, which is likely to acquire the company from Ford. Since the project is so early on, a final design probably doesn't even exist yet. But that didn't stoop our artists from creating an illustration of how such a vehicle might look.
Jaguar is widely expected to borrow some design cues from the popular F-Type concept, with a more modern twist. Our illustration depicts a car with a shorter overall wheelbase than the XK, plus an F-Type-inspired nose.
Even if approved, the two-seater is still a few years away. Tata's "can-do" mindset might lead to a faster development process, but we're still in for a long wait. Using an existing platform — such as a shortened version of the XK chassis — might also help bring the new model to market sooner.
The puristic sports car could wear the F-Type badge, but Jaguar appears to be switching to a lineup of models starting with "X," so we wouldn't be surprised to see a different nameplate.
http://www../illustrated-jaguars-porsche-911-fighter.html

New Jaguar F-Type and XK sedan in the works


As Jaguar faces its impending sale to India’s Tata Motors, things at the Coventry-based maker are continuing as usual - or even at a slightly quicker pace. Featuring updates to a model lineup that had stagnated under Ford’s tenure, the new direction taken by the leaping cat looks to head straight into the future.

Perhaps the most interesting model expected from Jaguar in the next few years is the F-Type (concept pictured) - a $50,000 two-seat sports car based on the XF sedan and considered the spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type. Production feasibility work has already been done on the car, and suposedly production is within the realm of serious possibility - although neither of the new cars has anything like a certain future. However, given the sale of Jaguar alongside Land Rover and Tata Motor’s ability to infuse capital - and likely desire to put their mark on the newly-acquired companies - production of these cars could be just what is needed.
The second car being considered for production is a supersedan based on the XK, envisioned as a competitor for Aston Martin’s Rapide, the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Porsche’s upcoming Panamera. While sales of such an upscale sports sedan might not drive volume, it could certainly be the sort of product that draws buyers into the brand. Conflict with the existing XJ flagship sedan is not likely because the new XJ, coming in 2009, will be larger and all-new, moving it into another class, according to AutoWeek.
Rumors of an AMG-esque XKR-R featuring 500hp and priced above $100,000 are also making the rounds. Likewise, the XF Coupe and Convertible are being considered, but the topless version wouldn’t be as easy to bring to fruition, as extra chassis stiffening - meaning added weight, and worsened performance - would be necessary.
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/concept-cars/new-jaguar-f-type-and-xk-sedan-in-the-works/

Tata to Take Jaguar F-Type into Production

Jaguar’s new parent-to-be, Tata, seems to have some great plans at hand; ahead of the much anticipated take-over that is expected within the next two weeks.

Tata Group Chairman, Ratan Tata, recently revealed that the company is intending to take the long-forgotten Jaguar F-Type concept into production. The F-Type concept was unveiled at the 2000 North American International Auto Show.

From what we can see, Jaguar has been moderately refreshing some of its models in the recent months. In addition to this, the XJ sedan will receive a facelift soon, subsequently followed by the production of the F-Type and XF coupe. Jaguar also has plans for a four-door XK and a crossover SUV in the near future.

The funding for Jaguar’s new models and facelifts is included in the due diligence process of the Tata Group, so getting the F-Type into production will not be far-fetched after all.

Tata to Take Jaguar F-Type into Production

For Jaguar fans, the one car that's been missing from the lineup for far too long is a direct replacement for the legendary E-Type. While Jaguar tried to compete on volume with Mercedes and BMW by producing cars like the S-Type and X-Type, concepts like the 2000 F-Type were left to whither on the vine. Now that Jaguar is under new management from the sub-continent, things are starting to change. A new, smaller sports car along the lines of the F-Type now seems to be set to arrive, perhaps as soon as 2012. Unlike the concept that looked like a smaller version of the previous generation XK, the production roadster is likely to take cues from new Jags, including the recently launched XF and the upcoming XJ. Power is expected to be provided by a variant of the current 3.0-liter Duratec, and while a turbocharged, direct-injected V6 variant of Ford's EcoBoost might not be out the question, it remains highly unlikely. The other question would be the name. Now that Jaguar has a pattern with XF, XK and XJ, it seems unlikely the new roadster will get badged as an F-Type. Do we hear XD, hearkening back to the old D-type?


Rendered Speculation: 2012 Jaguar F-type - Autoblog