2012 Paris Motor Show - Jaguar F-type revealed

We just can’t get enough of the new Jaguar sportscar ever since it made its first appearance as the hardtop C-X16 Concept in 2011. But unlike what we all expected, the C-X16 has shed its metal roof and has got a soft-top instead, making its production debut in the form of the stunning F-type Jaguar!

While we like to believe that the newest sportscar from Jaguar is a spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director Ian Hoben points out that the carmaker is not “worshipping the ashes of their ancestors.” Therefore, the F-type doesn’t try to resurrect or preserve any legacies, though it does aim at filling the void that the E-type created after it faded away into the history books. The new Jag will take on sportscars ranging from the Porsche Boxster and the BMW Z4 to the Porsche 911 Carrera and Mercedes Benz SL-class.

The F-type is based on a shortened XK-platform and boasts of an all-aluminium construction. The design largely resembles the C-X16 Concept; like the swept back headlights with bi-xenon headlamps and LED daytime running lights, a large gaping grille with the floating Jaguar emblem, diagonally slatted bumper scoops and the clamshell bonnet with vents and big bulge in the centre.

The F-type is wider, longer and shorter than the Porsche 911 and has a clean side profile, thanks to the subtle creases, chrome-garnished side-vents and the flush-mounted door-handles that pop-put when you touch them!

The best angle of the F-type though is the rear three-quarter that boasts of the tapering, horizontal full-LED taillights, the flush-mounted rear spoiler, the diffuser and the four tailpipes on the V8 model. Unlike the XK, XF or XJ, the ‘F-type’ nametag takes the Jaguar back to its roots.

The interiors of the F-type are based on what Jaguar calls a ‘1+1’ philosophy. They feature a driver oriented cockpit and an asymmetrical centre-console with a prominent grab handle on the passenger side. The layout has a minimalist approach and like the XF, the air-con vents ‘appear’ on the dashboard only when the air-conditioning is activated. The rotary gear knob seen on most recent JLR vehicles has been replaced with a conventional stick-selector in the F-type. The sportscar also gets an amber coloured push-button starter and matching paddle shifters. The interiors make use of leather and metal, but no wood. The seats get a manually adjustable reach in order to reduce weight.

Speaking of performance, the F-type comes with three engine options – two V6 mills and a V8. Both the V6 engines have a 3.0-litre capacity and put out 340 PS and 380 PS of power respectively. The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 on the other hand churns out over 500 PS of power! The 0-100 km/h sprint comes in 5.1, 4.8 and 4.1 seconds respectively for the three configurations. All the engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. The F-type is available in three trim levels – the F-type base, F-type S and F-type V8 S.

Though there is no official word from Jaguar yet, we believe that the F-type will make its entry into India by mid-2013 to join the rest of the leaping cats that the Tata-owned brand has to offer.