Jaguar confirms production of new sports car – the F-Type
JAGUAR today confirmed one of its worst kept secrets by announcing it is to put its two-seater sports car concept into full production, badged as the F-Type.
The announcement at the New York Motor Show confirms the story exclusively revealed by TheBusinessDesk.com last month.
Although the C-X16 concept has been shown at various events around the world there are no production-ready images of the new car yet. However, the firm has released photographs of the camouflaged roadster.
Full technical and range details for the new car will be announced later this year and it is expected to go on sale in the middle of 2013.
Speaking at the New York event, Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars, said: “We showed the C-X16 concept in September 2011, and the reaction to it has been so positive that we’ve accelerated our development of an all-new Jaguar sports car.
“That car will be called the F-Type, and it will be unveiled in production form later this year. The core appeal of 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.”
As revealed by TheBusinessDesk.com last month, tooling contracts to suppliers have already been awarded meaning production can begin in earnest later this year.
Final on-road testing is taking place with engineering prototypes now leaving Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant – the same plant where the production cars will be built.
The construction of the car will be in all-aluminium and will launch as a convertible. A range of petrol engines will be available – including a new generation of powerplants.
Ian Hoban, Jaguar’s Vehicle Line Director, said: “The engineering development of the F-Type has 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.”
Ian Callum, Director of Design, harking back to the car’s heritage, said: “A true sports car needs to be pure in both its purpose and its form; to have the opportunity to produce such a car for Jaguar has been a privilege both for myself and for my team.
“The C-type, D-type and E-type Jaguars were all sports cars 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.”
The announcement in New York is no coincidence as the United States will be the key market for the new car. The C-X16 debuted at the Los Angeles Motor Show last year where it received a positive response.
