A little bit of
unscientific opinion mining shows that our readers – at least the ones
commenting – are as disappointed with the F-Type as we are. A handsome Jaguar
in its own right, the F-Type simply isn't poised to make the same leap to
greatness as its old man. For some it appears to share about as much DNA with
the E-Type as an adopted child shares with his brother-in-law.
Of course, Jaguar,
which revealed the car at an exclusive event a day before the Paris Motor Show,
sees it differently. The pouncing cat calls it the "continuation of a
sporting bloodline that stretches back more than 75 years and encompasses some
of the most beautiful, thrilling and desirable cars ever built."
Interestingly, while Jaguar alludes to the E-Type and other classic sports cars
with that quote, we didn't see those cars cited specifically in Jag's press
materials, outside of a brief mention that the F-Type is its first two-seat
sports car since the E. We take that to mean even Jaguar realizes that this
design couldn't wrestle its way into the same conversation as the E-Type.
While the E-Type is
absent, Jaguar does mention that the new car is influenced by the C-X16 concept
car. The influence is immediately noticeable up front. The mesh grille and its
thick bissecting bar provide a reinterpretation of the grille used on
current-generation sedans like the XJ and XF. Perhaps the most striking aspect
of the front-end, the "shark gill" air intakes on either side are
positioned to give the F-Type a memorable face, making it immediately
recognizable in the rear-view mirror. When compared to the soft, pure face of
the E-Type, we'd say the gills are a little like knife scars on an otherwise
handsome prisoner.
Beginning at the
center slat in those shark gill vents, one of two sets of defining "heart
lines" flows upward through the vertical bi-xenon headlamps, sets a
hood-fender border and moves onward over the flanks and shoulders, disappearing
quietly on the quarter panels. The second heart line bulges out from the edge
of the door, framing the rear drive wheels and melding into the rear fascia. In
back, the F-Type features a kinetic spoiler that raises when the speedometer
hits 60 mph (96.5 km/h). The V-6 models get a center-mounted twin exhaust, and
the V-8 model gets a quad exhaust.
Enough about looks
... onward to substance. In order to give the F-Type the lithe, reactive handling
it needed to "return to its heartland" of sporty two-seat
convertibles, Jaguar put its experience with aluminum construction to use. The
F-Type utilizes Jag's fourth-generation lightweight aluminum architecture
coupled with aluminum wishbone front and rear suspension. The F-Type also uses
more composites than any previous Jag. Weight is kept as low as 3,521 pounds
(1,597 kg), and Jaguar promises its efforts pay off in a quick, balanced, agile
ride.
“We are creating a
new generation of Jaguar sports car so it has to be credible from both a
performance and design point of view," explains Mark White, one of
Jaguar's chief engineers. "It has to deliver; it has to be a great
handling car with a stiff, rigid platform underpinning; and it has to look
every inch an icon. For our team the greatest satisfaction was delivering a
structure that underpinned the desired performance attributes - ride, handling
and agility – by increasing stiffness and at the same time reducing
weight."
Helping to increase
the car's on-street performance, Jaguar minimized the front and rear overhangs
to keep weight planted in the wheelbase and give the car a "wheels pushed
to the corners" feel. It also placed the battery and windshield wiper
fluid tank in the trunk, optimizing front-to-rear weight distribution.
Of course, all the
aluminum and weight tricks in the world can't guarantee an enjoyable ride on
their own - you need a little something spinning the rear wheels. Jaguar offers
three different options. The F-Type is motivated by a new 340-hp 3.0-liter
supercharged V-6. The F-Type S sees that same engine tuned up to 380-hp, and
the F-Type V8 S enjoys a 495-hp output courtesy of Jag's 5.0-liter supercharged
V-8. All three engines work with an eight-speed Quickshift transmission with a
central, joystick-style SportShift selector and paddle shifters on the steering
wheel. An Intelligent Stop/Start system helps to save fuel.
The V8 S hits 60
mph (96.5 km/h) in 4.2 seconds before rolling to a top speed of 186 mph (300
km/h). The F-Type S, which is the sole model with a Dynamic Launch feature
designed to optimize acceleration from rest, does its thing in 4.8 seconds and
171 mph (275 km/h). Base model owners are staring at 5.1 seconds and 161 mph
(259 km/h).
Inside, Jaguar
organizes the cabin in an asymmetric, "one + one" style that puts
emphasis on the driver position. The two sides of the cabin have several subtle
points of differentiation, including more technical trim on the driver side and
a central passenger grab handle that serves as a sort of barrier. Driver controls
are inspired by aeronautics and grouped by function. In order to promote the
utmost of driver interaction, Jaguar has gone a little retro, replacing certain
controls typically handled by the touchscreen with old school fixtures. Three
different audio systems are available, including 380-watt and 770-watt systems
from Meridian. A fabric roof, which deploys in 12 seconds, separates cabin from
atmosphere.
The F-Type will
launch in the U.S. by mid-2013. We're certain to hear a lot more about this
convertible and other sports cars now that the Paris Motor Show has opened to
the media.
Source: Jaguar
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