Engineering news
Jaguar is to build a new sports car – called the F-Type – at its Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands.
The vehicle was shown as the C-X16 concept in September last year, and Jaguar said reaction to it was so positive that it will accelerate the vehicle's development towards production.
Adrian Hallmark, global brand director, Jaguar Cars, said: "The car will be called the F-Type, and it will be unveiled in production form later this year.”
The F-Type will be a smaller, sportier car than Jaguar currently has in its range. Hallmark said: “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. But no longer – the F-Type is coming."
Using Jaguar's knowledge of all-aluminium construction, the F-Type will launch as a convertible, two-seater design. A range of petrol engines will be available – including a new powerplant family.
The F-Type has been undergoing development and on-road testing, with engineering prototypes now leaving Jaguar's Castle Bromwich plant – the same plant at which the production cars will be built.
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, 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 F-Type will go on sale in mid 2013.