In a recent statement, Tata Motors CEO Carl-Peter Forster confirmed that Jaguar is indeed working on a replacement for the X-Type and the long-awaited "F-Type" roadster. Production version of the F-Type will be called XE and, as previously reported, will be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Both models will be offered in several variations. Forster also announced that Jaguar is currently testing an estate version for the XF luxury sedan.
All he said about the X-Type replacement is that it will be built on a new generation medium-size rear-drive aluminum platform, that will also be used for the XE and the replacement for today’s XF.
The XE will be built on an all-new aluminum platform and will be powered by a V8 petrol engine with 385hp in a naturally aspired version and 510 hp in the supercharged version. Reports also suggest that the upcoming XE will be made as a hybrid variant. The gas/electric vehicle will use a much more efficient lithium ion battery pack, as opposed to today’s nickel based energy storage devices.
Carl-Peter Forster, Tata top boss, confirmed that Jaguar plans to build a new sports car, a fourth Range Rover, a BMW 3-Series rival and an executive estate. Of course, it’s not the first time you hear about a F-type Roadster coming from Jaguar, but this time we got the official confirmation. It will compete with models like the Porsche Boxster, the Mercedes SLK and the BMW Z4.
The 2012 F-Type will be built on XF’s platform and will use the XK’s aluminum suspension components to save weight. Under the hood there will be a V6 engine with output around 235 hp. Twin turbos are a possibility. The photo shown here is of the Jaguar F-type concept which was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show back in 2000. It was based off of the XK180 concept that had been unveiled a couple of years prior to that in 1998. Although the concept has stayed alive, the Jaguar F-type will look nothing like the concepts shown.
Unfortunately, the good news ends here as Tata still plans to close one of its UK factories. Forster believes it is much better for a car company to have one large factory, than two small ones. Within the next few years Tata will open a new plant in China where it will be build models like the Defender, the Discovery and the Freelander.
We guess it is safe to say that the promise of £1bn of investment every year for the next five years by new Indian owner Tata is being put to good use by Jaguar.
Our strange Jaguar fix may be over with. A few weeks ago we started hearing rumors that Jaguar was working on a supercar called the XE. The stories had the car pegged as a mid-engined successor to the XJ220, and a competitor to the Audi R8. Jaguar has never confirmed this car, and now AutoWeek is possibly shedding some light on this rumor.
A reporter close to Jaguar says that the car called “XE” is in development, but "Jag will launch an affordable, front-engine sports car, badged XE, not a supercar-badged XE." This means the XE is a competitor for the Porsche Boxster, Mercedes SLK and BMW Z4, which seems very close to the roadster that the press has usually called the F-Type...Hmmmmmmm.
So have the rumors about this supercar really just been a game of telephone gone bad, or is Jaguar just trying to hide its next supercar? The first explanation makes the most sense (especially in this economy), but as supercar lovers, we hope the latter is the case.
Just because the economies of the world are slowing down doesn’t mean Jaguar is. Earlier we saw that plans for the new XJ will be revealed later this year, and now it seems the F-Type roadster is still on track for 2011.
Jaguar’s corporate parent Tata has an attitude toward the current economy we’d like to see from other manufacturers. "Putting exciting projects on the back burner is the thing we should not do," said Chairman Ratan Tata. "Certainly we must attend to business by doing our utmost to cut costs and reduce time-frames, but above all we must ensure that we come out of this slump ahead of where we were – with exciting cars like the roadster that show where we want to go."
Damn right.
Tata confirmed the F-Type Concept will go into production. We will see the production version on sale in 2012.
The 2012 F-Type will be built on XF’s platform and will use the XK’s aluminum suspension components to save weight. Under the hood there will be a V6 engine with output around 235 hp. Twin turbos are a possibility.
Initial rumors said the 2012 F-Type will be simply a slimmer version of the XK. Instead, take the E-Type, morph it into the radical C-XF concept and XF production car and then develop those themes to become the F-Type. Jaguar could very easily end up with the coolest sports car of the 21st century.
