Cats come out in Paris: Jaguar F-Type

It can be said that Jaguar, a luxury car brand, has been starting to enter the car market. For the first time in decades, Jaguar has a brand style that combines modern design and technology. Jaguar and its sister truck luxury car brand Land Rover led its parent company to release 305,859 units, 21% higher than the previous 12 months. With Jaguar's sales itself showing a modest growth of more than 4%, interest in the "cat brand" has reached an exciting new level. The 2012 Paris Motor Show will definitely follow the success of this British car brand, ushering in the latest model of Jaguar, which will become a new creature in the sports car jungle.

After a 38-year wait since the last E-Type was produced, the ancestral successor to Jaguar’s most iconic vehicle has arrived. A modern front-engined, rear-wheel driven performance car, the Jaguar F-Type is a soon-to-be production model looking to rekindle the time luxury and speed were hallmarks for the British company. Returning to the two-seat sports car market for the first time since the building of the ultra exotic XJ220 supercar, the Jaguar F-Type is a clear attempt to tug on the heartstrings of those romanced by the 1960s-1970s icon judged by many to be the most beautiful vehicle ever built. The 21st century F-Type luxury roadster borrows heavy influence from the C-X16 concept car of last year. The F-Type’s large, low front grille, the muscular “power bulge” hood, and bi-xenon headlamp housing sailing up over the front wheels, are front end details effective to define it from even other current Jaguar models. The rear of the Jaguar F-Type rear features a low tail look similar to the E-Type roadster. Modern touches within the rear end styling include LED taillights and a deployable deck spoiler that can provide 120 kilograms (264.55 pounds) of resistance against rear-end lift. An overall vehicle shape considering aerodynamic and a refined design presentation, Jaguar engineers’ extent in optimizing the F-Type’s appearance involved tucking the door handles into the bodywork. Deploying when summoned by a press of a key fob or it pressing on the surface of the door, the Jaguar F-Type’s handles are referred to as “a mechanical handshake.”

The production-ready Jaguar F-Type is shaped by an extensive amount of aluminum. While Audi receives many accolades for a premium carmaker experienced in the lightweight alloy, Jaguar has also been widely effective in using aluminum in past vehicles. The F-Type takes Jaguar’s aluminum construction through use in the body, frame, and within the double-wishbone suspension on all four wheels of the sports car. The result is a vehicle engineered to present excellent all-around handling for the driver and passenger to enjoy the F-Type.

A clean, refined sports car is carried into the interior presentation of the Jaguar F-Type. A two-seat cockpit, the Jaguar F-Type clearly communicates that the driver focuses on what is described as an asymmetric cabin. The look and control access of the driver side is designed to provide a motorist with a fighter plane-like feel. A joystick-shaped gear selection lever is a notable inclusion of the Jaguar sports car interior’s serious, aerospace-inspired performance feel. The air vents are hidden inside of the F-Type with only the driver or the car’s computer control permitted to open.

All Jaguar F-Types will be equipped with an 8-speed “Quickshift” transmission featuring sequential manual shifting control through the gear lever joystick or steering wheel-mounted paddles. The Jaguar F-Type sports car will be available in three different models based on engine choices. Two versions of the F-Type will be propelled by Jaguar’s new high-technology 3-liter V-6 powerplant. A base F-Type will deliver 340ps (335 horsepower), while the F-Type S model will enhance engine output of 380ps (374 horsepower). In base trim, the Jaguar F-Type sails from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. The F-Type S extra 40ps allows the Jaguar branded vehicle to accelerate through the same performance plateau in just 4.8 seconds.

While the performance of the V-6 powered Jaguar F-Type models will be the ideal method to send wind through your hair on the highway or through a summer Sunday drive, the F-Type V8 S is the radical sports car more likely to strip the hairs from your head. Featuring Jaguar’s supercharged 5-liter V-8, the F-Type V8 S sports car generates a sensational 495ps (488 horsepower). A cat that definitely pounces, the Jaguar F-Type V8 S needs a mere 4.2 seconds to accelerate to 60 miles per hour from a standstill. With a steady, straight path, a 186-mile per hour top speed is obtainable with the Jaguar F-Type V8 S sports car. All S models of the Jaguar F-Type will include a limited-slip differential for improved performance driving traction and an active exhaust system.

The release of the Jaguar F-Type to the public is likely to take place early-to-mid next year, with pricing details set for some time prior.

Source of information and photos: Jaguar Land Rover