Jaguar says F-Type will debut in Paris; engine details disclosed
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Jaguar said its latest model, the F-Type, will be unveiled at the Paris auto show. The brand, owned by India's Tata Motors, also released details of the car's engine range.
"The unveiling of the F-Type in Paris will mark the company's return to the sports car market, a market it originally helped to create," Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar's global brand director, said in a statement on Friday.
The F-Type, which will be launched as a convertible, will go on sale next spring and will be the brand's first proper sports car since the E-Type, which became a 1960s icon and ceased production in 1974.
As Jaguar's fourth model, the F-Type will join the XJ luxury sedan that competes with the BMW 7 series and Mercedes-Benz S class; the mid-range XF sports sedan that is a rival to the BMW 5 series and Mercedes E class; and the XK four-seat convertible and coupe.
Jaguar believes the F-Type will help it improve profitability by boosting sales volumes and winning new customers. In the first six months, Jaguar's global sales grew 19 percent to a little more than 29,000 units.
"The model will be a conquest car and will appeal to a younger audience," a source close to the company told Automotive News Europe. "It will bring new customers to Jaguar in the same way as the Range Rover Evoque has done for Land Rover."
The F-Type will be positioned to compete with the Porsche 911. Prices are expected to start from about 55,000 pounds ($86,000).
New engines
Three engines will be offered: two versions of Jaguar's all-new 3.0-liter V-6 supercharged gasoline engine making 340 hp and 380 hp and a version of the brand's current 5.0-liter supercharged gasoline V-8. No output was given for that engine.
Without providing details, Jaguar said the F-Type's all-aluminum construction would help produce a low weight, leading to better performance and lower emissions.
The rear-wheel-drive car will have an eight-speed automatic transmission and will come with start-stop technologly to improve fuel economy
Jaguar is not disclosing whether a hybrid F-Type is planned. "Hybrid technology is something we're considering at Jaguar and Land Rover," a company spokesperson said. The company also wouldn't say whether a coupe version is likely.
You can reach Nick Gibbs at nick.gibbs@btinternet.com.
