Jaguar F-Type Roadster

Jaguar is invoking its iconic E-Type roadster to challenge Mercedes-Benz and Porsche with its first two-seat sports car in almost four decades.

The F-Type, due to be unveiled in September and go on sale as soon as next April, will be Jaguar’s smallest auto in more than a half-century as the marque seeks a return to its sporting tradition following decades spent focusing on luxury sedans. To read more go here.

Jaguar announced a range of engines for the new 2013 F-type:
     • 3.0 V6 supercharged, 335bhp and 332lb ft @ 1800rpm
     • 3.0 V6 supercharged, 375bhp and 339lb ft @ 1800rpm
     • 5.0 V8, in either 503bhp or 543bhp forms (as yet undecided)

No performance or economy figures have yet been announced. But judging by the compact dimensions of the F-type and its all-aluminium construction, it's going to be pretty rapid. The same, lower-powered V6 in the heavier XF will deliver 0-62mph in 5.7sec - so even the cheapest F-type will have proper performance credentials.

Jaguar Cars global brand director Adrian Hallmark commented about the upcoming presentation of the roadster model:

"The unveiling of the F-TYPE in Paris will be a truly significant day in Jaguar’s history as it will mark the company’s return to the sports car market, a market it originally helped to create."

He continued: "As its sporting forebears did in their era, the F-TYPE will break new ground by delivering stunning sports car performance while vividly demonstrating Jaguar’s cutting-edge engineering technologies and world-class design excellence. The next step in Jaguar’s sporting bloodline is about to become reality."

Jaguar F-type Will Offer a Manual Transmission, As Will Other Future Jags

 Jaguar won’t just save the manuals, it’s set to resurrect several. The F-type sports car launches next spring with an eight-speed automatic, but a high-level source at Jaguar tells us that a stick will be introduced later on. We get the impression that the manual may be deployed just for a particular engine or trim level, rather than as an across-the-board option. It also wouldn’t surprise us if only the enthusiast-targeted F-type coupes were offered with the manual, and not roadsters.

Better still, the F-type isn’t the only Jag with a stick in its future, our source says: At least one car planned for the all-new Jaguar platform currently in development also will offer a manual gearbox. That’s just the kind of circumstantial evidence we need to imagine a 3-series–sized Jaguar sedan, which has otherwise not been confirmed.

Technical specifications:

3.0-litre V6 340 Supercharged Petrol
Engine type:V6, petrol, supercharged
Capacity (cc):2,995
Bore/stroke (mm):84.5/89
Peak power (PS@rpm):340@6,500
Peak torque (Nm/lb ft@rpm):450/332@1,800-4,000rpm
0-60mph (secs):5.7 (in XF and XJ)*
Top speed (mph):155mph (limited, in XF and XJ)*

3.0-litre V6 380 Supercharged Petrol (F-TYPE only)
Engine type:V6, petrol, supercharged
Capacity (cc):2,995
Bore/stroke (mm):84.5/89
Peak power (PS@rpm):380@6,500
Peak torque (Nm/lb ft@rpm):460/339@1,800-4,000rpm
0-60mph (secs):figures not yet available
Top speed (mph):figures not yet available

2.0 I4 240 Turbocharged Petrol
Engine type:four-cylinder, in-line petrol, turbocharged
Capacity (cc):1999
Bore/stroke (mm):87.5/83.1
Peak power (PS@rpm):240@5500
Peak torque (Nm/lb ft@rpm):340/251@1800-4,000
0-60mph (secs):7.5 (in XF and XJ)*
Top speed (mph):150 (in XF and XJ)*
*Manufacturer’s estimates. All figures correct at time of going to press.

The 3.0 V6 S/C 340/380 and 2.0 I4 Ti 240 join Jaguar’s existing engine range comprising: 5.0-litre V8 naturally-aspirated, 5.0-litre V8 supercharged, 2.2-litre I4 Td (turbo-diesel), 3.0-litre V6 Td (twin-turbo diesel).

The 2.0 I4 Ti 240 will be offered in XF models in Europe, North America,China and other selected world markets.

The 2.0 I4 Ti 240 will be offered in XJ models in the UK, Europe,China and other selected world markets.

The 3.0 V6 S/C 340 will be offered in the XF and XJ in the UK, Europe, North America,China and other selected world markets.