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Autoexpress has been saying for some time that Jaguar’s rumored new sportscar will be more XJ220 than F-Type concept. Now, they say they are “lifting the lid” on an Audi R8-fighting sportscar that Jag still refuses to aknowledge. The highlights? A 500+ hp supercharged V8, Ian Callum styling (hinted at here in a rendering by beyond-form), light weight construction on an all-new aluminium platform, and a concept debut pegged at about 18 months from now. Bloody good, but does it mean they can’t build the F-Type too?
A grille on what looks to be a mid-engine car seems a little odd. Otherwise, this looks pretty nice.
Those who forget history…
The E-type Jaguar was unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 1961 and literally blew the doors off everyone. Drop-dead gorgeous. Performance at or better than cars costing 3X more. Driving dynamics exceeding everything else available, at any price. For a company that built ~12,000 cars a year at the time it was a HUGE hit, selling worldwide at reasonable volumes for the next 14 years. It is fondly remembered as one of the greatest automotive designs ever built and echoes still among those who design, collect, and drive great cars. The E-type is an Icon.
The XJ-220 however, was an unmitigated disaster. It arrived not long after a global financial panic, over-promised and under-delivered. Was superseded in no time by better machines.It vanished in a matter of months.
Mr. Tata, build the F-type, and leave this one in the rubbish.
–chuck
Its very attractive, but with a body like that, it will likely cost so much ($150K – $200K or more) that no one will buy it unless they are filthy rich.
golf4me :
A grille on what looks to be a mid-engine car seems a little odd. Otherwise, this looks pretty nice.
The Audi R8 has an even larger grill.
Jaguar will again build a concept that will possibly be the most beautiful car on the planet. And again, it will look significantly worse upon reaching production.
Anyone else sick of this?
Crumbles: but this one appears ill-implemented.
The radiators have to go somewhere–may as well put ’em up front. That would require a grille of some kind.
I don’t get the fascination with O-ring tires.
No way does Tata have the cash to develop this on their own. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Jaguar comes out with their own version of the upcoming Lotus supercar. That would at least make financial sense and keep a few Brits employed.
Then Fisker can re-style it again and tease us with an electric version which will never get built.
Chuck is of course right. Jaguar would do well at the $50K price point. Maybe they can convince VW to do the engineering for them, and Jaguar can stick to what they do well today: beautiful styling and classy interiors.
Chuckgoolsbee:
While the XJ220 was a financial mistake, it did not underdeliver in any sense except the most superficial. It was the world’s fastest production car until the McLaren F1, with a top speed of 217mph. The problem with the XJ220 had little to do with the car and a lot to do with people (most notably the people at Jaguar itself) expecting something different from what came out. It was brilliant anyways, faster with the turbo V6 than it would have been with a V12, but it came out at the wrong time and didn’t give people enough to brag about.
The XJ220 is the perfect example of a brilliant failure. Jaguar shouldn’t have built it, true enough, and shouldn’t have hyped it as something it was not, but it was an amazing car. Not perfect, but still very much a supercar.
This car is way off brand for Jaguar. It’s visually busy, angry, juvenile, inelegant. True Jaguars are visually fluid with elegant surfaces, elongated shapes, voluptuous and…well…cat-like. If, however, Tata intends a brand departure, they left this stubby abomination incomplete. It’s missing its wing.
Phil
An R8/Porsche Turbo priced product wouldn’t be out of line for Jaguar. Yes, terrible timing, but if it takes 2-3 years to bring to consumers, things may have changed enough to have a better market.
Tata wants define Jaguar away from its geriatric (XJ) roots. Conceivably, a low-production number car like this might be more successful than entering into the cut-throat ~50k roadster market (Boxter, SLK, Z4…)
Then, Jaguar can trickle down to the F-type. Someday.
Adamatari, my point was to compare/contrast the E-type and the XJ220. If you were running Jaguar which model would you want to emulate in terms of BUSINESS SUCCESS??
Certainly not the XJ220 over the E-type!
–chuck