Its predecessor is widely agreed to be among the most beautiful sports cars ever made – and on Wednesday Jaguar showed it was trying to go one better than the glory days of the 1960s with the new F-Type.
The Indian auto company Tata bought Jaguar Land Rover for US$2.3 billion in 2008, betting big that it could revive two venerable British brands that had lost a bit of luster over the decades. The new F-Type, the first Jaguar two-seater in a half-century, is the first major Jaguar design shepherded through by the new owners.
Tata has been a hands-off owner for Jaguar, largely letting its British team to make the major decisions on the car. At Wednesday’s unveiling, Tata executives were in the crowd, but it was the Jaguar design director, Ian Callum, who took centre stage.
And the designers looked to the past – and the famed E-Type, beloved by aficionados everywhere – to inspire what they clearly hope will be the automaker’s future.
“It’s just a tremendous challenge today to produce a beautiful car that meets all the world regulations,” said Philip Porter, a Jaguar historian who has written a book about the E-Type. He hasn’t driven the F-Type yet, but likes what he’s seen so far. “It’s a combination like the great Jaguars of the past of sculptural styling, great engineering and superb performance.”
And, he added, “it sounds like a sports car, which is essential.”
