Jaguar F-Type To Be Offensively Loud

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Among the various rumor-mongers in the automotive world, UK rag Auto Express has a pretty good track record of publishing “spy photo renderings” that look just like the real thing. So when they published some drawings and a video of the Jaguar F-Type, it was worth paying attention.

The F-Type is Jaguar’s long-awaited sports car, designed to be more focused and less expensive than the XK grand tourer. Styling is said to be “95 percent of the C-X16”, that lovely concept that Jag debuted a year ago. The F-Type will apparently use a 3.0L V6, which will be a cut down version of the XK’s 5.0L V8. Like its big brother, there will be normally aspirated and supercharged versions, as well as an aluminum spaceframe chassis.

Two notable absences for the F-Type; a hybrid powerplant, as was used on the C-X16 (it’s apparently not yet ready for production) and a manual gearbox. The only option is said to be a six-speed automatic, something that will doubtlessly attract its share of criticism from the sports car faithful.

A ragtop will debut first, followed by a coupe in the next 18 months following the launch. Jaguar decided to release the droptop first, since it required more engineering, and the release of a coupe down the road could help capitalize on the unending search for novelty that many sports car buyers undertake. Speaking of which, the F-Type’s hallmark is said to be a fantastically loud exhaust. Auto Express claims it resembles the legendary D-Type, but it’s hard to think that a fuel-injected modern V6 could ever equal a carb’d race-spec I6. Check out the video (which was produced for Jaguar’s New York Auto Show press conference)


Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Tallnikita Tallnikita on Apr 11, 2012

    so the journo is being driven across three lanes and his comment is that his ribs are getting squeezed? yeah that's credible. another car for poseurs. i wonder if Camry SE v6 would beat its ass.

  • Pig_Iron Pig_Iron on Apr 11, 2012

    I've never heard an aluminum chassis described as stiff. Flexi-flyer I've heard, but not stiff, then again I been surprised by weirder things.

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    • Mcs Mcs on Apr 12, 2012

      @Ronnie Schreiber There are Carbon Fiber frames that are compliant as well. A friend just picked up a Specialized Roubaix carbon fiber bike to get a smoother ride than he was getting with his aluminum bike. I train on a bike with a smooth riding lightweight steel Columbus Tubing frame. Despite the fact that my friend was younger and in better shape, when he had the aluminum frame I could easily leave him in dust anytime the pavement got rough - which was most of the time. Now that he has the Roubaix (designed for cobblestone roads in France) it's a different story. The beauty of the CF frame over the steel is that they tune the frame to flex vertically, but at the same time retain side-to-side stiffness.

  • Robert Gordon Robert Gordon on Apr 12, 2012

    "By serious bike riders." Oh them...what sort of bike riders? BMXers? Mountain biker? Road Racers? Sprinters? or just ones with a stern disposition? Most cyclists be they serious or jovial, are not materials engineers. Their belief that cycles with aluminium frames give less compliant ride may well be correct (or it may be only perceived), but it may be due to factors other than the frame being made of aluminium. If you can point to some real evidence not just anecdote which may support this assertion that would be genuinely interesting and would add to the debate about the use of alternate materials in vehicle engineering.

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    • CJinSD CJinSD on Apr 12, 2012

      @RB "Check out high end bicycles. Aluminum frames are generally considered to have the least compliant rides, so yes, aluminum can be stiff." That doesn't sound like spouting trite dogma to me. Unless you've got an giant economy sized axe to grind, that just sounds like a statement and a conclusion based on widely held opinion. "Generally considered" and "can be" aren't dogmatic phrases.

    • See 1 previous
    • Robert Gordon Robert Gordon on Apr 12, 2012

      @Chuck Goolsbee Or if you could have pretty much the same thing for beer money... www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXwF9gRmtxU&feature=relmfu Very funny this guy..so Aussie.

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