Autocar UK – 28 August 2019

F-Type sports car

could be reinvented

a s a hy b r i d o r fu l l EV

6 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 28 AUGUST 2019

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J

aguar is favouring a

mid-engined layout for

the next-generation

F-Type – and it is set to

revive a number of design

cues from the ill-fated

C-X75 concept.

The brand’s designers and

engineers are mulling key

decisions about the direction

of the next-generation

Porsche 911 rival, chief among

which is whether to stick

with the current front-mid-

engined layout or reinvent it

as an electrified – or even pure

electric – model with a mid-

mounted powertrain. Autocar

understands that the latter

is favoured by those close

to the project.

Speaking recently to

Autocar, now former design

director Ian Callum revealed

he had laid out a blueprint for

the next generation of sports

car in collaboration with his

successor, Julian Thomson.

“We could get quite close [to

the C-X75],” Callum said.

“There’s still a formula

within Jaguar for a front-

mid-engined car. I have a

preference for mid-engined

cars. It’s certainly something

I would like to see.”

The suggestion is that

Jaguar has progressed at least

two design approaches: one in

the short-nosed electric/mid-

engined format Callum prefers

and another with a longer

bonnet to accommodate

front-mounted internal

combustion engines (ICE),

including a hybridised V8.

“For an electric sports

car,” he added, “you could

make a shape like [the C-X75]

with the batteries in a T

or H-shape through the

middle. Or you could make

it as a longitudinal internal-

combustion mid-engined car.

It would be short enough. So

the style won’t dictate the

drivetrain, but the drivetrain

may dictate the style.”

The current F-Type is still set

to be on sale for another three

years with a round of updates

to bring it into line with newer

competitors (see story, right).

But Callum confirmed in April

that the development cycle

for its successor would have

to begin “soon”.

One of many stumbling

blocks to developing the new

sports car is the platform

Jag could resurrect C-X

supercar as all-new F-Type

Mid-engined layout and electric power are in play for next-generation 911 rival