Autocar UK – 28 August 2019

28 AUGUST 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7

but EV platforms tend to

be easier to modify to suit

different bodystyles and drive

configurations than ICE ones.

With Callum’s departure,

the F-Type has immediately

become his legacy in terms

of Ja g u a r s p o r t s c a r s. W i th

global sales of around 62,

(70% in coupé form, 30%

as convertibles), the model

has helped rebuild Jaguar’s

reputation as a maker of

alluring sports cars – as it also

strives to become renowned

for other types of car such as

SUVs. While the F-Type’s sales

continue to significantly trail

those of class leaders such

as the Porsche 911, Callum is

adamant that a successor is

i nte g ra l to th e b ra n d. “ We w i l l

a l s o d o s p o r t s c a r s ,” h e s a i d.

“End of story.”

The C-X75 was a

groundbreaking supercar

originally conceived to use

jet turbines as generators

for an electric propulsion

system when Jaguar first

unveiled the concept in 2010.

Working prototypes were then

produced that instead used a

more conventional petrol-

electric hybrid system.

But by the end of 2012,

the decision was taken to pull

the plug on the whole project,

meaning Callum’s highly

praised exterior design

never made it to production.

LAWRENCE ALLAN

TODAY’S F-TYPE GETS A NEW LOOK, TOO

Before the Jaguar

F-Type evolves into a new

generation, efforts to update

the current six-year-old

design are well under way.

Recent prototypes show

a significant rethink to

the sports car’s front-end

design, with slim headlights

similar to those on the

facelifted XE saloon drafted

in, alongside a redesigned

grille, new bonnet shape

and tweaks to the rear

light design. The interior

is expected to be a step

forward, too, with some of

the advanced infotainment

fe a tu r e s s e e n i n th e X E a n d

I-Pace brought in.

The biggest mechanical

SPY SHOT

JAGUAR F-TYPE

Updated F-Type in line

for a BMW 4.4-litre V

change will be found under

the engine bay. Ford will stop

producing JLR’s 5.0-litre

supercharged V8 next year,

and the F-Type is tipped to

receive a BMW-sourced

4.4-litre V8 in its place.

Lesser variants will also get a

new unit in the form of JLR’s

mild-hybrid, turbocharged

straight six, with the existing

four-cylinder units expected

to carry over largely

unchanged.

itself, which – if to be designed

from scratch and bespoke to

the model – would require lots

of cash and resources at an

uncertain time for Jaguar

Land Rover. The company lost

£395 million in the last

financial quarter and hopes

models such as the updated

Jaguar XE, new Range Rover

Evoque and heavily revised

Land Rover Discovery Sport

can offset significant recent

investments and a slump in

demand from China.

One cost-effective solution

is to again join forces with

BMW. The British and German

makers recently announced

they would develop and

assemble electric drive units

for future models together, but

already sources suggest BMW

will supply combustion engines

to JLR too. As previously

revealed in Autocar (31 July),

JLR may also use BMW’s

FAAR front-driven platform

for a range of compact models,

including Land Rover SUVs.

BMW bosses are said to

b e d e c i d i n g w h e th e r to tu r n

the next-generation i8 into

a fully electric sports car.

Prototypes of such a model

have already undergone

testing, according to a Munich-

based engineering source.

By sharing development of an

EV sports car platform, BMW

and JLR could considerably

reduce costs while at the same

time pooling engineering

expertise and resources.

Another alternative is to

make use of Jaguar’s well-

proven electric car platform

used in the I-Pace. This would

require investment to adapt

it for a different purpose,

Petrol-electric two-

seat C-X75 never

made production

`

An electrified model with a mid-

mounted powertrain is favoured

by those close to the project

a