Jaguar to launch sports car F-Type next year

Announcing that it would re-enter the sports segment, Tata Motors-owned Jaguar on Thursday said it will launch 'F-Type' super car by the middle of next year that will be offered in a range of variants with different petrol engines. The company will produce the new vehicle at its Castle Bromwich plant in the UK.

"We showed the C-X16 concept in September 2011 and the reaction to it has been so positive that we've accelerated our development of an all-new Jaguar sports car. That car will be called the F-Type and it will be unveiled in production form later this year," Jaguar Cars Global Brand Director Adrian Hallmark said in a statement.

Speaking at the New York auto show, he said F-Type will mark the British marque's re-entry into a segment that it has been absent from for too long.

"Full F-Type technical and range details will be announced later in 2012. It will go on sale in mid-2013," the company said.

Elaborating about the new product, Jaguar said the F-Type will be an all-aluminium convertible and a two-seater car.

"A range of petrol engines will be available, including a new powerplant family, and all will deliver stunning sports car performance ... The core appeal of Jaguar's cars is their sporting heart and that heart will beat stronger than ever before in the F-Type," it added.

The F-Type will join the existing range of cars -? the XF saloon and Sportbrake, XJ saloon and XK convertible.

On Jaguar's re-entry into the sports car segment, Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum said: "The C-type, D-type and E-type Jaguars were all sports cars that held true to principle in their era, and the F-TYPE will hold true to that same principle in its time, a time that is soon to arrive."

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) had earlier announced to roll out 40 new products in the next 4-5 years.

WIth PTI inputs