Photo: Jaguar
Make no mistake about it: the Jaguar F-Type is a wonderful machine for people in the market for a wonderful time behind the wheel. Not only does it look good, but it also drives pretty well. The replacement for the F-Type, however, could see the British automaker’s two-seat sports car turn into a mid-engine brawler.
This possibility comes courtesy of none other than Ian Callum, the design director of Jaguar. Time and time again, Callum stated that Jags needs to be cool to appeal to people who crave for a cool way of driving from Point A to Point B. But even though the traditional Jaguar has its engine up front and drive sent to the rear wheels, the times and consumers are changing.
When asked by Road & Track about the cab-forward design of the I-Pace Concept all-electric SUV, Ian Callum declared that “subtlety will not prevail.” Then the designer kicked things up a notch, claiming that the “the next F-Type won't necessarily have a long hood and a short trunk.” As hardly believable as it sounds, the F-Type’s replacement could go the mid-engined.
“Our F-Type, before the one that became the production car, the previous design concept was mid-engine,” added Jaguar’s head honcho of design. “It never happened. It would have been very different. But I think we've got permission to do that, because we're a sports car company.” That’s fine and all, but the question is, does a mid-engine Jaguar make sense at all?
As long as the price is right and demand for sporty cars is on the rise, of course it does. Lest we forget the XJ13, a prototype Le Mans racecar that never got to show what it's made of in the world’s most celebrated endurance race. What’s more, do you remember the XJ220 supercar from the 1990s? How about the C-X75, the concept car that morphed in the ride of choice for the villain in the freshest James Bond feature film (i.e. Spectre)?
There certainly is a market for a mid-engine Jaguar, but only time will tell if the F-Type’s successor will ditch the FR layout for RMR or M4 arrangements. A supercar positioned above the F-Type isn’t a bad idea either. On that note, Ian Callum also let it slip that Jaguar is “going to have to build an electric sports car. Not to say the next one will be electric, but inevitably we will.”
When asked by Road & Track about the cab-forward design of the I-Pace Concept all-electric SUV, Ian Callum declared that “subtlety will not prevail.” Then the designer kicked things up a notch, claiming that the “the next F-Type won't necessarily have a long hood and a short trunk.” As hardly believable as it sounds, the F-Type’s replacement could go the mid-engined.
“Our F-Type, before the one that became the production car, the previous design concept was mid-engine,” added Jaguar’s head honcho of design. “It never happened. It would have been very different. But I think we've got permission to do that, because we're a sports car company.” That’s fine and all, but the question is, does a mid-engine Jaguar make sense at all?
As long as the price is right and demand for sporty cars is on the rise, of course it does. Lest we forget the XJ13, a prototype Le Mans racecar that never got to show what it's made of in the world’s most celebrated endurance race. What’s more, do you remember the XJ220 supercar from the 1990s? How about the C-X75, the concept car that morphed in the ride of choice for the villain in the freshest James Bond feature film (i.e. Spectre)?
There certainly is a market for a mid-engine Jaguar, but only time will tell if the F-Type’s successor will ditch the FR layout for RMR or M4 arrangements. A supercar positioned above the F-Type isn’t a bad idea either. On that note, Ian Callum also let it slip that Jaguar is “going to have to build an electric sports car. Not to say the next one will be electric, but inevitably we will.”
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