Happenings

Paris Motor Show | Jaguar F-Type

BY Joel Tam

The Paris Motor Show will house the latest sports cars under the roof of the Paris Expo - Porte de Versailles. One of the sexiest cars that'll wow visitors has to be Jaguar's much anticipated F-Type.

The new Jaguar F-Type represents a return to the company's heart: a two-seat, convertible sports car focused on performance, agility and driver involvement. The F-Type is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that stretches back more than 75 years and encompasses some of the most beautiful, thrilling and desirable sports cars ever built. 

The 2014 Jaguar F-Type combines low vehicle weight - starting at 1,600 kg - and high power (from 340 bhp, 380 bhp and 495 bhp versions) and superb aerodynamics to achieve a pure sports car experience, yet with Jaguar elegance and luxury.

A true two-seat sports car, the all-new Jaguar F-Type is equipped with a modern, lightweight soft top that, when lowered, serves as its own tonneau cover. This not only provides a weight savings, but also improves packaging and contributes to the car's low center of gravity for greater agility. The top can be fully raised or lowered in just 12 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph. Its multi-layer construction includes a Thinsulate® lining for optimal thermal and sound-insulating properties.

Jaguar, which has innovated the use of aluminum body structures, built the new Jaguar F-Type around its most advanced rigid and lightweight aluminum architecture to date. Jaguar engineers applied more than a decade's worth of aluminum construction experience to achieve the twin goals for the F-Type of low mass and an extremely rigid body.

Differing exhaust and tailpipe designs distinguish the V6 and V8 variants of the F-Type. The V6 models feature twin center outlets in a nod to the classic Jaguar E-Type introduced in 1961.

The boldest exhaust finishers ever fitted to a Jaguar, these are stamped from a single piece of stainless steel, creating an unbroken gleaming surface. The V8 S model exclusively features four outboard-mounted exhaust outlets, with twin outlets on each side.

Further detail differentiation between the three variants is found in the exterior trim. The Jaguar F-Type V6 model is marked by satin black trim elements in the grilles, vents, front splitter and rear valance, while the two 'S' models receive gloss-black finishes in these areas.

The V6 model features standard 18-inch alloy wheels, with 19-inch and 20-inch wheels standard for the S and V8 S, respectively, and available as options for the V6. The V8 S also receives additional aerodynamic features, including front vanes beneath the shark gills and flat side sill extensions to manage airflow.

The 340hp V6 model can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds. The 380hp S model lowers that to 4.9 seconds, and the V8 S can hit 100 km/h from rest in just 4.4 seconds. Electronically limited maximum track speeds are 260 km/h, 275 km/h and 300 km/h, respectively, for the V6, V6 S and V8 S models.