Jaguar F-type on hold
Discussion
Good. By the looks of the latest design, the sensible Ford people already appear to have up the design. The Saturday morning group (or Jaguar Performance Group) must be well off
I went to them at the 2000 motorshow and pleaded with them to just give me an F-Type without changing a thing (well apart from making sure it goes, stops and turns corners). Did they? Did they
I went to them at the 2000 motorshow and pleaded with them to just give me an F-Type without changing a thing (well apart from making sure it goes, stops and turns corners). Did they? Did they
Hmmm, in two minds here. Firstly, I too was very dissappointed that the productuion version was swapping to a mid-engined design and the early sketches looked very bland - unlike the gorgeous concept car. However, Ian Callum can do very little wrong in my book (DB7, Vanquish, Jag R-Coupe concept) so I bet the finished article would have been something pretty special.
For my money though, I would have preferred Jaguar to go ahead with the XK180 concept (front engined V8/2 seats). This thing looks and sounds gorgeous).
I think now, that this is probably another reason for Wolfgang Reitzle leaving PAG. Ford are too scared to invest in brand new products. This cannot be good news
for either Jaguar or Aston Martin.
For my money though, I would have preferred Jaguar to go ahead with the XK180 concept (front engined V8/2 seats). This thing looks and sounds gorgeous).
I think now, that this is probably another reason for Wolfgang Reitzle leaving PAG. Ford are too scared to invest in brand new products. This cannot be good news
for either Jaguar or Aston Martin.
News was sent out to employees by e-mail this morning at Jaguar's Engineering Centre. F-type on hold to release resource on other projects probably XK replacement and diesel X-type. Jaguar expected to make large loss this year unless it cuts back on development programs. It will be interesting to see if the Racing team survives the cut at season end. With no F-type it now does not make a lot of sense to be in Formula 1.
Sad news, dropping the 'F' Type. But the way it was going, Jaguar were screwing the initial concept up anyway.
Regarding the R&D budget, Jaguar should get out of F1 now. The whole Jag F1 chapter was stillborn from the start. The avarage punter is rapidly loosing interest in F1 anyway. Jaguar should get into the BTCC with the new 2.0 litre X-Type at the very least, and into the DTM with the S-Type, (if they are not already). If Jaguar did this, they would still have more than enough money left over from 6 months F1 budget to fund a team of 3 cars at Le-Mans as well!
Jas.
Regarding the R&D budget, Jaguar should get out of F1 now. The whole Jag F1 chapter was stillborn from the start. The avarage punter is rapidly loosing interest in F1 anyway. Jaguar should get into the BTCC with the new 2.0 litre X-Type at the very least, and into the DTM with the S-Type, (if they are not already). If Jaguar did this, they would still have more than enough money left over from 6 months F1 budget to fund a team of 3 cars at Le-Mans as well!
Jas.
The Jaguar F1 team isn't. It's a Ford F1 team plus some green paint. IIRC, Sir William Lyons said he would never enter a Jaguar into F1 as he didn't see the point. He preferred worthwhile racing like Le Mans (back when they raced proper modified road cars not one-off specials).
Motors TV on sky has Long Beach Trans Am where very evil looking XKRs are trouncing other GT cars. That makes me want a Jag more than any F1 success.
I would be even more likely to drive a Jag if they came up with a sports car in the line of the D-Type & E-Type instead of trying to copy BMWs 3 limo line-up.
At the end of the day, it must be down to the general public. Not enough people want uncompromising sports cars any more. You either have a fast saloon or a refined GT car. Sad.
Motors TV on sky has Long Beach Trans Am where very evil looking XKRs are trouncing other GT cars. That makes me want a Jag more than any F1 success.
I would be even more likely to drive a Jag if they came up with a sports car in the line of the D-Type & E-Type instead of trying to copy BMWs 3 limo line-up.
At the end of the day, it must be down to the general public. Not enough people want uncompromising sports cars any more. You either have a fast saloon or a refined GT car. Sad.
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