Autocar: New Jaguar 'E-type' - first pics

Mr. Nice

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New Jaguar 'E-type' - first pics

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Jaguar?s long-awaited ?new E-type? is now just 18 months away from a public unveiling. After two abortive attempts to replace the iconic E-type, Jaguar insiders say that this all-aluminium car will finally step confidently into the gap left by its historic predecessor.

One suggestion is that the production car will be launched at the Detroit motor show in January 2013, some 50 years after the introduction of the ?Lightweight E-type?, which competed at the Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans in 1963.

These scoop shots taken near Jaguar?s Whiteley research and development centre reveal an early engineering prototype based on the current XK cabriolet.

See the first scoop pics of the new Jaguar 'E-type'

The new E-type is expected to come in both cabrio and coup? versions and most models will be powered by a V6 petrol engine. A V8 version is expected further into the future. There?s no news on whether a V6 diesel engine will be made available, though the new architecture is expected to be capable of accommodating the engine, unlike today?s XK.

Although the original aim was to build a roadster that competed directly with the Porsche Boxster, the final car is both wider and longer than the Porsche. The new E-Type will be based on the same basic aluminium structure as the next-generation XK. Both cars will be built at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham.

Creating two cars of a different size out of the same basic architecture has provided a significant headache for Jaguar engineers, but insiders say that the final car will be nearly the same width as today?s XK but some 250mm shorter, at around 4.55m long.

Read Autocar's Jaguar XKR-S first drive review

As can be seen in these scoops shots, most of the length reduction has taken place between the trailing edge of the driver?s door and the rear wheel arch. However, this short-tail, long-nose, stance is a direct reflection of the proportions of the original E-Type.

The grille shape and headlamp layout is, though, expected to be closer to the CX-75 supercar concept.

American demand for a new-generation XKE (as the E-type was known in that market) is expected to be significant, especially among affluent female buyers who make up a significant proportion of Jaguar?s Stateside customer base.

Hilton Holloway

Read more on the new Jaguar X-type saloon and estate

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Do not like.

Number plate should read D'OH not DUH.
 
There will only ever be one E-Type, and it is long gone. Don't sully the name with that XK-variant. Nowadays Jaguar couldn't come up with a proper E-type successor if they had god's own help.
It's like BMW taking their 6-series, tweaking it a little, and then calling it a 507. Don't think so.
 
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They're not saying it's actually going to be called the E-Type, just that it's supposed to be the E-Type's spiritual successor. They should remember that the original E-Type looked nothing like the XK150 that preceded it, so if they're really trying to make it a spiritual successor, it should be freed from historical constraints. Of course, business decisions may pull them in a different direction.
 
It's rumored that this car will be available with a V-6, which surely is blasphemy. A straight-six option, or only offering the current Jaguar V-8, would better suit this car. The front-end will probably look a lot nicer than the one on this mule, as it will likely have a front-end very similar to the C-X75. One thing that this car may not have as an option is a manual transmission, something it desperately needs.

Edit: it's rumored that this car will be called the 'F-Type'
 
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On first impressions, it looks good, but I think to be a proper successor, the styling needs to be a bit more adventurous than the usual jag look.
 
They're not saying it's actually going to be called the E-Type, just that it's supposed to be the E-Type's spiritual successor. They should remember that the original E-Type looked nothing like the XK150 that preceded it, so if they're really trying to make it a spiritual successor, it should be freed from historical constraints. Of course, business decisions may pull them in a different direction.

The E-Type really grew out of a progression of race series cars.
 
True; I was focusing on Jaguar's road car lineup, which nowadays would have a helluva time being adapted from successful racers. Since Jaguar hasn't had one since Le Mans in the 90s (not counting the recent GT2 XK), that kind of bloodline is not practical now.

I agree that a racing bloodline isn't practical, but I don't agree that Jaguar couldn't or shouldn't look to the past when deciding which engine to use or when looking for styling cues.

Edit: Although it would be expensive to make a new straight-six powerplant, there is a historical precedent for it in British roadsters, especially when it comes to Jaguar.
 
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I agree that a racing bloodline isn't practical, but I don't agree that Jaguar couldn't or shouldn't look to the past when deciding which engine to use or when looking for styling cues.

Edit: Although it would be expensive to make a new straight-six powerplant, there is a historical precedent for it in British roadsters, especially when it comes to Jaguar.

I completely agree on the straight-six issue; they missed an opportunity to share Volvo's back when they were both under Ford. Sounds like the styling cue issue is also being fought within Jaguar itself, with the XF and new XJ as the not-entirely-convincing arguments for fresh starts. I do like the front of the styling mule in this thread; so long as the rest of the proportions end up as nice as those details, it should be a winner.
 
I agree that a racing bloodline isn't practical, but I don't agree that Jaguar couldn't or shouldn't look to the past when deciding which engine to use or when looking for styling cues.

Edit: Although it would be expensive to make a new straight-six powerplant, there is a historical precedent for it in British roadsters, especially when it comes to Jaguar.

They could use the new straight six from the Aston LMP car. Then it could have the reliability of the old E-type as well.
 
There is something a bit funky looking about it. I don't mean that in a good way.
 
They're not saying it's actually going to be called the E-Type, just that it's supposed to be the E-Type's spiritual successor. They should remember that the original E-Type looked nothing like the XK150 that preceded it, so if they're really trying to make it a spiritual successor, it should be freed from historical constraints. Of course, business decisions may pull them in a different direction.

Let's face it, everything Jaguar's built since the Falklands War has been an "E-Type's spiritual successor." :p
 
Screw the L6 I want turbines.
 
Top Gear 17x01 spoiler:
I think anyone who has seen the latest episode of Top Gear would agree with me that if it doesn't look exactly like the Speedster, it won't be as good as it can be.
 
I think anyone who has seen the latest episode of Top Gear would agree with me that it better not be anything like the Speedster, because that's ugly and I hate it for putting itself in line with a true legend among cars and failing miserably in every way, especially looks.

FTFY

Personally, I don't think Jaguar should revive the "E-type" name, but obviously the marketing people think otherwise...
 
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