What It Is: The closed-roof version of Jaguar’s sex-on-wheels F-type. Jaguar first showed off the F-type’s design with the C-X16 concept in the fall of 2011, which was a coupe, before revealing the roadster a year later in Paris. Since then, the droptop has been the only available production model. It’s been clear from the outset, however, that an F-type coupe would come to market.
In fact, the only major difference between the production-spec F-type coupe and the C-X16 concept will be the liftback component. In the concept, the rear glass opened sideways in the fashion of the classic XKE, but the fixed-roof F-type will use a liftback that opens upward. Chief designer Ian Callum has told us that he would have liked to keep the heritage-inspired design, but the company was concerned that the loading threshold would be too high and feared customers would be dragging their luggage over the fender and scratching it in the process.
Why It Matters: For starters, the F-type serves as Jaguar’s technological showcase, demonstrating the brand’s lightweight-construction capabilities and most exciting engine portfolio. Pricing and performance have put the F-type into a competitive set in which Porsche’s 911 has long been the undisputed king, and the Jaguar has held its own quite admirably. However, that segment is about to get much stronger as McLaren preps its P13 and Mercedes-Benz AMG its SLS-derived GT.
Platform: The platform is shared with the F-type roadster. The structure, body, and many chassis components will be made from aluminum, and the coupe should not only be lighter than the topless F-type—a V-8–powered S model weighed in at 3974 pounds on our scales—but more rigid, too.
Powertrains: Everything that’s available on the F-type roadster will be available on the coupe. A supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 will be available in strengths of 340 and 380 horsepower, and the supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 will be rated for 495 horses. Each powerplant will back up to an eight-speed automatic at launch, and a high-ranking source at Jag has told us that a manual will be introduced at a later date. Jaguar is contemplating adding a turbocharged four-cylinder to the lineup, but we likely won’t see such a mill stateside.
Competition: Audi R8, Chevrolet Corvette, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911, Porsche Cayman.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The 2015 Jaguar F-type coupe will be revealed in the coming months before going on sale in mid-2014. Pricing should start right around the same point as the roadster, so $70K.
