Dubai: Why did it take this long — 40 years — for Jaguar to come up with a successor to the fabled E-Type? But with the F-Type formally launching in the UAE — having run away with all the design and popular awards since its proper introduction at last year’s Paris Motor Show — the question becomes purely rhetorical or even an academic one.
Because with the F-Type the UK carmaker has what it takes to script a brand new chapter all of its own. The two-seater comes in three versions, the 3-litre V6 (delivering 340—hp), the F-Type S sporting a 3-litre V6 (and optimised to deliver 380-hp) and the F-Type V8 S, packing a V8 (with the power ratcheted up to 495-hp). The local pricing starts at Dh289,000 for the base model, Dh329,000 for the F-Type S and Dh409,000 for the F-Type V8 S.
“The Jaguar F-Type will be rolled out simultaneously across the region, and our importer partners are currently supporting this via customer events to mark the arrival of the first sold cars,” said Robin Colgan, managing director at Jaguar Land Rover Mena.
“This is one of our most anticipated models to date, and we have had phenomenal interest from customers around the world since the global launch at the Paris Motor Show in 2012. Regionally, we debuted the F-Type at the Qatar Motor Show earlier this year, and our order banks have been strong ever since.
“From a regional perspective, we are currently seeing a strong demand for both the V8 and the V6S (high output V6SC) powertrains, although the most popular choice is the V6S. The major regional markets for us will be the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Lebanon, which are all currently strong Jaguar markets with a loyal customer following.
“The F-Type provides the perfect showcase for our next generation of supercharged petrol engines, which combine high specific outputs of both power and torque with great efficiency gains.”
While packing a lot into what it offers under the hood, the manufacturer has trained the same attention to detail on the outside. To improve on the weight and aerodynamic, all of the exterior panels are of aluminium save for the boot lid. Even the door handles retract when not required, while a deployable rear spoiler rises at speeds of more than 100-kmh to drop the lift by up to 120-kilogram.
For the finicky buyer, and for cars of these kind they usually are, 13 colour options are on offer, as well as 18”, 19” and 20” alloy wheels.
