As part of Click Tempus’ new Cars feature of the Lifestyle section, founder of the Ginkgo Project Sanza Bulaya reviews the car set to be the sensation of the year… the evocative and provocative Jaguar F-type

Evocative and provocative

These are the first things that come to a connoisseurs’ mind such as Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Wilding, Van Johnson, Randolf Scott, Clark Gable and William Lyons in the XK120, or Prince George of Denmark with a Jaguar Mark 1, and Princess Grace of Monaco and Prince Rainier in the E-Type S3 V12, or Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the XJ-6, when we whisper the legendary name: Jaguar.

Jaguar’s racing pedigree and unique design over the years has created some of the most fascinating sports cars in the world. Jaguar is a synonym of success and excellence. In the past were glorious milestones such as the three Alpine Cup victories, the two RAC Rally wins, while XK120s finished first, second and third in the 1950 Tourist Trophy.

Even though Jaguar quit motorsport in 1955, it has continued to provide cars for competition: the Series 3 E-Type equipped with a competition version of the V12 engine; the XJR-8 and the upgraded XJR-9 with a 7.0-litre engine that boosted Jaguar a Le Mans victory in 1988; then the XJR-12 that secured the first and the second place at the 1990 Le Mans race, and more recently, the modified XKR that raced the American Le Mans series and took Jaguar back to Le Mans itself in 2010. For the British car manufacturer, evocative and provocative features are part of the core branding history and DNA.

Delivering on performance

As for the Jaguar F-Type, Ian Callum, as Jaguar Design Director, has shaped this two-seat sports car based on a shortened platform of the XK convertible, which will be manufactured by Jaguar Cars in 2013.

Supercharged induction technology provides a linear delivery of performance, and instant access to high levels of torque at all engine speeds, minimising the gap between the driver’s demand for power and the engine’s response.

Engines

Three highly advanced engines are available:
• F-TYPE 3.0 LitreV6 340 Supercharged
• F-TYPE S 3.0 Litre V6 380 Supercharged
• F-TYPE V8 S 5.0 Litre V8 495 Supercharged

V6 engine

The new 3.0 V6 Supercharged 340PS
• 0-60mph (s) in 5.1 seconds
• Top Speed 161 (mph) 260 (km/h)
• 209 (g/km)

The new 3.0 V6 Supercharged 380PS
• 0-60mph (s) in 4.8 seconds
• Top Speed 171 (mph) 275 (km/h)
• 213 (g/km)

Jaguar’s new generation Supercharged 3.0 V6 engines are powerful and refined. Generating extremely high specific power outputs of up to 127PS per liter, they deliver thrilling performance and a rewarding driving experience. The compact supercharger’s sophisticated boost control and secondary throttle valve ensure that torque curves rise steeply over a broad range of engine speeds.

A water-cooled intercooler reduces the temperature of the intake air for greater power and efficiency, whilst an innovative system of counter-rotating front and rear balancer weights aids smoothness and refinement.

They also feature a fast-reacting Intelligent Stop/Start system that can improve fuel economy by up to 5 percent.

V8 engine

5.0 V8 Supercharged 495PS
• 0-60mph 4.2 seconds (0-100 km/h 4.3 seconds)
• Top Speed 186 (mph) 300 (km/h)
• 259 (g/km)

The 495PS 5.0 V8 is supremely powerful. A larger supercharger feeds the engine to deliver an astonishing peak torque of 625Nm from just 2,500rpm.

Advanced technologies deliver performance, refinement and efficiency. The lightweight die-cast aluminum block is supplemented by cross-bolted main bearing caps to increase rigidity. Valves are controlled by dual independent variable cam timing to optimize power at all engine speeds. Spray-guided direct injection delivers precisely measured quantities of fuel directly into the centre of the combustion chambers at pressures of up to 150bar for cleaner, more efficient combustion. The engine also features a fast reacting Intelligent Stop/Start system that can improve fuel efficiency by up to 5 percent.

The devil’s in the detail

• The convertible top folds in 12 seconds at speeds up to 30 MPH
• Fourth generation Jaguar lightweight aluminum architecture to maximise handling agility
• Bold, clean lines accented by a deployable rear spoiler and hidden door handles
• 0-to-60 in 5.1 seconds for the F-TYPE, 4.8 for the S model and 4.2 for the V8 S
• The V8 S has a top track speed of 186 mph
• 8-speed ‘Quickshift’ automatic transmission
• Driver-focused interior melds classic sports car feel with high-tech controls
• Due to arrive in U.S. market in summer 2013

Taking inspiration from cockpits of fighter aircraft, the controls are ergonomically grouped by function. Further aeronautical inspiration can be found in the joystick-shaped SportShift selector controlling the eight-speed transmission. The air vents on top of the dashboard will only deploy when instructed to by either the driver or complex control algorithms, staying tucked discreetly out of sight in other circumstances.

Perhaps the main achievement by Ian Callum is to propose a pulse-racing driving experience: a perfect balance of elegance, technology drive, performance and agility.

“A piece of design should tell a story and this is why every line in the F-TYPE has a start, a direction and a conclusion. If you approach every line individually and get it as aesthetically correct as possible, get the dimensions right, it will stand the test of time.” – 
Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar

Desire: Ridley Scott’s tribute to an exceptional car

As announced last year, “Desire” is a promotional movie directed by award winning director Ridley Scott starring the actor Damian Lewis.Lewis will play a man who delivers cars for a living. He runs into trouble in the middle of the desert after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman played by Shannyn Sossamon. The film will be soundtracked by Lana Del Rey song ‘Burning Desire’. Del Rey is also a brand ambassador for Jaguar, and the track featured on the Paradise Edition of her recently re-released debut album Born to Die.

Bremont’s car clock: inspired by Jaguar

In 2010, Jaguar celebrated its 75th anniversary unleashing the Jaguar XJ75 Platinum Concept Car and the Jaguar C-X75 to demonstrate the design and the customisation potential with dramatic interior and exterior styling themes. For these achievements, the British company Bremont, noted for creating beautiful mechanical watches that are hand assembled at their dedicated atelier in Switzerland, crafted a custom designed clock for Jaguar: a bespoke mechanical clock with a chronograph function. Jaguar has acknowledged that it has been inspired by Bremont’s aviation designs and commitment to engineering excellence in the world of authentic luxury.

So far, nothing has been released regarding a new partnership between Jaguar and Bremont for the F-Type launch.  Nick and Giles English, the brothers and founders of the watchmaking brand share a love and passion for engineering so it’s not out of the question that such a clock could be in their plans.