It seems that the company finds the idea “interesting.”
British firm Jaguar has laid firm that it’ll always make a sports car, which then brings about the question of the F-Type. The current generation of the F-Type is a critically-acclaimed machine, but in a world of tightening emissions regulations and electrification, it isn’t bound to last for very long in this form. To that end, Jaguar may choose to retain it as a full-electric car, to ensure the continuation of its halo sports cars, in a proposition that would better suit the buyers & demands of tomorrow.
“We’re asking ourselves if [the current F-Type] should be a final hurrah for the old-school [combustion] sports car that we know and love, or to switch now to make our first all-electric sports car. It’s a very difficult decision. What I will say is that the electric decision is looking more interesting with time.” – Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar
It was the capability of the all-electric I-Pace that made the “electric decision more interesting,” given that the sheer pace of the thing surpasses most new cars available today. But while Callum is warming to electric cars, unfortunately, the decision doesn’t lie with him.
“The performance capabilities of an electric car are not an issue. The dynamics we know we are strong at, and despite the challenges of mass, the I-Pace is already proving that electric cars can be dynamically entertaining. Then there’s range, but that’s becoming less of an issue. So the main challenge is the inherent raising-up of a car required by the packaging of the batteries. But I see that as an interesting challenge, not an insurmountable one.” – Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar
What was also made clear in Callum’s interview with historical automotive title Autocar is that Jaguar, despite its sales woes and quality issues, will always keep a flame alive for driver-focused machines.
“We will always do sports cars. End of story. I can’t see a day when Jaguar won’t make saloons or, perhaps, hatchbacks, either of which I regard as core to the DNA. You can take any of our SUVs and they will do a fantastic job for you. But some people will always want better aerodynamics and greater efficiency, and some people will want the additional thrill from the dynamics that a car inherently does better than an SUV.” – Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar
While there’s no denying the strong reactions that Callum and his cars often evoke, it is admirable that even in the face of adversity there are characters who so passionately believe in their brands and the values they hold. We certainly hope that Callum’s promise of there always being a Jaguar sports car stands the test of time as, it must be said, it is difficult to imagine a day where there won’t be a sharp Coventry cat to ignite the imagination.
For the best deals on a new car, check out our Showroom.
