Jaguar remains coy on J-Type rumours

JAGUAR Land Rover (JLR) Australia CEO Mark Cameron has remained tight-lipped on the rumoured hybrid version of the Jaguar F-Type supercar, but has admitted that there are gaps in the British car-maker’s line-up.

 

Rumours of a hybrid F-Type went into overdrive last month when it was revealed that Jaguar filed a patent for the J-Type moniker that also covers a range of electronics, electrical devices and services for charging stations.

 

Speaking to GoAuto at the launch of the Chargefox nationwide EV fast-charging network in Euroa last week, Mr Cameron was coy on the existence of the J-Type but added that he was looking to fill gaps in the product portfolio.

 

“I can tell you that we are focused on, and investing right now in the Jaguar range and the expansion of that, and there are sectors that provide obvious opportunity for us,” he said.

 

“I can’t give you anything precise on that but there are definitely gaps in our range right now that we could fill with a very successful product.”

 

According to British publication Auto Express, the J-Type would replace the F-Type in about 2022 and it would be sold as a mid-engined V6 hybrid with electric motors mounted to the front and rear axles, providing all-wheel drive.

 

While the all-electric I-Pace SUV is set for an imminent release in Australia, Mr Cameron said he expected hybrids to proliferate the Jaguar range before the eventual take-over of fully electric vehicles.

 

“Hybrid is definitely going to become more prevalent,” he said. “So personally I see hybrid as a bit of a stepping stone to full battery, but nonetheless it’s still a useful technology and you’ll see a much earlier, rapid spread of hybrid technologies across our range, as well as battery electric.”

 

JLR has previously stated that every car that is developed from 2020 on will feature either a full EV, plug-in hybrid or mild hybrid variant of every model line, meaning an electrified version of the F-Type is likely.

 

Mr Cameron said that JLR Australia would take every electrified model offered by the company globally.

 

“That’s the plan at the moment,” he said. “So we try and develop cars in the sense for all of our markets – I’m not saying there will never be any exceptions but there are none I can think of right now where we wouldn’t be taking that product into Australia.”

 

Of the current F-Type range, the most powerful version is the 423kW/700Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 SVR, while the most potent 3.0-litre supercharged V6 variant outputs 294kW/460Nm. The all-electric I-Pace matches the power output of the F-Type’s V6 while increasing torque to 696Nm.

 

Given the F-Type coupe replaced the XK series in mid-2013, an all-new version can’t be too far off.

 

Rumours of a hybrid version were helped along last year when Jaguar design director Ian Callum told GoAuto at the Frankfurt motor show that he had likely designed his last internal-combustion vehicle.

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