Don’t call it a wagon! Jaguar lets word slip of an F-Type ‘shooting brake’

By Bill Roberson April 10, 2013

Digital Trends contributor Nick Jaynes, while in Spain looking over the latest from Jaguar, says an engineer there may have unintentionally confirmed a “shooting-brake” version of the sporty new F-Type is in the works. And there may be more model variations on the way.

A “shooting brake” configuration adds a more practical wagon-esque rear section to a car, although, like the Jaguar pictured above, it typically retains just the two doors and sporting underpinnings of the base version (below). Whether it would have a third rear door of some sort is unknown.

Related Videos

On Wednesday, Jaynes asked about the possibility of any new vehicles being based on the new F-Type platform and an as-yet unnamed engineer said “Oh yeah, definitely. Like the shooting brake.” A PR person nearby was clearly unhappy the engineer made the remarks, Jaynes said.

A quick search of the interwebs turned up the above rendering by car and sneaker designer Garrett Bradford. When the image was shown to Jaguar officials after the slip of the tongue, Jaynes said they were “shocked.”

Jaynes also said the engineer told him the company has plug-in hybrid diesel technology and it could very well be coming in the future. But the engineer also said he believes China will be the primary catalyst in determining future drivetrain technologies.

The convertible F-Type was first announced at the New York Auto Show in April of 2012; Jaguar says it is a modern sports car that carries on the legacies of cars like the E-Type and XK120. At the time, no mention of another version was made.

2013 jaguar f type

At the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, Jaguar elaborated on its plans, saying that the F-Type would be offered with three engine options. Buyers will choose from the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 from the XF and XJ sedans, with either 335 hp and lb-ft of torque, or 375 hp and 339 lb-ft, and a 5.0-liter V8 with at least 500 hp.

Related reading: What would a new Corvette Shooting Brake version look like?

(Stephen Edelstein contributed to this report. Many thanks to Garrett Bradford for the use of his rendering.)

Editors' Recommendations

Cars

The Jaguar XJ41: The project that didn’t survive when Ford took over re-emerges as the new F-Type

Having just driven the 2014 Jaguar F-Type, we were blown away with its driving characteristics, the powerful, crackly noise it made and its smooth yet muscular bodylines.
Believe it or not, the concept for the F-Type originated some 23 years ago. It was called the XJ41 and though the car that some call the original F-Type never saw the light of day, its concept would inspire cars from Jaguar and Aston Martin for over two decades.
In 1980, the minds at Jaguar conceived of a lightweight drop-top sports car that would continue the lineage of the E-Type but sell better than the XJS, according to a report from Autocar.
Although the XJ41 you see above began on paper as a light and simple car, powered by a simple inline six-cylinder engine, it soon became something else. During the 1980s, ad cars began to become more safety conscious and heavier, so did the XJ41. Markets changed and so did the XJ41, which eventually weighted in at a massive 4,200 pounds and sported all-wheel drive along with twin turbochargers.
Around the time the XJ41 was set to unveil, Ford bought Jaguar and scrapped the planned F-Type. Though it was devastating for the brand at the time, in retrospect, it was the right move. The XJ41 was too big and too heavy.
But Tom Walkinshaw of Jaguar saw potential in what the XJ41 could have been. So he commissioned a young designer, Ian Callum, to turn the XJ41 into a new car on the smaller, lighter weight XJS platform.
They called it the XX program. It was no simple task, however, as Callum had to massively size down the XJ41 body to fit the XJS underpinnings. As he went along, he changed design elements here and there, including the grille.
When project XX was finished, however, Jaguar didn’t want it. Cleverly, Walkinshaw asked Callum if he could modify the car once again for Aston Martin - and the DB7 was born.
After Ford saw the DB7, it wanted one for Jag, too, and so the XK8 was born. The successful XK8 would later spawn the modern XK, which has kept Jag afloat to this day - until the 2014 Jaguar F-Type.
Although the F-Type might be pretty heavy in its own right, it has enough clever engineering, modern technology and sonic goodness to overcome the weight penalty. A true lightweight Jag may be a thing of the past, but as long as we get more cars like the new F-Type, we’re OK with that.

Watch a short Ridley Scott-produced movie starring the new F-Type

Cars

2014 Callaway AeroWagon Concept: a Corvette Stingray shooting brake?

Oh what a day this is turning out to be for American muscle car fans. Callaway has unveiled a shooting brake rendering of the C7 Corvette Stingray called the AeroWagon.
Constructed from carbon bits, Callaway plans to offer this two-door wagon upgrade for less than $15,000 at its dealerships nationwide starting this fall.
The wagon bit on the end not only improves the looks, we think, it also increases interior space.
Under the hood will be the same 6.2-liter Chevrolet small-block V8 production 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.
Callaway anticipates the AeroWagon to be capable of breaking the 200 miles-per-hour barrier while also providing the best fuel economy of any car in the “supercar segment.” Though that’s an exciting prospect, we’re a bit skeptical of its branding the Stingray a supercar.
We love hot wagons and we love Corvettes so to have Callaway combine both into one is a dream come true. And, yes, we'd rather have this than the Ferrari FF if you were wondering.

Cars

2013 Jaguar F-Type revealed in leaked photo

2013 Jaguar F Type leak sports cars

The 2013 Jaguar F-Type, a new sports car from the legendary British marque, was supposed to be kept under wraps until the Paris Motor Show. However, this cat got out of the bag a little early. Jaguar apparently decided to e-mail a photo of its rakish new roadster to automotive spy photographer Chris Doane, who posted it on Facebook.
There are no aesthetic surprises with the F-Type. This two-seat roadster closely resembles the C-X16 concept from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, just as Jaguar said it would. The result is a more aggressive and emotional design that is still recognizable as a Jag.
Like the rest of Jaguar’s current lineup, the F-Type pairs a big, almost rectangular grille with thin headlights that flow along the front fenders. The proportions are vaguely reminiscent of Jaguar’s classic E-Type, but there isn’t an explicitly retro touch anywhere on this roadster.
The headlights include J-shaped LED running lights, and the C-X16’s double front intakes and side vents remain. The rear fenders also bulge away from the body, giving the F-Type a bit of a Coke bottle shape.
The F-Type was first announced at the New York Auto Show in April; Jaguar says it is a modern sports car that carries on the legacies of cars like the E-Type and XK120.
At the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, Jaguar elaborated on its plans, saying that the F-Type would be offered with three engine options. Buyers will choose from the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 from the XF and XJ sedans, with either 335 hp and lb-ft of torque, or 375 hp and 339 lb-ft, and a 5.0-liter V8 with at least 500 hp.
Despite its sporty intentions, the F-Type will only be available with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Engine start-stop will also be mandatory.
Automatic aside, the F-Type should be an engaging drive. Underneath that sexy skin is an aluminum monocoque, so it will be a very light car. Jaguar’s performance targets include a 0 to 60 mph time of under five seconds and a top speed of over 180 mph.
When it goes on sale, the F-Type will compete against two-seat sports cars from jaguar’s German luxury rivals, including the BMW Z4, Porsche Boxster, and Mercedes-Benz SLK. The four-seat XK will continue as Jag’s grand tourer, rivaling the BMW 6 Series and Mercedes SL.
With its unique styling, powerful engines, and aluminum skeleton, the F-Type looks ready to take the sports car world by storm. Only time will tell if it proves to be a worthy successor to Jag’s classic sports cars, though. A six-speed manual would probably help its case.