Update: AWD Jaguar F-Type to Debut in LA

Cars, News I By Bradley Iger I November 06, 2014

Los Angeles creates the ideal backdrop for a curvaceous sports car like the F-Type, which is why Jaguar chose to unveil the striking F-Type Coupe at last year’s LA Auto Show. This year Jaguar will bring the F-Type back to the City of Angeles to showcase several new variants of the F-Type, one of which has now been confirmed as an all-wheel-drive version of the two seater. The British automaker states that AWD is just one of a number of performance enhancements set to debut later this month.

With power sent to all four corners, Jaguar says the F-Type Coupe R AWD will do the 0-60 mph sprint in a scant 3.9 seconds, and top out at 186 miles per hour. Ian Hoban, Vehicle Line Director for Jaguar elaborated on the goal with the AWD variants of the F-Type:

"Our target with engineering the all-wheel drive F-TYPE was to maintain the engaging rear-drive character that’s so important to Jaguar sports cars, yet offer even greater dynamic capability. The result is a controllable, exploitable and blisteringly fast performance car in all weather and road conditions."

The automaker also took the announcement of the AWD powertrain as an opportunity to tie in a new technical partnership between Jaguar and Bloodhound SSC, a firm whose goal is to set the bar for the land speed record in excess of 1000 mph. In what capacity the crew from Bloodhound SSC will assist Jaguar in technical development has not yet been revealed, though the new AWD F-Type was used in a recent “mission critical” communications test to ensure that the crew and the driver of the potentially record breaking vehicle could maintain contact. Take a look at the video below for a bit more insight regarding the new alliance.

But perhaps the most intriguing item of note in Jaguar’s presser is the promise that the F-Type lineup with expand from six to 14 derivatives in 2015, meaning that there’s undoubtedly more interesting news soon to be revealed about Jaguar’s sports car. Check out the press release below for more details on the AWD Jaguar F-Type and be sure to take a look at our drive review of the rear-wheel-drive version F-Type Coupe R to get our impressions of the high performance hardtop.

New All-Wheel-Drive Jaguar F-TYPE R Boosts Bloodhound SSC Record Bid

– Jaguar announces major partnership with British World Land Speed Record Team

Bloodhound SSC to make World Land Speed Record attempt in 2015 then target 1,000 MPH in 2016

– All-wheel-drive is one of a number of performance enhancements to the Jaguar F-TYPE range – the new F-TYPE range will debut at the LA Auto Show on 19 November 2014

– AWD Jaguar F-TYPE R carries out key communications test on the Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape, South Africa

– View the AWD F-TYPE R Coupé in action on the Hakskeen Pan here: www.youtube.com/user/JaguarCarsLimited

South Africa, 6 November: Today, the new all-wheel-drive Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé ensured the Bloodhound SSC World Land Speed Record programme passed a significant high-speed testing milestone.

The test marks the start of a major technical partnership between Jaguar and The Bloodhound Project, with the ultimate aim of raising the world land speed record above 1,000mph and to assist in inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers, which is the overall objective of the project. The current record stands at 763.035mph and was set by Andy Green in Thrust SSC in 1997. Andy will drive the Bloodhound Supersonic car.

On the relatively soft surface of the Hakskeen Pan desert in the Northern Cape of South Africa, the stability of the AWD F-TYPE R Coupé and its dynamic ability – it will reach 60mph in just 3.9-seconds with a limited top speed of 186mph – enabled the successful completion of a vital communications test for the Bloodhound SSC team.

Ian Hoban, Vehicle Line Director, Jaguar said:"Our target with engineering the all-wheel drive F-TYPE was to maintain the engaging rear-drive character that’s so important to Jaguar sports cars, yet offer even greater dynamic capability. The result is a controllable, exploitable and blisteringly fast performance car in all weather and road conditions."

The AWD F-TYPE R Coupé was driven flat-out by Bloodhound Project Director and former World Land Speed Record holder, Richard Noble who said: "We are absolutely delighted to announce Jaguar as a Main Partner to the Bloodhound Project. This is a very fine match – Jaguar is very strong on innovation and with its huge drive in advanced technology, education and motorsport track record, we have the perfect partner. Together we have developed outstanding inter-team synergy and this is a very special relationship. We are proud to carry the Jaguar branding on Bloodhound SSC."

Fitted with the same radio equipment as the jet and rocket powered Bloodhound SSC, the F-TYPE was driven head-to-head at top speed with a similarly equipped jet flown at 500mph and just 50 feet above the ground. The combined closing speed of almost 700mph enabled the successful test of the system that will allow communications between the ground crew and Andy Green in Bloodhound SSC, which will run for the first time on the Hakskeen desert just twelve months from now.

The addition of all-wheel-drive is one of a number of performance enhancements to the award-winning Jaguar F-TYPE range which will grow from six to 14 derivatives in 2015 – the full range will debut at the LA Auto Show on 19 November.

The Jaguar Land Rover press conference will take place at 14:40 PST (22:40 GMT). Also at the press conference will be Andy Green, who will confirm the full extent of the technical collaboration between Jaguar and the Bloodhound Project.

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