I came across this article a few days ago about a 2000 F-type concept car that appears to have been based on the XK8/XKR. As much as I like the new F-type, I actually think this spyder concept is even more luscious (except for the dumb sideview mirrors and the rear tail lights). What a body!
2000 Jaguar F-type Concept - Picture 24760 - Top Speed
What do you think?

 

I also love the body style, except for the tail lights.

This would have clearly been a logical extension of the XK style, but I think that their market testing must have told them that an entirely new style, somewhat similar to the other manufacturers efforts would be a better seller.

I suspect that those of us who appreciate the truly classic body style of our XK's would like that concept, but, I guess their marketing surveys said otherwise as far as sales go. I guess that the generation of car buyers these days are not inclined to have an affinity to the original XKE, which is, I suspect drew many of us to the "retro style" XK series that we own.

 

Wow! That is one sexy cat. Lose the rearview mirrors for sure, but I like the rear end treatment. Overall styling is a clear evolution from our cars and done very well.

I really like the stark, simple interior. Very modern and stylish, almost race car direct. The F-Type is a good looking car, but it has a much "busier" styling.

May I have one please?

 

I think the taillights are much better than what we've got now. Then again, I've always thought the back of our cars was a total miss. I do like the lack of rear seats. Anyone feel like losing a few inches from their car, you know, just for experimentation? ;-)

 

Kevin,
I tend to agree with you, but when Pontiac produced the Solstice, it had many of the retro styling cues of this car as well as classics that came before it, and it was considered a modern sports car that had relatively modest success. I understand new sports cars all have bulging fenders, giant wheels, and tires, scoops and vents coming out of everywhere, but think of some of the timeless designs of the 60's and 70's, like the XKE, the Ferrari Daytona, the Lamborghini Miura, even my De Tomaso Pantera, they look contemporary in any era with a simplicity of design, a sensuousness, and grace that most modern sports cars don't have. Had Jaguar produced this car, it would have been an instant classic and a great forerunner to the current F-type. We'd be coveting them now.

 

I actually like the rear of the new F type better than the front! The subtle nod to the XKE is most apparent in the tail lights! And get used to them, I've got a sneaking suspicion they're going to roll out on several future cars!!
But the 2000 concept is what I would be driving if they had made it!! It's the best of the xk8 with enough modern details!! It truly looks current, even today!!

 

I had forgotten about this.

I did inspect a F-Type up close in person last week. Just too chunky and not Jagee. It's interesting, but 'too busy' and 'boy racer' is about right. Kinda brash as well.

Crickey, I need to get a tweed cap already.

 

For anyone wanting further information on this F-Type Concept which appeared at the Detroit Auto Show in 2000, it is described in detail in:

Jaguar XK8 and XKR (Plus XK180 and F-Type Concept)
Author: John Blunsden
Publisher: Motor racing Publications
Date: 2000
ISBN: 1899870 53 9

JAGUAR XK8 - The Complete Story
Author: Graham Robson
Publisher: Crowood Press
Date: 2009
ISBN: 978 1 84797 074 9

Graham

 

I actually test drove one right after they came out and from the minute I saw it, I was disappointed to a degree. From all of the pre release press and photo's, I had the impression it was going to be more in the boxster range and I guess I assumed it would be substantially smaller than the XK. Sitting side by side, first impressions is "wow that's big!". If I were going to spend the money, I'd really have to decide between an F type or a base XK.
And I wish it could be ordered without the grab handle on the center console. It just looks like a miata add on to me!!

 

Let me clarify. I love the rear end of this car, and yes, it does pick up on the XKE rear end a lot better than ours do. For my own taste, I think that the tail lights themselves would look better picking up on the oval shape that you see on the back where it says
F-Type Concept. To me, the car has a great flowing look and those two perfectly round openings kind of take away from that. To each his own.

In my mind there are two types of concept cars.

Firstly, there are those that are just exercises in design and technology to stretch the minds of the designers and these cars are not built with any thought that they may become production vehicles, while certain technologies they employ may be used in future models.

Secondly, there are concept cars that are built to send to the car shows and magazines with the possibility that they will become production cars in the next couple of years, and the car companies are looking for feedback from the public so far as interest and final styling.

To me, this particular car looks very refined and I think that there was some thought as to whether or not to take it into full production. I can't see how the feedback from the public was anything less than positive. However, for some reason, Jaguar decided not to take this car into production, and instead, went with the updated styling for the XK8/R that we saw come out in the 2007 model. Personally, I MUCH prefer THIS style to the 2007 M. Y. style.

Jaguar had this car in hand to see and feel, and they turned away from it and, instead, came out with the 2007 style. It doesn't make sense to me, but they obviously had their reasons.

 

Can't believe they never made this car. It's one of the nicest I have ever seen, definitely a lot better than the current F-Type...

 

In 2001 they rumored that the F Type was going to be a mid engined car even though it had been designed front engine. (And smaller) They were working on a newer x type and by that time, ford/jaguar was having money problems and the F type was ditched.
Shame! That car could have really made up for the X type!! And possibly solved the $$ issues!!

 

The frameless windshield is a huge part of the total package. Besides being too low for public driving being frameless would never fly as a production vehicle. I can also understand the mirror placement but, again, they would never fly in production. Perhaps if they had developed the technology to have some sort of HUD at each corner of the dashboard replacing them... Then again, with so many OEs vying for low drag, why hasn't anyone made more effort to do something similar?

 

This concept F-type was more than 2 feet shorter than our XK/XKR's, so I don't believe it was meant as a replacement for them. I believe it was probably meant to go after the Cayman/Boxter series long before the current F-type idea was ever hatched. (Especially since it was designed for a V-6 engine) Obviously, the shortened and frameless windshield was not going to fly in a production model, the side rearview mirrors useless where they're placed, no door handles, etc. clearly identifies this as a concept. I have to believe that Jaguar did not have the money to put out a limited edition sports car with projected sales probably well under 7000 units. The money was needed to strengthen the rest of the line. And they were probably right. As some others have stated, I'm just not crazy about the single rear lights, but what a beautiful exercise in design bridging heritage to lineage this would have been.

 

I own an F-Type and truly love the car, however I saw this car at Indy and it was a beauty. Part of it was the speedster look and wonder if the full sized windshield and DMV crap would have ruined it. It truly was rolling art. Used to have pictures of it but have no idea what file I put them in. Oh wait, found them. F-1 race. Pretty sure the last picture wasn't a jag, but one hell of a sound system!

 

Can't get over how much I like that interior. A full row of gauges, the toggle switches (can you say E-Type series 1?) and the turned metal dash...wow! I love my XK8 retro look, but would swap in a heartbeat for the dash in this prototype.

Thanks for the pictures Rob.

 

Thanks for the photos. Interestingly, I was looking into the various Jaguar Concept cars and there are several distinct differences between the one in your photos and the F Type Concept car on this website Jaguar Concept Cars | UK Concept Cars

Jaguar F-Type Concept

The one that got away… The F-Type concept was shown by Jaguar in 2000 as Jaguars answer to the Porsche Boxster, a compact 2 seater convertible that used some of the styling themes from the larger XKR sports car and put them into a smaller more affordable package.
The F-Type was universally recognised as an incredibly good looking car and one that Jaguar should make but despite this it never made production, and there have been rumours ever since about a possible appearance.
what was said is that the F-Type actually went through a lengthy development process and was well on the way to being made but with budget cuts Jaguar had the choice of making the F-Type or continuing with its underachieving Formula 1 programme, and Jaguar top brass at the time felt that F1 brought more fans to the marque. It then sold its F1 team a couple of years later after several dismal showings. Ironically after rebranding as Stewart F1 the team was eventually sold to Red Bull where it has become incredibly successful….
Despite all this, the mot recent speculation is that the head of current owners of Jaguar – Ratan Tata is a fan of the idea of a 2 seater Jaguar roadster so the production plans for a F-Type style car are back on track.

 

Yep I had forgotten about that interior. I'm trying to figure out how to replicate it in my XKR.

 

Someone good with sheet aluminum could probably make a turned aluminum "wrap" for the dash panels.

That would be real artisan stuff and probably cost a fortune for the labor, but oh my, how pretty would it be.

 

love the pics Rob - thanks for sharing - definitely one that I would consider buying if it had been made