With news reaching World Car Fans that Tata is gearing up for a full-scale takeover of Jaguar, it also appears that plans for the firm’s F-Type roadster could be green-lighted very soon.
With Ford prepared to relinquish its entire holding in the British luxury car builder to the Indian budget car maker, news of an all-new, compact Jaguar roadster – hoping to mark a return to true sports car market the firm dominated in the 1950s and 60s culminating in the legendary E-Type – is surely welcome by both the industry and consumers. The only people who won't be thrilled are Porsche as the planned car is thought to be aimed squarely at the 911 - already under fire from Nissan's astonishing new GT-R supercar.
Thought to be based on the F-Type Concept unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2000, the new model would use a shortened version of the existing all-aluminium XJ chassis, making it a high-tech, lightweight machine to rival the performance of the Porsche 911.
I thought Ford was going to retain a small (10%) share in JLR which would help with continued parts supply? Or maybe I am confusing this with the arrangement that existed when Ford sold Aston Martin.