Jaguar: Next-gen F-Type could adopt mid-engined layout

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The next-generation Jaguar F-Type could adopt a mid-engined layout, according to Jaguar Design Director, Ian Callum.

“It’s time we’re changing the proportion of the car,” Callum said.

“It’s something that’s been in my mind for years and years. It’s really born out of the fact that we all love mid-engined supercars.

“I think we’ve got more permission to break the mold. Our F-Type, before the one that became the production car, the previous design concept was mid-engine. It never happened. It would have been very different. But I think we’ve got permission to do that, because we’re a sports car company.

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“I don’t feel tied by it. We’ve had a discussion – will the next F-Type be mid-engine or front-engine? We’ve had that discussion. We haven’t decided yet. And even within the design studio, we disagree with each other. So the next F-Type won’t necessarily have a long hood and a short trunk,” Callum told Road & Track during the Los Angeles Auto Show.

A new mid-engine layout would be a first for Jaguar, and if it did come to fruition, it would put the F-Type in direct competition with cars like the Ferrari 488 GTB, Lamborghini Huracan and McLaren 650S.

While Callum hasn’t divulge much details on the proposed model’s performance, an uprated powertrain would be inevitable, including a range-topping SVR model.

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