AIMS: Hot Jaguar drop-tops on show at Sydney

JAGUAR will flaunt a pair of its hottest convertibles at the Sydney motor show this week, with its all-new F-Type two-seat sportscar and fire-breathing XKR-S to appear side-by-side on the British brand's stand.

The latest MY2013 versions of Jaguar's XF and XJ luxury sedans will also be shown at Sydney, packing new powertrains that improve fuel efficiency by up to 11 per cent plus interior technology upgrades.

Australian pricing for the new F-Type, arriving in Sydney fresh from its world debut at the Paris motor show, will also be announced and is expected to kick off from around $190,000.

For comparison the XKR-S, the most powerful convertible Jaguar has yet produced, sells for a cool $363,500 plus on-road costs – but with only 10 examples bound for Australia the Sydney show will be the closest most Australians will get to one.

While the XKR-S may have the bigger guns under the bonnet, the smaller, lighter F-Type can outrun it when fitted with the flagship supercharged V8 engine.

Left: 2013 Jaguar XF and XJ.

The 364kW/625Nm V8 F-Type is able to hit 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds – a tenth of a second quicker than the beefier 405kW/680Nm XKR-S – and both cars share an electronically limited 300km/h top speed.

At 4470mm long, the F-Type is 504mm shorter than the XK and rides on a 2622mm wheelbase that is 130mm smaller than that of the XK but the new car is wider at 1923mm and 33mm lower at 1296mm, giving it a purposeful stance, while its 200-litre boot capacity matches the XK.

The base F-Type weighs 99kg less than the lightest XK convertible, while the range-topping V8 is 88kg less hefty than the XKR-S and weight distribution has been aided by locating the battery and windscreen washer fluid tank in the boot.

Entry-level F-Types come with a 250kW/450Nm supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine, while mid-range cars have a version of the same powerplant tweaked up to produce 280kW and 460Nm.

All drive the rear wheels through an eight-speed ‘quickshift’ automatic transmission that can be operated manually using the centre console selector or steering wheel paddles.

The F-Type’s body is 10 per cent stiffer than that of the XKR-S and the steering rack is the quickest Jaguar has yet fitted to one of its cars.

Jaguar first gave the world a preview of the F-Type at the Frankfurt motor show last September with the hybrid-powered C-X16 coupe concept.

The company resisted the temptation to reference its classic E-Type in the design, even dropping the oval grille design that featured on most of its sportscars over the decades but apart from the transition to soft-top, the production F-Type remains faithful to the C-X16.

Carried over from the concept are the chrome-rimmed mesh grille flanked by gill-like air intakes, triangular headlights framed by strip-like LED daytime running lights and indicators, plus vents on the bonnet and front guards.

The bonnet, front guards and doors also appear unchanged, while the front splitter and side-skirt designs have not been lost in translation, nor have the Aston Martin-style flush doorhandles.