While we have included many different sorts of rare Jaguar examples here on @rarecarsonly, one that that’s not-so-often discussed is this car shown here, 2000 Jaguar F-Type Concept, a unique two-seater speedster design that planned to feature a 3.0L 6-cylinder engine borrowed from the S-Type saloon. British car designer and design director for Jaguar from 1989 until his unfortunate passing in 1999, Geoff Lawson, was the man responsible for the development of this intriguing concept car, alongside a team of three designers, Keith Helfet, Adam Hatton, and Pasi Pennanen. British car designer, Ian Callum, stepped in to become the new head of design, and ultimately continued the F-Type concept project shown here. The interior of the F-Type concept car draws inspiration from the simplicity and functionality of the aluminum lightweight Jaguar E-Type, featuring switches and controls that are designed to appear both elegant and timeless. Just two years before the introduction of this concept, Keith Helfet, who essentially led the design team for this car, penned a very similar looking one-off concept car known as the Jaguar XK 180. It’s quite clear that some of the design cues and elements used in that car are very evident on the F-Type concept, such as the tapered and curved rear deck, which is demonstrated on both cars. The F-Type concept was to be considered as a competitor towards cars such as the Porsche Boxster of that same era, and Jaguar made sure to note that this concept was the ‘most compact’ car that they had produced in nearly a half a century. The current production Jaguar F-Type is considered to be the spiritual successor to the Jaguar E-Type, however, the concept shown here is much more of a visual successor to the legendary E-Type model. The simple answer as to why this concept never saw the light of day, is because it would simply not have looked anything like the car shown here due to limitations on road legal vehicles.
How many made? 1
Engine: 240hp AJ-V6 from the S-Type sedan
Debut: 2000 Detroit Auto Show
Top Speed: N/a
0-60: n/a
Photo Credit: @rob_ byers_92, @jirikotrly
Research: @rarecarsonly