Jaguar to launch first sports car in four decades

Jaguar is taking on German premium carmakers such as Porsche by producing the F-Type, its first sports car in four decades.




The UK car brand, owned by India’s Tata Motors, said at the New York auto show that it planned to unveil a production version of a two-seat convertible later this year. Jaguar previewed its plans for a sports car last September in Frankfurt as a concept vehicle, the C-X16.



The car will be made at Jaguar Land Rover’s plant in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, and go on sale in 2013.

Tata is investing £1.5-billion a year in new products at JLR, building an engine plant, and launching production in China in an effort to broaden the brands’ appeal and take on Germany’s much bigger premium brands Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

JOHN REED
Financial Times