Back in July of this year, Jaguar Land Rover Limited applied for a trademark on the name ‘J-Type’ with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Now, English publisher Auto Express reports that the name will likely be applied to a mid-engine sports car set to replace the current F-Type coupe and convertible.
Jaguar is in the midst of massive updates to their entire model lineup, from the addition of the all-electric I-Pace to the continued revisions on the successful F-Pace and E-Pace SUVs, which have been followed in suit by changes to the Land Rover lineup, as well. The newly minted J-Type moniker has been coded under Nice Classifications 9, 12, and 37— strongly indicating a new hybrid electric vehicle, complete with on-board computers, autonomous driving capabilities, and even augmented reality software.
Should the J-Type prove to fulfill rumors that Auto Express has attributed to “high-ranking technicians working on the project,” it will slot in as competition for the current Acura NSX, McLaren 720S, and Audi R8. The utilization of dual electric motors, all-wheel drive, as well as an internal combustion engine would place the J-Type closest to the NSX, which Auto Express claims is being used as a benchmark by Jaguar during the development process.
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The potential design also presages an all-electric Jaguar sports car to complete with Porsche’s forthcoming Taycan, the project formerly known as the Mission E, which will also compete with Tesla’s Model S and Roadster once it hits markets later in 2019. Naturally, independent designers have already rendered what a new mid-engined Jag might look like, with a sleeker exterior that combines Jaguar’s current design language with the world-beating aerodynamics of the legendary XJ220, the brand’s only other production car to feature a mid-engine layout.
Another direction Jaguar may opt to take would be to style the J-Type more along the lines of the C-X75 concept vehicle, made famous for its dramatic design and its role in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre. A more aggressive element also seems logical given Jaguar’s poaching of former Ford Performance chief engineer Jamal Hameedi, who now heads Jaguar-Land Rover’s Special Vehicles Operations. Hameedi had previously overseen the development of the radical Ford Focus RS and F-150 Raptor models, as well as contributing to the landmark addition of independent rear suspension to the iconic Mustang sports car.