Jaguar May Be Turning the F-Type Into a GT4 Race Car
New report suggests Jaguar’s rip-roaring sports car may bring the brand back to GT racing for the first time in half a century.
Look out, GT racing teams. Jaguar is hard at work developing a new F-Type GT race car to compete in racing's GT4 European Series, according to a new report from Autosport.
The project is reportedly being conducted by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations division, the same talented team behind the likes of such special vehicles as the F-Type Project 7 and the Range Rover SVAutobiography.
To lead the F-Type GT4 project, the automaker has reportedly snapped up Graham Humphrys, who designed the BMW V12 LMR, Bimmer's victorious 1999 Le Mans prototype, and recently worked on Aston Martin's mid-engined Valkyrie hypercar.
Interestingly, the project appears to spearheaded by an external client, not from within the carmaker's own budget. The F-Type GT4 race car endeavor is reportedly being paid for by Superdry co-founder James Holder. Considering Holder has both experience (he began racing in the class last year using an Aston Martin Vantage GT4) and and cash (he's estimated to be worth roughly $200 million).
JLR neither officially confirmed nor denied the story to Autosport. "Details of [special projects] remain confidential between the customer and Jaguar," a spokesperson told the publication.
Jaguar's recent racing presence has largely been dominated by the carmaker's entrance into the all-electric car racing series Formula E, which JLR says it is using in part to pioneer and field-test technology for future electric vehicles. That, presumably, will not be a distraction for the team behind the F-Type GT4.