Jaguar Tried Making An F-Type In The 80s. What Happened?

The Jaguar XJ41 could've been the F-Type of the 1980s. It was envisioned as a focused, nimble replacement for the outgoing XJ-S. The XJ41 would've been more in line with the legendary E-Type. Due to delays, feature creep, and ownership changes, the car never reached production. In this video, we'll discuss the development, impact, and unlikely fate of the Jaguar XJ41, the F-Type of the 80s.
SOURCES
www.evo.co.uk/...
www.jaguarheri...
www.jaguarheri...
drive-my.com/j...
drive-my.com/d...
www.digitaltre...
www.roadandtra...
www.aronline.c...
www.automotive...
europe.autonew...
www.jaguarheri...
www.jaguarheri...
ARTICLES, SOURCES AND MORE: www.barchetta.co

[@Barchetta]

NOTE: I refered to the 1978 Jaguar XJ Spider as the XJS Spider in this video. This is not correct and I apologize.

[@spamnjunk-qg9dk]

Great production and content but the AI type voices ruin it, sorry.

[@davidpeters6536]

It's a tricky story to tell but well done. Every sports style car Jag was rumored to be designing was named the "F-Type" by the press from years before the XJS ended production. The DB7 was a good car that saved AM from Ford's accountants.

[@louisjones2653]

Wow I'm a huge Jag enthusiast and have owned many XJ-S's and I have never heard this story. Amazing

[@Motley-Croo]

How hasn’t your content blown up yet? Great material bro you’re killing it (Q45 video is one of my favorites)

[@ericanderson7059]

This video makes me miss my 2001 XKR Siverstone what a beauty .

[@maz500]

Great video! The XK8 was also going to be called the F-Type as well but they had to change the name because MG, another brand based in the Midlands launched their own sportscar called the MG F

[@Barchetta]

That’s pretty interesting. Thank you.

[@seanm8030]

Changing the XK8 name due to confusion with the MGF was something Jaguar did not "have" to do.

[@maz500]

They didn't have to but that was the reason they gave. There's a KZbin page called Men & Motors who have posted videos of old footage including the unveil of the then new XK8 and that's what they saud when asked about the name change

[@goose4150]

Really great video. Such a shame XJ41s and all the others were sent to be scrapped. They were so beautiful

[@Barchetta]

Thank you. I agree.

[@shroomyesc]

Jaguar would unfortunately develop an incredible concept again and then not use it with the CX75. Most it got to do was feature in a James bond film, even though it was funcrional. And yet again by almost fully developing the next generation XJ and cancelling it at the last moment in 2022.

[@gersonc.2737]

I read about this car in a magazine and i always thought why it never went in production. Now i know thank you.

[@clintonflynn815]

Interesting piece of Jaguar history I was unaware of. Very nice presentation. Thank you.

[@DoctorRazzArea4]

Always look forward to you videos thanks!

[@Barchetta]

Thank you

[@read_the_tds1768]

Great video! Keep them coming!

[@Barchetta]

I will. Thanks for watching!

[@omostim2385]

I see a lot of DB7 in this concept

[@C.I...]

That because this design became the DB7, except based on the chassis of the XJS instead of XJ40.

[@matto5048]

It even looks like it has db7 headlights with stickers in body color to look like they are popups

[@MikeArott]

Great video, but I feel it's missing a footnote about the XK8. If the XJ41 project eventually became the Aston Martin DB7, how did the very similar looking XK8 come along? Or are you saving the story of that development for a future video?

[@amphilbey]

Love this story and what a shame, would have made a great XJ-S replacement in the mid-80s and much more sporting. In absence of the F-Type Jaguar should have made a XJ-S with the stance of the race car. Great production line footage, especially the guy on the production line wearing a shirt and tie under his overalls!

[@mrdainase]

The elephant in the room is how overrated the Pininfarina's Spyder concept is. People only swooned over it because of where it came from, and in fact the XJ41 makes it look flabby and poorly proportioned with some terrible detail work such as the pop-up lights.

[@epsilonalphaargo1948]

TBF to Pininifarina the pop-up headlamps were most likely the result of an utterly stupid US car safety regulation that banned aerodynamic headlight covers for being "unsafe" (This is why the Jaguar E-Type lost its headlight covers). For the record I *hate* pop-up headlights, they just irritate me.

[@xZeiZeix]

Jaguar made only 72515 E-Types vs. 115413 of XJS, I think that tells something of sussex of XJS. And longer production time too.

[@matthewnicholas6365]

That XJ41 looks like a lovechild of an XK8 and a C4 Corvette

[@bluetec258]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[@stringer-ik1pc]

The xjs was one of jaguars most successful models, despite the rhetoric of most commentators.

[@countspankulots4024]

This car still looks good. And would have fitted in the Hag family at the time perfectly with the gorgeous X100 XKR coupe

[@Government-Psyop]

I saw the xj41 in question at the british motor museum

[@Comakino]

It looks beautiful, like an XJ220 you can daily drive or a Brit Corvette. Brit car industry was in bits at that time though, so it likely would have broken down a lot if ever made.

[@Vartazian360]

Absolutely love my 2018 ftype v6 (video on my channel) Never knew about this car though. It looks beautiful

[@lionyleftwich4418]

They should've made that car🤯That thing is BEAUTIFUL!❤️Looks good or possibly better looking than a Ferrari Testarossa

[@aaronvector4750]

0:35 isn't that just a ripoff C4 vette?

[@jens2782]

what an amazing video

[@Barchetta]

Thank You

[@kanob6440]

I love my ftype, but I miss my 02 xkr alot

[@h7pubg]

vehicles like the xkr x100 and x150 really were not far from spiritual successors to the e-type, especially the x100 sharing similar proportions, beauty, 400hp, but with modern comfort and features. I would not say that the f-type was the only true successor

[@countspankulots4024]

Remember the F-Type concept of early 2000s that was in Autocar? Got cancelled for X-Type diesel and wagon?

[@Barchetta]

YIKES...

[@countspankulots4024]

@@Barchetta oh and there is the time they created and built functional concepts of the beautiful and super advanced CX-75 that was using jet turbines and other crazy tech cos they felt it was irresponsible to sell a car for £800,000 because of the financial situation back in 2012. Which was around the time of the Veyron, P1, 918 and LaFerrari, each of which sold for 1 million, and are now worth significantly more.

[@equalevolution5563]

The original f-type was supposed to be called xk180. It was built by SVR believe it or not, a slightly shortened XKR. 4l supercharged v8 with manual push button gears. But like a lot of brilliant JAG designs wasn’t allowed to build it.

[@davidpeters6536]

The XK-180 was another press "F-Type" but was the best looking design Jag had come up with for years. The XK was built on a modified XJ chassis like the XJS was.

[@equalevolution5563]

The steal chassis that were used for the DB7, XK8 and some other models were actually the XJS chassis.. the XK180 was suppossed to be a production car but ended up a test bed

[@TheNumbnail]

The xj8. I worked on and xk8 didn’t think they were made very well made ,not very reliable.

[@countspankulots4024]

Jaguar is like that guy that exchanged (I think) 100 Bitcoin for a few pizza. That is aoparently $2.5 BILLION.

[@super_slav91]

The car would have saved Jaguar, yanks, always destroying companies. No wonder I love the db7 so much its a beauty.

[@roberthayes6488]

BMW should buy Jaguar , Anyways bless the colours 1. Turkquise Sport Trimps 2. Dark Green Paintings 3. Cream & Brown interiors

[@davidpeters6536]

Never. Jag is in a different class. Mercedes is the only German company that could do it justice.

[@roberthayes6488]

@@davidpeters6536 🐆 is more like a BMW than a Merc in my opinion 1. BMW & 🐆 kinda have a same look front emblem 2. They kinda Have the same shape of car 3. They both have side of Sporty Bit of Luxery and They r ev makers So it suits alot better if BMW buys the 🐆

[@charaznable2950]

Got it, we all hate Ford

[@equalevolution5563]

The original f-type was supposed to be called xk180. It was built by SVR believe it or not, a slightly shortened XKR. 4l supercharged v8 with manual push button gears. But like a lot of brilliant JAG designs wasn’t allowed to build it.