So why the name XF10? The 'X' is pretty straight forward, paying respect to Jaguar's rich heritage building two-place sports cars. The 'F' refers to the brand's current Formula 1 involvement, while the number 10 simply stipulates how many cylinders are under the rear decklid - also F1 related.
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| The XF10 concept's naturally-aspirated, 40-valve, DOHC engine produces a stimulating 640-hp. (Photo: Fuore) |
All in all the car is pure exotica, a completely frivolous 2-seater with 100-hp more muscle than a Dodge Viper, and that at 1.3 liters less displacement. The actual 427 cubic inch (7.0-L) capacity should be music to the ears of Cobra fans, but its V10 configuration is anything but retro. The naturally-aspirated, 40-valve, DOHC engine produces a stimulating 640-hp, driving the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential gearbox.
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| Could the XF10 be the heir to Jaguar's XJ220 supercar, long since out of production? (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
No doubt it's quick, especially when factoring in its 1,350 kg (2,976 lb) curb weight - resulting in a power to weight ratio that equals 0.47-hp per kilogram. Zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) should be under 4 seconds, with its top speed nearing 340 km/h (211 mph).
The XF10's speed puts it right in line with one of Jaguar's own supercars, the sexy XJ220 with its blistering 349 km/h top speed and 542-hp twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 - long since out of production. Now that Jaguar is seeing some relative success with its Formula 1 program, or at least it's not fighting it out with the back markers as much as it did last season, the premise of a new supercar is at the very least feasible.