This is the very first production F-Type to come off the Castle Bromwich production line – chassis number 001. It was built on 4^th March 2013 and is a US specification left hand drive car. It was presented to Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust at the opening ceremony of the Jaguar Gallery at the Coventry Transport Museum on August 1, 2013. In dramatic fashion, the 3.0 V6 model was driven into the gallery through a screen by Ian Callum, following which it was formally handed over to the Trust by Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.

Unveiled for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, F-Type is a true Jaguar sports car, engineered for high performance and instantaneously responsive handling – the latest in a distinguished bloodline. Supercharged engines, lightweight aluminium body construction and advanced driving technologies deliver an experience that is intuitive, instinctive and alive.

The design team, led by Ian Callum, developed the F-Type from the C-X16 concept car that received a rapturous reception at Frankfurt in 2011. F-Type features a lightweight aluminium body structure with high torsional rigidity which is the ideal platform for a convertible sports car, and is fundamental to the way it performs, handles and feels.

The strong, stiff structure provides an inherently stable platform for precise, agile handling and is the perfect complement to the high-performance engine range. Power is delivered from a range of three highly advanced supercharged petrol engines – 3.0 V6 340 PS, 3.0 V6 380 PS and 5.0 V8 495 PS. These are all coupled to a new ‘Quickshift’ eight speed close ratio automatic transmission that keeps the engine in the optimum power band at all speeds. There is a retractable rear wing spoiler and door handles that are left hidden with the bodywork until needed. The fabric hood raises or lowers in 12 seconds, and can be used when the car is moving at up to 48 km/h (30 mph).

F-Type’s interior combines functional ergonomics with sporting style through its precisely considered cockpit architecture, its simple controls and its clear instrumentation. It is designed to put the driver first and, with a wide choice of interior colours and textures, is an opportunity for individual expression.