A convertible sports car would not seem like the best tool to take on a rally stage, but Jaguar thinks otherwise. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the XK 120, the British automaker has created two F-Type rally cars. Using the 2.0-liter Jaguar F-Type as the base, Jaguar used special components to rally-prep the sports cars as a tribute to the XK 120 that won a couple of rallies back in its heyday. Sadly, the pair of Jaguar F-Type rally cars are just for show and won’t compete in races. In terms of modifications, the two cars are powered by Jag’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which has been re-tuned to churn out 300 horsepower. Additionally, the cars come with upgraded brakes that feature grooved discs and four-piston calipers front and back.
The stock suspension set-up in no way is capable of dealing with the rough and punishing surfaces of rally stages. Jaguar has given the cars proper competition suspensions that have softer springs and three-way adjustable dampers. Other upgrades to make the cars rally-spec include motorsport-spec wheels, limited slip diff, hood-mounted light pod, fire extinguisher, FIA-spec roll cage, competition seats, and a proper hydraulic handbrake. “The opportunity to design a rally car doesn’t come along very often,” said Jaguar’s design boss Ian Callum. “These models are a fitting tribute to the XK 120 and all the great Jaguar sports cars since its reveal 70 years ago.” The cars are sadly not on sale and will take part in various promotional events over the next few months.
