AUTO MODIFIED 2011

"To really get a feel for a car's design, I think you need to see it in motion," said Ian Callum, and he should know -- he's the man behind the design of Jaguar's all-new F-Type sports car. And with that, off in the gathering darkness, a car sparked to life, ominous pops and crackles spitting from its dual stainless steel trumpets. On flip the vertical, J-Blade LED light pipes, and as the car starts to weave down the driveway, a familiar face begins to form: a squished circle flanked by four gills gulping in the chilly night air. Top down, the roadster turns toward the side and a fuselage effect becomes visible, with hidden door handles and "heartlines" further defining the surface. As the car turns back toward the gloom, its aggressive rear haunches and sloping rear deck emerge. The driver mats the pedal and the supercharged six bites and snarls as it roars away. The 2014 Jaguar F-Type has finally come out into the light, and with it, a huge part of the storied British brand's future. You're forgiven if you're experiencing a bit of deja vu. Other than the obvious differences between coupe and convertible, the F-Type roadster is strikingly similar in form to the C-X16 concept coupe the brand showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show, especially at the front. And yes, the specter of the famed E-Type hovers over it, but its design doesn't hit you over the head with it. As Callum put it, the F-Type evokes the "classic feel of a sports car done in a modern way."