In many countries the process of homologating a new model for sale involves submitting detailed specifications and drawings of that model - well ahead of time - to either patent offices or, in the case of the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency.
And luckily for the newshounds that are always sniffing around the cybergarage, some of those agencies' websites (specifically including the US) are open to the public.
Which is apparently where Auto Motor und Sport found these official drawings of the Jaguar F-Type Coupé, which tend to confirm the persistent rumblings of a 2014 release for the tintop F, a move most industry insiders considered inevitable as soon as the roadster was revealed.
After all, it's much simpler - due to rigidity issues - to put a roof on a ragtop than to saw the top off a closed bodyshell.
FRESH AND EXCITING SHAPE
And the pictures show that Ian Callum has done it again, creating a shape that's fresh and exciting while honouring a past that includes some of the most beautiful cars ever penned, with a hint of the CX16 concept in the rear wheel arches, a bit of the new XJ in the swooping C pillar and a nod to the E-Type 2+2 in that long, long rear window.
The pictures also show four tailpipes, so we can assume that the flagship model will get the top-gun roadster's 365kW supercharged V8 - possibly with even sportier suspension for a more intense driving experience - as well as the 279kW three-litre V6 and, just possibly, the 177kW two-litre turbo four that's being developed for the XF and the much-anticipated 'small sedan'