REVscene Automotive Forum

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Quote:

Is this, the new Jaguar C-X16 concept, going to be the star car of next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show? And perhaps more importantly, will it go into production?

At a first glance the answer to both of those questions is almost certainly “yes”. This is a two-seater sports car that evokes the spirit of the famous E-type and would cost in the region of £50,000: not a replacement for the XK then, but an all-new model to sit underneath it.

Power for the concept comes from a new petrol V6 which, thanks to a supercharger, generates 375bhp and 332lb ft of torque. It is joined by a 95bhp electric motor to form a hybrid sports car that can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds yet returns 165g/km of CO2 in EU tests.

Power is delivered through the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox in what Jaguar boasts is its smallest car since the 1954 XK120. At 4,445mm in length, 2,048mm in width and 1,297mm in height, and with just those two seats it is close to a Porsche Cayman in terms of size and concept, although many will see it as a more natural rival for the 911.

The job of the car’s electric motor is two-fold: it enables electric only running up to speeds of 50mph, and also provides an additional slug of acceleration when the driver presses a steering wheel-mounted “push-to-pass” type button. The 1.6kWh battery is charged through a brake energy regeneration system and mounted behind the front seats to ensure the C-X16 has 50:50 weight distribution.

Like other Jaguars, the chassis and body are aluminium and the engine bay is said to be able to accommodate a V8 or the company’s V6 diesel unit.

Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar Cars, said: “Jaguars have always been dramatically different. With the C-X16 we have moved the current award-winning design language on to the next generation, creating a car that is the very essence of future Jaguar performance.”

The car will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show at 9.15am on September 13.