IT’S a baby brother for the powerful Jaguar XK8 performance car, and is sure to prove a head-turner at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
Though officially a concept, the C-X16, above, is a clear statement of the big cat’s future design direction. It is expected to go into production late next year.
The company says the two-seater, rear- wheel drive sports car will be the most compact and responsive Jaguar in a generation.
Lurking beneath the clamshell bonnet is a new generation supercharged V6 petrol engine producing 380PS, supplemented by a Formula 1-inspired hybrid boost system with a steering- wheel mounted Push to Pass button for on- demand acceleration.
And, integrated into the eight-speed gearbox is a motor generator which draws power from a battery pack mounted behind the seats for 50:50 weight distribution.
Charged via brake energy regeneration, the batteries allow the motor to provide an extra 95PS.
The result is 0-62mph acceleration in 4.4 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph, and acceleration from 50-75 mph of 2.1 seconds.
The C-X16 concept can also travel at speeds of up to 50mph under electric power alone and has CO² emissions of 165g/km.
