Jaguar has stunned the Paris Motor Show with their newly unveiled C-X75 supercar concept.
Described officially by Jaguar as “a commemoration of 75 years of Jaguar heritage, and a glimpse at the design cues and technology that will characterise our cars in the future”, the C-X75 has a top speed of 205mph and is powered by four electric motors (one at each wheel) which together, produce 780bhp and 1180 lb/ft of torque.
This, mated to a bonded aluminium chassis which gives the car a 1350kg kerb-weight, not only means zero emissions but a 0-62 mph time of 3.4 seconds, 0-100 in 5.5 and 0-186 in 15.7.
The C-X75 isn’t an electric car though, it’s a new kind of plug-in-hybrid. The car can travel 68 miles on the batteries alone but it also has a pair of small gas turbines mounted behind the cabin.
The turbines, which can be run on diesel, biofuel, compressed natural gas or LPG, produce 188bhp and can be used with the output of the lithium-ion batteries or to recharge them on the move and extend the car’s range to a maximum of 560 miles.
Jaguar’s deputy design director Julian Thompson said, “The electric powertrain gave us total freedom to give the C-X75 absolutely perfect stance and proportion. In conventional supercars, you’re hampered by accommodating a large piston engine, but using four relatively small electric motors instead meant we could keep the car low to the ground and put the driver precisely in the middle of the wheelbase, right where you’d ideally like to be.”
Jaguar’s chief designer Ian Callum believes the C-X75 is the most beautiful car the company has ever created, saying “The C-X75 is as close to a pure art form as a concept car can get.”
The grille, headlights and fuselage style supposedly give clues about the styling of the next XK and a rumoured small sports car which would sit underneath it in the line-up.
Inside, the car gets a roof-mounted control panel, an aircraft style gear selector, LCD instruments, fixed seats with adjustable pedal box, steering column and instruments, Bowers & Wilkins speakers hidden behind perforated wave-formed door panels and ejector seat-style interior door handles, mounted between occupants legs.
While only a concept at the moment, Jaguar believe the C-X75 is a realistic model for production. “With the current XK, XF and XJ, we’ve refreshed and enhanced the public’s perception of the Jaguar brand. The time’s right for us to push on again. To make people aware that we can make an even more exotic and special kind of car — a true supercar that’s sustainable and future-proof, and that also combines performance, luxury and beauty in a way that only a Jaguar can.” Said Thompson.
Source: Autoblog