Jaguar's Cayman rival revealed
2011-09-07 08:13
CAYMAN KILLER?: Jaguar’s gunning for Porsche compact sportster with its new C-X16 Image gallery
Vehicle Specs
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Manufacturer
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Jaguar
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Model
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C-X16
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Engine
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3-litre V6 supercharged, battery pack
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Power
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280kW/70kW
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Torque
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450Nm/235Nm
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Transmission
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Eight-speed auto
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Zero To Hundred
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4.4 sec
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Top Speed
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300km/h
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Jaguar has crafted a compact sports car to gain market share in a segment it which it has never competed - meet Coventry’s C-X16 concept, striking design with battery-powered boost.
Jaguar’s engineers and designers, flushed with research and development funding from Indian conglomerate Tata, are producing some stunning projects. The C-X75 concept was the star of the 2010 Paris auto show; the new C-X16 is meant to germinate a road car to compete with the Porsche Cayman for class honours.
Although Ian Callum’s design looks like a caricatured XK, this new car is in fact the smallest Jaguar road car in nearly 60 years.
At 4.45m bumper-to-bumper, 2.04m across and 1.29m from road to roof, it’s 69mm longer, a substantial 247mm wider and 3mm lower.
The car features a honeycomb grille, clamshell bonnet, carbon-fibre splitter (framing the lower section of the front bumper) and those generous aero duct cut-outs. It is not only the smallest Jaguar since 1954 but also one of the best-looking - think of it as a contemporary XK120.
F1-TYPE OVERTAKING FEATURE...
The C-X16’s powertrain, beyond the typically elegant exterior design detail (and purposeful proportions), is also rather noteworthy. It's a hybrid set-up that combines a supercharged three-litre V6 (280kW/450Nm) and 1.6kWh battery pack (powering an electric motor that adds 70kW/235Nm) and drives the rear wheels only through a ZF eight-speed auto transmission.
The C-X16’s electric powertrain components are said to have an 80km range but have been designed to contribute more to performance than reduce fuel consumption. The steering-wheel has a kers-like "push-to-pass" battery-power integration button (drawing inspiration from F1), which helps the C-X16 cover the 0-100km/h sprint in only 4.4sec. Top speed rounds-off to a neat 300km/h (governed), with the C-X16’s performance numbers superior to the current class-leader, Porsche’s Cayman R…
The cabin has some new Jaguar switches but foregoes the company’s signature dial-a-cog transmission selector for a more traditional shifter.
Although some of the design’s features, such as the side-hinged opening rear window (allowing access to the boot) and oversized alloy rim are sure to be sacrificed in the process of production homologation, the C-X16’s fundamentals (especially its impressive powertrain) should stand unchanged.
Comprehensive technical details, including chassis specifications and a possible production date, will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show on September 13.
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