Jaguar Uses C-X17 Crossover Concept to Preview Future Platform and Engines

Jaguar’sJaguarUnited Kingdom, 1922 > present53 models
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announcement of the C-X17Jaguar C-X17United Kingdom, 2014 > 2014 came as quite a surprise. It started as a rumor that Jaguar was creating a crossover, which seemed unbelievable because Jaguar’s sibling is Land Rover. However, the rumors have turned out to be entirely true and the C-X17 crossover concept is the result.

"The C-X17 sports crossover represents an exciting new direction for Jaguar. Its purpose is to highlight our all-new aluminum architecture. With this technical foundation, we will dramatically expand Jaguar's product offering, market potential and customer appeal. This new philosophy will bring technology from our luxury products into an accessible price segment, and when combined with our new ultra-efficient engines, we will set a global standard,” said Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director.

The concept is built on a new, aluminum monocoque that will be used in production cars starting in 2015. Jaguar calls it iQ[Al]. It is a modular, aluminum platform that can be adapted to a variety of vehicles. The first production car to use it will be Jaguar’s smaller luxury sedan built to take on the 3 Series that will arrive in 2015.

The engine is from Jaguar Land Rover’s new four-cylinder petrol and diesel architecture that it claims will allow for 300km/h top speeds (186mph) but with emissions below 100g/km of CO2.

The C-X17 looks surprisingly production-ready. The frontend is an evolution of the front of the XFJaguar XF Gen.1United Kingdom, 2007 > 201570 versions
154 photos
2 videos
but enlarged for the bigger crossover. It has a big, rectangular grill with LED lit air intakes. The headlights have a much more squinting look with LED running lights under them. The front styling flows delicately over the front fenders to the front door. The line is picked up again at the rear door and carried to the rear fenders and to the rear. The taillights squint in a similar way to the front, and the rear hatch is sharply pointed to give the concept a sense of movement. The roof is made from a single pane of glass with a thick border of the car’s platform surrounding it for support.

“A four-seater sports crossover concept built on the aluminum-intensive architecture, it blends sleek lines, sporting design and luxurious sophistication with enhanced flexibility and an assured driving position,” said designer Ian Callum.

The interior seats four in individual sport seats, plus two more in folding rear jump seats. It is covered in black and white leather in several textures and brushed and anodized aluminum trim It shows off Jaguar’s next generation technology with an infotainment system called the Interactive Surface Console that uses multiple linked screens with Internet connectivity. It allows rear passengers to send screens to the front to share with front passengers and vice-versa.

Jaguar is using the C-X17 concept as a way to gauge customer interest in a crossover like this. Its platform and engines are going to make it to future vehicles, and the concept is meant to show the versatility of the new platform that it can build not only a small sedan but also a crossover. There is no guarantee that the C-X17 will be built, but Jaguar certainly seems curious.