Monday 2nd September 2013

Jaguar C-X17 revealed

Jaguar releases first sketch of C-X17 Frankfurt concept

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The Jaguar C-X17 has been confirmed ahead of its Frankfurt motor show debut in the accepted fashion of a teaser image and brief press release peppered with words like 'highly advanced', 'innovative future of the Jaguar brand' and suchlike.

So what is it? Well, Jaguar reveals that the C-X17 is a launch pad for a new modular aluminium architecture (avoidance of the word 'platform' is likely deliberate) to underpin a new generation of cars. And the C-X17 itself? Draw your own conclusions but Jaguar does say "the concept illustrates the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using this architecture" and even from the carefully contrived sketch it's obvious it's not a) a saloon or b) a coupe. Leaving c) as what? Could this be Autocar's mythical new baby Jag?

Images in the same of XF-based mules running raised ride heights and the general flow of conversation would suggest c), in this instance, stands for crossover. And you don't need to screw your eyes up too hard to transplant the outline sketch supplied onto some big wheels and reach the same conclusion.

We'll know more next week at Frankfurt. Which gives us seven days to discuss the merits or otherwise of Jaguar going 4x4 and joining the crossover craze...

[Sources: Autocar, Sniff Petrol]

 

 

[mrclav]

Sounds interesting - I'm pretty sure that although many on here will disagree a crossover sort of makes sense. To hell with heritage! To those that say "that's what Land/Range Rover are for" my answer is that if the US loves Jaguar as a brand in its own right (as much as I've seen anyway) I could well imagine the take-up on a Big Cat SUV wouldn't be something to be sniffed at.

[Krikkit]

If it works as well as the Cayenne did for Porsche, and keeps the brand around to make great cars like the F-type etc, then I suppose it's tolerable.

[Bash Brannigan]

Wouldn't it be lovely if it was a proper shooting break? I know that it's more likely to be an Evoque based crossover, but a boy can dream of the noise and nose of the F-Type with some geeky petrolhead breadvan appeal.

[andyps]

mrclav said:

Sounds interesting - I'm pretty sure that although many on here will disagree a crossover sort of makes sense. To hell with heritage! To those that say "that's what Land/Range Rover are for" my answer is that if the US loves Jaguar as a brand in its own right (as much as I've seen anyway) I could well imagine the take-up on a Big Cat SUV wouldn't be something to be sniffed at.

I guess I fall into the camp of thinking it is a shame that Jaguar are going down the SUV route as it doesn't fit the heritage and the group have Land/Range Rover to cover that but I am also very aware that a brand needs wider scope for success so this is inevitable. The recent products from both parts of JLR suggest that it should be good and sell well which has to be a great thing for supporters of both marques.

[CraigyMc]

I recon this will be a Jaguar skin of the Evoque.

C

[4a4]

^^^ Even down to the Evoque cross F-Type rear lights.

I reckon it will be lovely - and as for the haters, the point has already been made. If selling products like this enables more cars like the F-Type - or even CX-75 (!) then so be it.

[Rawwr]

I wish this trend for teaser sketches would just get on a bus and f*ck off into the ocean.

[ZesPak]

Would either be an Evoque-based Jag or a C-class rival.

I really hope the latter, as I can't see why anyone would buy the Jag over the LR?

[LuS1fer]

I would be surprised if this is a crossover given Tata also own Land Rover - it would be an own goal, surely?

I would think something more like the Brera?

[DonkeyApple]

If you look at the markets where Jaguar want/need to expand and find growth then these markets (US, China, India etc) have extremely strong demand for SUVs and big cars.

IF Jaguar were to make a very much road focussed SUV then I think it would be very good for export sales and I'm sure it would find buyers here.

There is also a clear argument for a mini Jag for markets like the EU but while the EU is still recovering from it's debt whoring one wonders if there is the crucial demand for a luxury small car in contrast to the easily conceivable demand for another luxury SUV.

The huge advantage that JLR have is the enormous data from the Land Rover arm to allow pretty safe analysis of what to build in the SUV sector and where to aim it.

[ZesPak]

LuS1fer said:

I would be surprised if this is a crossover given Tata also own Land Rover - it would be an own goal, surely?

I would think something more like the Brera?

Surely the fact that it has 4 pillars means it'll be at least have two doors on this side?
Also, it looks more compact than an XF, hence the speculation it'll either be an Evoque-rival or a C-class rival.

[405dogvan]

Jaguar need to sack the epileptic spider monkey who throws his poo at the wall to choose the names of their cars I think...

E-Type, XJ, XK, XJR, XKR, S-Type, X-Type, XF, XFR, XFR-S, F-Type, C-X17!? fking what!?

"Which explosion of limited, repeating consonants and hyphens would you like sir?"
"An MP4/12C"
"Ah - wrong showroom - we aspire to the pricing but don't have the talent..."

[ZesPak]

405dogvan said:

Jaguar need to sack the epileptic spider monkey who throws his poo at the wall to choose the names of their cars I think...

E-Type, XJ, XK, XJR, XKR, S-Type, X-Type, XF, XFR, XFR-S, F-Type, C-X17!? fking what!?

"Which explosion of limited, repeating consonants and hyphens would you like sir?"
"An MP4/12C"
"Ah - wrong showroom - we aspire to the pricing but don't have the talent..."

You can make the same statement you've just made about ANY manufacturer in the business.

First off, this is a concept and it won't be the real name of the vehicle.

Secondly, you name some cars that aren't built anymore and therefore are not relevant.
Their current lineup:
XF
XJ
F

Thirdly, the "R" and "R-S" monikers are the same as other manufacturers use for performance models.

[alclark]

405dogvan said:

Jaguar need to sack the epileptic spider monkey who throws his poo at the wall to choose the names of their cars I think...

E-Type, XJ, XK, XJR, XKR, S-Type, X-Type, XF, XFR, XFR-S, F-Type, C-X17!? fking what!?

"Which explosion of limited, repeating consonants and hyphens would you like sir?"
"An MP4/12C"
"Ah - wrong showroom - we aspire to the pricing but don't have the talent..."

Haha wait, Jaguar needs to sack the guy who named the E-Type? What about the D-Type? and the C-Type? FIFTY YEARS AGO. It's hardly the most complicated naming structure in the world. Most of them are two to four easy to understand letters.

XK, then whatever type of XK it is... ie R or RS etc. Same pattern with XJ and XF. SO SIMPLE.
F-Type... then whatever type of F-Type it is...
C (Concept)...then whatever the model designation is.

Read a book.

Edited by alclark on Monday 2nd September 11:29

[Pothole]

'going' 4x4? Wasn't the X type available in AWD form? There was also announcement in December 2012 that "Every future Jaguar will be developed with all-wheel drive capability engineered into the architecture"...

[Eviltad]

Pothole said:

There was also announcement in December 2012 that "Every future Jaguar will be developed with all-wheel drive capability engineered into the architecture"...

Which explains this SUV project and the common architecture / platform.

[PhantomPH]

That has 4x4 written all over it. And looks potentially very nice from the lines alone!

[dukebox9reg]

CraigyMc said:

I recon this will be a Jaguar skin of the Evoque.

C

completely different underbody if you actually read the story........

[ugg10]

Looks like a volvo c30 with some new rear light in a very dark garage to me !

[0llie]

Look forward to seeing this. Ian Callum has been on a roll as of late, I hope this is another cracker