Jaguar's first ever SUV, the C-X17 concept, has made its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Although images of the new C-X17 appeared online prior to the concept's official unveiling, this is the first time the car has been officially shown to the public. It's also the first time Jaguar has spoken outwardly about the car.
And the big news is that it's going to be a few years until we see the C-X17 on dealer forecourts. The new car will be built on Jaguar's brand-new iQ aluminium monocoque architecture. The good news is that this will make the car extremely light and extremely stiff; the bad news is that the first car to be built on the platform will be Jag's new 3 Series rival, which isn't due to come out until 2015.
Oh well, on the plus side, when the C-X17 does hit the roads, at least we know it'll be a handsome car. The concept is the work of Jaguar design director Ian Callum (he of Aston Martin DB7 and Jaguar XK fame) and we're delighted to say he hasn't lost his touch. Say what you want about the prudence of Jag's foray into the SUV market, but we think the C-X17 looks fan-bleeding-tastic.
Speaking about the car, Callum said: "We designed the C-X17 from the ground up from a distinct set of principles, a deep sense of what makes a Jaguar: exciting proportions, clean lines, balance of form. Assertive and powerful, yet with a beautiful sensuality about it, the C-X17 is boldly, distinctively Jaguar."
The C-X17 will be offered with a range of engines including four-cylinder diesel and petrol units and a new version of the V6 petrol lump fitted to the F-Type. The engines will range from an ultra-frugal model delivering sub 100g/km CO2 emissions right up to a model capable of more than 186mph. It's good news for British manufacturing too as the engines will be built at a new engine production facility currently under construction in Wolverhampton.
Unsurprisingly, Jaguar claims that the C-X17 will be positioned as a driver's car and will have an "on-road bias." With a low ride height and an optimised centre of gravity, Jaguar claims that the C-X17 will have "car-like" dynamics. Also included will be a system called Torque Vectoring by Braking, which uses the brakes to balance the amount of torque at each wheel, minimising understeer and increasing grip.
Jag also claims that the C-X17 will be competent off-road, thanks to 213mm of ground clearance and an intelligent all-wheel drive system which monitors grip levels and driver inputs to pre-empt and react to wheel slip, providing greater traction in low-grip conditions.
On the inside, the C-X17 seats four passengers in individual bucket seats and gives a low seating position, making the C-X17 feel more car-like on the inside than, say, a Range Rover. Jaguar claims that the interior features "a juxtaposition of premium traditional materials and modern finishing techniques," so there's leather and aluminium and a host of clever new features such as what Jaguar calls an Interactive Surface Console.
The Interactive Surface Console runs the length of the car's centre console and is made up of a series of inter-connected touchscreens. The system allows all four passengers to connect to Wi-Fi and upload pictures, video and sound files from mobile devices to share with their fellow passengers. The passengers can also use the device to connect to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites.
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