XCar had a chance to get behind the wheel of the Jaguar C-X75, so we think that is a great opportunity to delve into the Supercar that was ahead of its time. The Jaguar C-X75 is a hybrid-electric, two-seater which debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The C-X75 was named in honor of Jaguar’s 75th anniversary, the C stands for concept and the X for experimental. The C-X75 concept produces 778 horsepower through four electric motors, designed to drive the four wheels. The batteries driving these motors are recharged using two diesel-fed micro gas turbines instead. The car even had a range of 40 miles on the electric motors. The vehicle has been described as a model that will influence future design and technology as the C-X75 concept will be used for continuing research and development of future Jaguar technologies.
The astounding look of the C-X75 is pure Jaguar. “This will be the finest looking and most innovative Jaguar ever created,” says Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design. “Even in the world of supercars, we can still produce the most beautiful. C-X75 is an exciting project for us and a clear statement of Jaguar’s intent to continue creating bold, innovative and beautiful performance cars.”
Raising the Bar
Project C-X75 was designed to deliver stunning on-road performance, while adopting cutting-edge technology for remarkably economical running.
Carbon-fiber build
Carbon-fiber, drawn from Motorsports technology and used in the chassis, creates an incredibly lightweight yet rigidly strong structure. Super-fine fibers made from pure carbon are woven into fabric sheets that are then carefully impregnated with a resin and baked into shape with a combination of heat and pressure.
Performance
The dynamic styling of the C-X75 concept hints at its exceptional performance.
Project goals are;
0-60mph under 3 seconds
0-100mph under 6 seconds
Low emissions
While the C-X75 promises supercar performance, with a top speed in excess of 200 mph, it is also a low-emissions hybrid vehicle concept, with a range of up to 30 miles on electric power alone, with incredibly low CO2 emissions of less than 99 g/km. To put that into perspective, most new cars sold in the US today are in the 121-150 g/km range.
Handling
C-X75 is not just about straight-line performance; its ideal weight distribution also gives it optimal handling. The battery pack is mounted in the chassis in such a way as to become a positive factor for handling, stabilizing the car at higher speeds. Meanwhile, the compact engine is small enough to be mounted low in the engine bay and to keep weight to an absolute minimum.
All in all, we are sad that this car never made it into production, seeing it up close the styling is amazing and the figures would suggest it would be a blast to drive. Last but not least it has two turbines, and lets be honest who doesn’t want turbines on a car?
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