Jaguar has lifted the lid on the C-X16 concept that's set to spawn a two-seat production car next year. The new cat will sit below the XK in Jaguar's portfolio, but its performance will be nothing to sniff at thanks to a cutting-edge hybrid powertrain.
Beneath its clamshell bonnet sits a brand-new supercharged, direct injection V6 engine that thumps out 280kW and 450Nm and which will provide most of the car's motivation. This power can be supplemented by a KERS-like hybrid boost system that can provide an extra 70kW and 235Nm, for 10 seconds, at the touch of a button on the steering wheel.
The battery for this F1-inspired system is located behind the seats to allow the car to achieve an optimal 50:50 weight distribution and its charge comes from brake energy recuperation.
Power is channelled to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox and under full charge, Jaguar claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 300km/h.
The battery power can also be used for city driving and the car can be driven at speeds of up to 80km/h (for short spurts) on electric power alone. After doing the sums, Jaguar claims a combined cycle CO2 emissions figure of just 165g/km - about the same as a compact sedan.
Of course, this Jaguar is a lightweight beast, its body mounted on an aluminium chassis structure and it's also rather compact - its overall length of just 4445mm making it marginally shorter than a Porsche 911 and it's also the smallest Jaguar since the XK120 of 1954.
As for that angular body design, the C-X16 might not have the same visual impact as the original E-Type but it does have a pleasingly muscular appearance as it moves away from the soft retro curves of the XK.
Jaguar's global brand director, Adrian Hallmark, describes it as such: “The C-X16 embodies the established Jaguar strengths of sensual design, animal-like agility and inspirational performance and combines these with attributes that set us on a course to create sustainable sports cars of the future.”
The expected production date for the C-X16 is late next year and a widely-rumoured roadster version should also be a logical addition to the range at a later stage.