Details of Cars

Jaguar C-X16: the hybrid concept that became the F-Type

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Jaguar C-X16 concept
The Jaguar C-X16 concept. Photo by Christian Flores from Carlsbad / Encinitas, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Jaguar C-X16 is a concept hybrid electric sports car unveiled by Jaguar Cars at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on 13 September. In April 2012 Jaguar announced that it would build a new sports car based on the concept, called the F-Type, which was shown to the public in non-hybrid form at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012.

Jaguar C-X16 at a glance

Jaguar C-X16 key facts
Shown Frankfurt Motor Show, 13 September 2011
Type two-seat hybrid sports car concept
Body aluminium
Petrol engine supercharged 3-litre V6, 375 bhp, 450 N·m
Electric motor 92 bhp, 235 N·m
Gearbox eight-speed ZF automatic
Battery mounted behind the front seats, brake regeneration
0–62 mph 4.4 seconds
Top speed 186 mph, limited
Electric-only top speed 50 mph
CO2 165 g/km
Production result Jaguar F-Type

History of the Jaguar C-X16

Design

The car’s body is built from aluminium, and Jaguar described it as the smallest car it had made since the XK120 of 1954. The drivetrain combines a 375 bhp, 450 N·m supercharged 3-litre V6 petrol engine with a 92 bhp, 235 N·m electric motor and an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The battery pack sits behind the front seats and is charged by a brake regeneration system, so the car can run on the engine alone, the motor alone, or both together.

Rear view of the Jaguar C-X16
Rear view of the C-X16. Photo by Christian Flores from Carlsbad / Encinitas, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Styling

The form takes cues from Jaguar’s 2010 C-X75 plug-in hybrid concept, including the shape of the front grille and the wrap-around rear lights, and it has a side-hinged opening rear window reminiscent of the 1961 E-Type.

Performance and future

Jaguar quoted a 0–62 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed limited to 186 mph, with a CO2 rating of 165 g/km; on the electric motor alone the car could reach 50 mph. Under engine power the motor could also be activated to boost acceleration through a switch on the steering wheel, in a way similar to the KERS system used in Formula 1. The production F-Type was previewed stylistically by the C-X16 and was developed under the project code X152.

Design and features

  • Hybrid powertrain: supercharged V6 plus electric motor through an eight-speed automatic.
  • Three driving modes: engine alone, motor alone or a combination of both.
  • Boost switch: a steering-wheel control that adds electric power for overtaking.
  • Aluminium body: the smallest Jaguar since the XK120 of 1954.
  • F-Type preview: the concept defined the look of the 2012 production car.

Jaguar C-X16 versions

  • C-X16 concept (2011): the single show car, as displayed at Frankfurt and Los Angeles.
  • F-Type (2012): the production sports car developed from the concept, without the hybrid system.

The C-X16 followed the Jaguar C-X75 concept in style and led to the production Jaguar F-Type. More cars are in the Jaguar collection.

Sources

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