The Jaguar R-Coupe is a concept car developed by Jaguar and first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2001. Designed by Ian Callum, the four-seater, two-door coupé showed a new direction for Jaguar, developed from the style of the 1999 S-Type.
Jaguar R-Coupe at a glance
| Shown | Frankfurt Motor Show, 2001 |
|---|---|
| Designer | Ian Callum |
| Body | two-door, four-seat coupé |
| Basis | Jaguar XKR |
| Engine | supercharged V8 |
| Drive | rear-wheel drive |
| Style link | developed from the 1999 S-Type |
| Significance | first Jaguar design created fully under Callum |
| Production | none announced |
based on one source
History of the Jaguar R-Coupe
A new direction
Ian Callum joined Jaguar in 1999, and the R-Coupe was the first Jaguar design fully created under his direction. The four-seater, two-door coupé grew out of the style of the 1999 S-Type but pushed it towards the more sculptural look that later Jaguars adopted. It was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2001.
Under the skin
The R-Coupe was designed around the XKR’s supercharged V8 engine and rear-drive drivetrain, but Jaguar emphasised that there were no plans to put it into production. The concept therefore stayed a design study, though its ideas fed into the company’s later saloons and sports cars.
Design and features
- Callum’s first Jaguar: the first design fully led by Ian Callum after his 1999 appointment.
- Four-seat coupé: a two-door body with room for four.
- XKR mechanicals: the supercharged V8 and rear-wheel drive of the XKR.
- Design study only: Jaguar stated there were no production plans.
Jaguar R-Coupe versions
- R-Coupe (2001): the single show car, exhibited at Frankfurt.
The R-Coupe’s mechanical basis was the supercharged Jaguar XK8 range, and its styling ideas looked ahead to the Jaguar F-Type. More cars are in the Jaguar collection.
Sources
- Jaguar R-Coupe, English Wikipedia: design, debut, mechanical basis
