Happenings

Jaguar's Hybrid Super Car Is Go!

BY Krado Low

The C-X75 concept car, sans gas-turbine engines, will go into production in limited numbers.

When the C-X75 was unveiled last year at the Paris Motor Show, the attention grabber was the two micro gas-turbines that spin at 80,000 rpm each. This unique propulsion system was said to produce enough electricity to give the car a theoretical range of 900 km.

The actual car will come with a small capacity, highly boosted internal combustion engine with one powerful electric motor on each axle. The four wheel drive car claims to do zero to 96 km/h in less than three seconds, zero to 161 km/h in less than six seconds and a top speed in excess of 321 km/h. And if you are concerned about being green, this car can cover more than 50 km on electrical power alone.

The new car will be developed in association with Williams F1 who will provide their engineering expertise in areas including aerodynamics, carbon composite manufacture and hybrid technologies. This association will be at the leading edge of British automotive engineering and innovation.

An example of direct technology transfer between motor sports and road-going production cars is the chassis. On the production car, it will be made of carbon fibre to create an incredibly light, strong and rigid structure.

With this new car, Jaguar will be redefining the customer experience. The company will set new standards in sales and after sales services which will be expanded across the range in the future. Only 250 will be built at the starting price of S$1.42 million, depending on market and local taxes.

Carl-Peter Forster, CEO of Tata Motors said, "This is the Jaguar of the future. The opportunity for innovation like this in the UK is part of the reason Tata Motors invested in Jaguar, and it's fantastic that products like the C-X75 can become reality."