Jaguar, owned by Indian auto major Tata Motors skipped the North American auto Show to be present at the Delhi Auto Expo and showcased the Jaguar C-X16 and C-X75 concepts. The Jaguar C-X16 concept is a bold statement of Jaguar’s future design and technological intent. The C-X16 takes the traditional front-engined, rear-wheel drive formula that Jaguar defined over the decades and reinvents it for the 21st century in a performance-oriented hybrid drivetrain with 50:50 weight distribution.
The latest iteration of Jaguar’s ‘Redefining Performance’ ethos, the system is based around a prototype supercharged all-alloy V6 engine which produces 380PS (280kW) and 332lb ft (450Nm) of torque from 3.0-litres thanks to its innovative design. Supplementing this is an electric motor producing 70kW and 235Nm (equivalent to 95PS and 173lb ft), available to the driver at the push of a steering-wheel boost button. Allied to an eight-speed gearbox and mounted in a lightweight aluminium chassis this allows the C-X16 to sprint to 62mph in 4.4 seconds and reach 186mph while returning 41mpg (UK gallon) and emitting 165g/km of CO2.
The interior showcases important future technologies such as multimodal rotary controls. These incorporate miniature OLED screens, which reconfigure to reflect the different functions that can be performed via the controls, all of which are designed for maximum compatibility between sports car needs and everyday usability. An example of this is the full smartphone integration via the ‘Connect and View’ system by which the central Touch-Screen reconfigures to mimic the screen of a connected device. “C-X16 draws inspiration from both our sporting qualities and our current leading-edge research into future powertrain technologies and consequently delivers an irresistible proposition on both emotional and rational levels,” says Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars.
The 2010 Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept presaged a game-changing approach to performance carswith its range-extending hybrid powertrain. Now, the C-X16 represents a further avenue of research in Jaguar’s mission to develop sustainable powertrain technologies and bring them to production.
The Jaguar performance ethos has its roots in the company’s Advanced Aluminium Architecture programme, which focuses on agility, power-to-weight and sustainability benefits. The Limo Green project, conducted in association with the Technology Strategy Board, combined this class-leading construction with a highly experimental hybrid powertrain that was further developed in the C-X75 supercar concept. The C-X16 signposts how the next generation of Jaguar sports cars will produce their power in an environmentally conscious manner. The concept is propelled by a hybrid powertrain that combines an all-alloy V6 engine with a performance-boosting electric motor inspired by the Formula One KERS system. The purpose of this hybrid-performance system is threefold: to supplement the V6 engine’s already prodigious power through an on-demand ‘Push to Pass’ system; to reduce fuel consumption; and to allow the C-X16 to perform as a zero tailpipe-emissions electric vehicle at speeds of up to 50mph on low throttle openings.
The starting point is Jaguar’s eight-speed transmission with Intelligent Stop/Start, recently launched to great acclaim in the XF sports saloon. The system can shut down the engine in just 300 milliseconds after the car has come to rest and utilises a Twin Solenoid Starter (TSS) that is capable of restarting it in the time it takes the driver’s foot to travel from the brake to the accelerator. This provides for faster recovery and seamless performance beyond the capabilities of any existing competitor in production and is the first time such a system has been used with a supercharged engine. The C-X16 extends the Stop/Start system’s functionality by linking it to a transmission-integrated motor generator mounted as one unit with the gearbox. This draws power from a 1.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted behind the seats for perfect weight distribution.
As in the most demanding motorsport environment, Jaguar employs a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). The battery pack is predominantly charged through a rear axle electro-hydraulic brake energy regeneration system.
A dashboard display graphic indicates when the additional boost provided by the electric motor can be deployed. When charged, a ‘Push to Pass’ boost button mounted on the steering wheel allows access to an additional 70kW and 235Nm of torque (equivalent to 95PS and 173lb ft) for up to 10 seconds. Because of the lag-free nature of an electric motor, this power is instantaneously available. The battery is constantly and automatically recharged, the entire system overseen by a Hybrid Vehicle Supervisory Controller. Both the battery pack and electric motor mounted in the C-X16 are liquid cooled preventing them losing performance as heat builds up during spirited use. To cool the battery the advanced electronics draw chilled coolant from the climate-control system, the compressor for which is itself electrical rather than engine-driven to reduce losses. The hybrid system is placed within the wheelbase of the car to aid weight distribution and maximise agility by reducing the polar moment of inertia.
The front-mounted supercharged V6 engine develops 380PS (280kW) and 332lb ft (450Nm) of torque from a capacity of 3.0-litres. A modular development of the award-winning Jaguar AJ-V8, the all-new powerplant points the way to the next generation of highly efficient, powerful, petrol-fuelled internal combustion engines. The new V6 is of the same lightweight aluminium architecture as the eight-cylinder engine with a high-pressure, die-cast block with cross-bolted main bearing caps for increased strength and refinement. The quad-cam, four-valve-per-cylinder heads are constructed from recycled aluminium to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing.
Optimised for bore and stroke, the V6 also features a second-generation Direct Injection combustion system with a raised compression ratio of 10.5:1. A revised electronic bypass for the sixth-generation twin vortex Roots-type supercharger allows much more precise boost control to reduce fuel consumption. These advances in efficiency allow the V6 to produce a specific power output of 126PS per litre. Allied to the performance-boosting electric motor the result is astonishing – 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds, a limited top speed of 186mph and in-gear acceleration of just 2.1 seconds between 50 and 75mph. The benefits of the hybrid system extend beyond being merely sporting, reducing CO2 emissions to 165g/km and returning 41mpg on the combined cycle.
“This car has been designed from first principles. It is an evolution of the design ethos of past Jaguars and defines the agenda for a future of dramatic, innovative sports cars. Purity of line and intent is what Jaguar does best,” says Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars.
The C-X16 also makes use of newly established Jaguar styling signatures such as the subtly rounded trapezoidal grille. Inspired by the C-X75 concept car and recognisably related to the current XF and XJ, this is the focal point for the front end of the car, providing instant rear view mirror recognition.
6 comments