Cool Cat: Jaguar Unleashes C-X16 Concept at Frankfurt

One of the most anticipated launches of the Frankfurt Motor Show is here: Jaguar’s C-X16 Concept. Jaguar has been focusing on performance a lot lately; the XKR-S turns up the heat to be Jaguar’s fastest model and the C-X175 is a super car concept that is headed for production.

A model that been rumored about for a long time….years in fact, is a new Jaguar sportscar slotting in below the XK. It has been speculated about in both front and mid-engined form, but the car’s primary competitor was always the Porsche Boxster (and now Cayman). While sales for the aforementioned Boxster and Cayman are quite low, we’re still glad to see Jaguar making an effort. Clearly Ratan Tata’s desire for more sports cars at Jaguar is resulting in some action. Let’s take a look at the C-X16 Concept.

Jaguar’s head designer Ian Callum has found a design theme that works for Jaguar and is sticking with it. The C-X16 follows a similar pattern to recent Jaguar products, eschewing retro design hints for a modern approach. More curves a la the C-X175 concept would have been nice, but what we’re seeing here is a design that is clearly production ready. It has classic good looks with a long hood and muscular stance; even better looking than the XK we’d say. The interior is we love too; the C-X16 has a minimalist, focused design that wouldn’t be out of place in an exotic.

Power comes from a supercharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder making 376 horsepower and 332 pound feet of torque. Nice figures for a car of this size right? There’s more though, as the C-X16 features hybrid system that delivers efficiency while being thoroughly enthusiast-focused. An electric motor works in concert with the car’s eight-speed transmission to provide an extra boost of power.

The big feature is a “Push to Pass” button on the steering wheel, that when activated, boosts power output by an impressive 92 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to this and lightweight aluminum construction, 0-62 mph arrives in just 4.4 seconds. Handling is also aided by the setup, which yields a perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

Jaguar says the C-X16 is the most responsive and compact Jaguar in a generation; the smallest car produced by the company since 1954. All of this reads remarkably like a production press release. We can’t imagine a official confirmation is that far off. Until then, check out our gallery of Jaguar’s latest below.