Earlier this week, Jaguar execs in England confirmed that the stunning Jaguar C-X75 supercar currently under development will be fitted with a new 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine in place of the dual mini-turbines that appeared in the original Jaguar C-X75 Concept revealed at the 2010 Paris Auto Show. This all-aluminum wonder employs a supercharger and a turbocharger as well as both port and direct fuel injection. Capable of revving to 10,000 rpm, it’s set to crank out at least 500 horsepower and is backed by a 7-speed sequential gearbox that sends all of the engine’s motive force to the rear wheels.
Like the concept, the limited-production C-X75 will be a plug-in hybrid that also uses a pair of electric motors &mdash one at each axle — to effectively supplement the engine’s formidable output. Energizing them will be two centrally-mounted, liquid-cooled lithium ion battery packs that weigh 440 pounds &mdash nearly 12 percent of the car’s anticipated total mass. Collectively, the C-X75’s gas/electric combo will allow this carbon-fiber-intensive Ultra Cat to hit 0-60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 200 mph. While not quite as intense in pure EV mode, the C-X75 is still expected to blitz to 60 mph in about 6.0 seconds and have a zero-emissions range of about 37 miles.
Jaguar plans to build about 200 copies of the C-X75, the first of which should start hitting the road within the next 12-18 months. While pricing has yet to be finalized, it’s a still a pretty safe bet to anticipate something in the $1-$1.5 million range.
