Frankfurt 2013 : Jaguar C-X17 unveiled in Frankfurt

A new sporting crossover from Jaguar will hit the market after  the company’s new BMW 3 Series rival reaches the showrooms in 2015.

Jaguar C-X17 (2)

Jaguar has confirmed that it is going head-to-head with the Audi Q3/Q5 and BMW X1/X3 with its sporting crossover, which has been revealed in concept form at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Jaguar’s production version of the C-X17 will be based on all-aluminium underpinnings, which will also be used by the much talked-about new small Jaguar saloon, coupe and estate cars, which it follows on to the market.

Jaguar is decribing the C-X17 as a design study to introduce Jaguar’s new highly advanced aluminium monocoque architecture, named iQ[Al]. Technically, this is a bold step as the underpinnings will form the basis for the all-new range of vehicles to slot in beneath the XF and take on Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz at their own game. The lightweight modular aluminium architecture that underpins the C-X17 will translate into high levels of performance and efficiency.

However, the most arresting element of this concept is its styling, which has been penned in the UK and overseen by Design Director, Ian Callum. He admitted that for a long time he felt uncomfortable about doing it.

‘At Jaguar we are used to designing low cars and this is the exact opposite,’ Callum said. ‘I didn’t feel comfortable with the idea, although there were a lot of people within the company who did. But it is what a whole generation wants, especially in places like China. During the development of the F-Type the information came back that their idea of a performance car is one of these.’

Ian Callum

The biggest challenge in creating an SUV faithful to Jaguar’s heritage was in getting the proportions right, says Callum. ‘A lot of that was caused by the position of the cabin and the requirement to mount the engine north-south,’ he added. ‘It has been designed to take engines up to a V6, although I’m sure we could get a V8 in. We had two or three attempts before we got it right, and even went as far as building clay models. It’s something we solved by working millimetre by millimetre.’

The most extreme part of the car, Callum said, is the four-seat interior. It has been made as simple as possible, with the minimum of buttons and switches, but features exotic instruments and graphics, dog tooth-patterned leather, minimalist seats, lots of piano black, slatted headlining beneath a glass roof and touch-screen technology front and rear.

The grille and headlamps are similar to those on the XF and XJ saloons. ‘We’ll continue with them,’ said Callum. There is a typical Jaguar power bulge in the bonnet, slim side windows, Coke-bottle rear haunches influenced by the F-Type, horizontal rear light units, barreled sides to reduce the impression of bulk and a dramatically profiled roofline.

The C-X17 is longer than the Range Rover Evoque but shorter than traditional saloons, such as the Ford Mondeo, at 4718mm. It’s as high as established 4×4 rivals, but still manages to feature elegant styling that combones elements of the XF and the F-Type. Inside, the C-X17 features advanced interior technologies including Interactive Surface Console – a multi-screen infotainment network that links passengers with each other and the outside world through social media channels.

Jaguar C-X17 (4)

Power will be provided by a range of four-cylinder engines, known as the Hotfire, which will be made at Jaguar’s new engine factory near Wolverhampton. The new V6 found under the bonnet of the F-Type will also be used in the new baby Jaguars. The new saloons will be the first vehicle to be equipped with all-new four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, allowing Jaguar to break the 100g/km barrier for the first time.

The C-X17 marks the beginning of Jaguar’s expansion into new markets and forms the centrepiece of a new range of medium-sized cars that will slot in beneath the XF. The lightweight aluminium ‘sports crossover’ – that’s how Jaguar refers to the C-X17 – will enter the highly profitable SUV sector and, hopefully, not steal too many sales from the Evoque. Currently, Jaguar sells around 100,000 cars per year – and, once the saloons, estate and SUV are online, this is anticipated to top 250,000.

Jaguar’s first car based on the iQ[Al] structure will underpin the long-awaited Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series rival, which Jaguar confirms is due in 2015. The new range of Jaguars will be exclusively made from aluminium, a class first. It’s a good looking car and Ian Callum sums up by saying, ‘We designed the C-X17 from the ground up from a distinct set of principles, a deep sense of what makes a Jaguar: exciting proportions, clean lines, balance of form.’

The C-X17 has taken its fair share of limelight at Frankfurt and for good reason. ‘This car has proper ergonomic packaging,’ said Callum. ‘It’s a concept car, but it’s a driveable concept. It’s one bookend of what we could do with our new architecture and it shows the flexibility in proportions it gives us.’

The C-X17 Concept appears to have been created with production possibilities in mind and it is hard to imagine that buyers in many parts of the world would turn down the chance to own an SUV from what is currently the fastest-growing premium brand in the world. Jaguar’s global sales from January to July rose by 33% compared with the same period of 2012 and were up by 65% in July.

Jaguar C-X17 (3)

Keith Adams

50 Comments

  1. That does look very nice indeed, despite my concerns over the need for a Jaguar SUV when the same company already carpet bombs the sector through Landrover. But if its based on the new 3 series/A4 competitor with V6 power plants then surely its an X3/Q5 rival rather than X1/Q3? These are both based on Golf sized compact hatchbacks, as is the Focus based Evoque.

  2. I hope they stay 100% true to Concept,should be a walkover. The Q3 has zero chance against this car and the X1 isnt even worth a mention,nobody buys them- at long last you can give credit to a potential BMW buyer for avoiding this sad looking car.

    This type of car isnt my thing,i wish it well though, i really never thought they could pull it off making something look as good and it upstages the Evoque.

    Well done.

  3. Interesting to see if it is in direct competition with the Evoque.

    I also wonder what the commonality is with other Land Rover products. It would be a bit daft if it was all new parts!

    Chris.

  4. I have to say I would not be a future owner of one of these, but I entirely agree that it is needed so that Jaguar can start to cover the up-market motors marketplace. If they can get to 250k cars per annum Jaguar will have a future. As a maker of saloons for a small and shrinking group of aficionados like me they are doomed.

  5. @3 It must be the demograph of mental health issues then.
    They simply dony sell in numbers, i have seen more Sanderos than these X1’s they dont sell because they are not only shit but pointless.

    Even a friend at Williams BMW Manchester laughed me off the ‘phone when i asked-even the MINI Coupe sells more.

  6. Looks great, and very different from a Land Rover – the fear was always that the Jag SUV would just be a rehashed Evoque or RR Sport.

  7. This vehicle, once again, seems to demonstrate Jaguar’s current success and forward thinking. Looks both interesting and nice. Although I am not in the market for an SUV, the future small Jag saloon is of interest. I wish it well.

  8. SUV’s are in vogue at the moment and this one looks to have the youth and style of an Audi. Jaguar are really trying to shake off the old man image that even the XF still has to some extent. Both Audi and BMW sell over 600,000 of their A4 range and 3 series including spin off’s. For Jaguar to sell 250,000 in the £25-£40k market will be a huge leap forward. The range will need to include a coupe, 4 seat convertible, estate, 4 door saloon, 5 door hatch and SUV. They may just crack it. Even at peak the R8 range only managed about 200,000 with all 6 derivatives. Wish them well but this product looks like it will have world wide appeal. With new engines and architecture it will have little in common with the Evoque which is Focus based. Maybe the next Evoque will be spun off this chassis and engines as well which would take total volume to 400,000 which is where it needs to be to get economies of scale. Looks like Halewood is going to be very busy as will the new plants in China and Saudi!

  9. Ball dropped Jaguar.

    Face it looks unremarkable in 2013 as a glitzified Motorshow star, remove the glamour, productionise, then fast foward to 2015 and we have the X type S type all over again, old before its time. Would make a good modern Mazda though, no?

  10. @8:

    Fact Time!

    Since 2010, BMW has sold just over 20,000 X1s in the UK
    Since the same date period in 2010, 14,000 X3s were sold/registered.
    And under 12,000 X5s.

    Since launch the Evoque has sold/registered almost 27,000 units.

    The next Evoque will be based on the Jaguar SUV – sensibly trialling the new underpinnings without risking the RR name.

    Now, if you think there’s no sense Jaguar selling an SUV…

    In the first quarter of 2013 since the Paceman went on sale, under 300 have been sold/registered.

    That same period shows 1300 X1s registered.

  11. The current Evoque and Freelander both have their origins in the Ford Euro CD platform, i.e. Mondeo, S-Max & Galaxy, not the Focus. While on the subject of size, the Jag SUV looks like it’s been positioned between the Evoque and the new Range Rover Sport.

  12. @15, Is that to normal human beings or lease/hire companies?
    I dont even see a X1 a week, maybe its just the northwest that does not like an X1.

    The GSM at Williams even said the X1 is in a coma,and they sell 50 BMWs a week all round the UK.

    Regardless of facts or numbers,20,000 X1’s over a three year cycle sread over the population is still a whole heap of nothingness perhaps explaining why a sighting of one is so scarce,its not that i dont notice them its because i do notice how remarkably pointless the car is,a Lagacy or Outback it aint.

    To be honest, the X5s are ten a penny,the roads are scattered with second hand,shagged out smoking fagged and fashed rear suspension sheds that the wannabes cant afford to fix.

    Ok, maybe i asked for it,but no matter what, the Evoque and CX17 have well and truly have this segment nailled shut now.

  13. I understand the need to spin models off platforms and/or structures; I get that volume is key to lowering unit cost and thus a better chance of overall profitability but I am a little perplexed that JLR would create a model that in is so similar in market segment to the Freelander-Evoque-RRS in style and territory.

    There must be other segments that the company could exploit first without overlapping ranges?

    The CX-17 is nice enough and I’m sure will sell okay, but will it take sales from other models in the stable? I think it has that potential to do so.

    I am in faviour of a larger range of products from JLR – Perhaps even a return of a Daimler model – but a CX-17 would be way down my list of ways to spend my development budget on.

    That said I hope it sells well and helps JLR to bigger and better things.

  14. A fabulous looking concept and one that shares no obvious design or functional DNA with a Land Rover product. I genuinely believe this is the model to help Jaguar improve its sales performance as a member of Jaguar Land Rover Ltd and also increase footfall in its showrooms.

    One question – does anyone know what that shade of blue is called as I love it? Whatever the next plans are for this design concept, in the meantime, please can this colour be made available on the smaller and medium-sized production Land Rover and Range Rover models and also on some of the Jaguars! The Jaguar colour range in particular needs some ‘life’ injecting into it.

  15. WOW – The Designers at JLR haven’t disappointed. Yet again they have come up with a superb piece of design. I have to admit I was nervous about this project having seeing Bentley , Lagondas and Porches efforts at an SUV and BMW’s X1 is an atrocious clunky and awkward bit of design. This is sleek, sexy and well proportioned, a vehicle comfortable its own space. JLR designers have become the cream of the motor industry.
    @14 keep up the hard work on the braille keyboard.

  16. Personally I’ll never be in the market for such a car, but the sales statistics speak for themselves and Jaguar really needs one if they want to grow. In export markets the x-type was a plain failure, and I’m not too sure if a small Jaguar saloon is what the export markets want. But the SUV should sell well across most markets. This car just makes sense for JLR. And – IMO – this reflects in the styling: For a study this is extremely conservative, the production Evoque looks more like a show car than this (and the Mazda CX5 fresher – but that’s probably me). This is not designed to be radical, but this is designed to sell in larger numbers!

  17. 2015? Want it now! It is a very good looking SUV – sporty and agressive with all the curves in the right place to be a proper Jag! Whoever designed this should be given the XJ to freshen up and get rid of those slab sides. Hopefully the 3 Series rival will look as good.

    Thing is Jag wont launch this yet as the Evoque has just come to market and they dont want to steal its thunder – though I think the Jag is better looking and will stand the test of time more than the faddy looking Evoque.

    Also to add to the X1 debate you hardly see them in Essex, 1 or 2 compared to X5 which there’s loads, and Richard all those PACEMANS must have been sold in Essex! Blinking orange brigade lol

  18. I see X1s, X3s, X5s all over the bloody place, they seem to sell like hotcakes here, usually tailgating us.

    Also see a few Renault Captures, seems they’ve done a Nissan and replaced the Laguna with an SUV.
    Part of the problem is that the only private buyers with the money to buy new these days seem to want these type of car.

  19. I tend to think all Jaguar’s look like some form of Ford Mondeo now. I know they wanted to shake off the “traditional” look – but Egads they look bland now!

    A good analogy; A pub in town had a gorgeous tiled, curved front and beautiful original etched glass bay window. Looked just like a Pub. Some guy bought the place and actually got the City Council to give permission to rip the lot out and replace with a sheet of glass. To quote the bloke; “Get rid of the fuddy duddy look”.

    He went out of business 6 months later.

    Of course, people will always want Jaguars, so that’s not an issue, but surely they could start designing something distinctive!

  20. This looks great and I am sure it will sell and hopefully will make JLR many £billions. IMO the problem with the X -Type was that the design was too fussy. All those lines, curves and creases still give me a headache especially on the saloon version.

  21. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of a Jaguar SUV, but if the final production model looks like this, and the price is right, Jag definitely has a winner on its hands. It certainly looks a lot more upmarket than the Q3.

  22. another great blend of testosterone, oestrogen and therapies from Jaguar 🙂 hard to believe its underpinnings are different to the Evoque alex

  23. I’ve never quite understood the SUV phenomenon. When space on the roads is limited and everyone bangs on about the environment. You can’t see out of junctions when one is next to you and if one smashes into you (and you’re in a ‘normal’ car) you come off much worse. Still, I guess fashion prevails

    Recession, what recession?!

  24. @LewBLew

    I always figured it was self perpetuating, like mutually assured destruction.

    Can’t see through an SUV at a junction?
    Worried an SUV will crash into you and kill your offspring?

    Buy a bigger SUV!

    It is annoying, especially in a low car like the Celica and SUV drivers always seem to want to nose out to beyond the give way line.

  25. Perhaps we need some sort of treaty in place to stop this before it gets out of hand! If one of these SUVs hits my Mini, or even worse my bike, I’m screwed. Or should I just go one better and buy a tank?

    Then again, smaller vehicle = less to hit. So perhaps I’m alright.

  26. I dont need an SUV , but that doesnt stop me from liking the looks of some of them , and this is a stunner , well done Jaguar , I hope it sells bloody thousands!

  27. Wow – they managed to successfully integrate Jaguar theme into an SUV. Bit surprised they’re making it at Solihull and not Halewood.

    Isn’t it about time Ian Callum got a knighthood for services to the motor industry? (no disrepect to the other people in JLR Styling)

  28. @ LewBLew ” the SUV started out as people bought SUVs or multi purpose vehicles, (and possibly those who wanted simple rear wheel drive or 4×4 vehicles)…and then manufacturers sought to make lighter variants for the middle market. Many of the SUV’s you see today are little more than a jacked up car with better visibility. The real SUVS though can pull anything. I have to say from my own point of view though that My LR Disco has 7 seats and will tow anything and provides excellent driver outward visibility and will go almost anywhere. I thought about buying a Freelander but they are much more temperamental than the larger land rovers and I think personally the larger used land rovers make more sense for me even if they use a little more fuel because they are easier to fix. But 7 seats (freelander only has 5 seats), durability and towing capacity were the main drivers for me and of course something made in Britain :-). I do like the Jaguar above though. (PS my wife drives an economical BMW318ti 5 speed).

  29. Just to clarify a point – I find the outward visibility from modern “cars” frustrating and dangerous. There are too many blind spots in them. The land rover and its elevated position is easier to drive and the kids can see more of the country over the fences and hedges and the kids can see more of the road and are less likely to get car sick because they can see more… and when they were younger it was easier to get them in and out of baby seats in the land rover. alex

  30. Living in the sticks I appreciate the need for proper SUVs, the likes of the L200s down the farm, the Discoverys (-ies?) at the horse stables, the Defenders in the fields etc.

    But take this morning, for example, by the time I reached the city, a full sized Land Cruiser with ‘gangsta’ ridiculous alloys, bullying a 90s mk4 (oval grille) Ford Fiesta to cut into their lane.
    And the Nissan Qashcow which just stops in the middle of the road. No reason given. No indicators. Turns out they did want to turn into some junction, but they must’ve thought everyone else is psychic. Or, more than likely, in their raised Renault-Megane-platformed cocoon, didn’t care about anyone else.

    The Jag looks good, almost like an XF-Sportbrake-Streetwise, and I can see it taking Disco/Evoque/RRSport sales, but I’d rather wait on the Jag 3-er…

  31. What a relief, looks canny.

    Don’t have a problem with anybody choosing a 4×4 and sticking to tarmac, no dafter than buying a performance car and pottering around in traffic, or sitting alone in a big saloon.

    If logic was the only factor in car buying decisions, there’d be nothing remotely interesting left for us to get excited about.

  32. These stupid SUV vehicles represent the unacceptable face of capitalism, Style over substance, simply to provide profits and rarely fill a genuine need, the sooner they are legislated off the public road the better.

    I have no respect at all for the idiots who buy these wretched things, give me a Honda Jazz anytime over these monstrosities.

  33. Idiot in an X1 or a judgemental git with no business sense in a Honda Jazz – Not a lot to choose between them really.

  34. Well he does have a point,most will buy something like this for the ‘look at me’ cred rather than the car serving a purpose,a J reg KIA Pride will get you to work every day wont it?

    What has business sense got to do with it?

    Seen the use of space in a Jazz recently?

  35. I feel safer with a bigger safety cell around me. A Kia Pride vs a modern SUV… Hmmm… The cell may stay intact but much more energy will be transferred to the cell.. Chances are you will die with great certainty.

    big cars FTW.

  36. @42 Can’t tow a rally car with a Honda Jazz, can’t imagine carrying 7 people, driving to a holiday house in Italy at the end of a cart track or carting the kids’ clobber up and down the country with the Honda. All things I’ve done with my Disco in the last 3 months.
    I saw the C-X17 on Wednesday and it was attracting some serious attention from the Frankfurt show attendees, whilst the similarly sized LF-NX was largely ignored. It will never replace my Disco, but this is finally a Jaguar with a decent level of “presence”, a balanced style and dare I say, a hint of practicality. For the these reasons, it can’t go on sale soon enough and I believe it will be a roaring success.

  37. I was sceptical of Jaguar trying to enter the SUV market, but to be fair they have pulled it off if looks are to go by. Thank goodness it doesn’t have the original front end I saw pictures of which shared the F types headlights, that was ugly, but this is really good looking!

  38. @47 Good use of the Lyons Line, making a come back. Blatantly this is not designed as an off road lugger but I reckon it’ll have better capabilities than an X(n) and make more sense than anything Merc slings back at it. In a sense the emphasis will be on Sports rather than Utility, and that will be a major differentiation between this and and of the Land Rover Range.

    Practical urban sporting SUV rather than a hardcore off roader. Anything more in that direction really would interfere with Land Rover.

  39. The car looks great and I hope it does well. At first I thought it’s a car I might consider in the future, then I read its dimensions in another magazine. It’s just short of 2 metres wide for heaven’s sake. Why so big ? It might be fine in the USA where many owners will be supersized, like the roads and parking spaces. But over here on crowded roads with tiny parking spaces, too many width restrictions and small garages it’s too large, like pretty much every JLR product.

    I wish JLR well with making money and keeping many thousands of people in this country in productive employment but at the end of the day they are making cars for people to use on the roads of Britain and other crowded countries. Keep the size down to something manageable. 1.8 metres should be enough for everyone.

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