Jaguar rides into crossover territory with C-X17

Up there among the most significant vehicle unveils at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show has to be Jaguar with their sporty new C-X17. It is confirmation that Jaguar is toying with the idea of putting a crossover into production.

At this point of time, Jaguar still hasn’t confirmed whether they would put the C-X17 on sale as an indirect alternative to their own Range Rover Evoque.

The C-X17 translates into a pretty-looking vehicle with Jaguar’s corporate fascia. And the rear is unmistakably from their F-Type sports convertible. The body is made of aluminium, and the dimensions of the vehicle keeps the C-X17 in close contention with the Porsche Cayenne. As a matter of fact, the Jaguar has a better wheelbase, and also rides wider and lower than the aforementioned Cayenne.

There’s no word on engines yet. It’d be great with the F-Type’s 3.0-litre supercharged V6. But what Jaguar confirms is a diesel, which would probably never make it to the GCC anyway. What they also tell us is that the C-X17 would be capable enough to hit speeds of up to 300 kph.

The interior, including the seats, instrument panel, floors, doors and cargo area, are finished in an overlapping combination of ‘Jet saddle’ leather and ‘Orchid leather’ panels. The C-X17 will also incorporate a technology called an ‘Interactive Surface Console’ which is a multi-screen infotainment network that allows passengers to share content with fellow passengers and also online on social networks. The car also features a 12-speaker Meridian sound system, and an instrument panel that has a twin-dial configurable TFT console with provisions for a heads-up display.

As mentioned earlier, the Jaguar C-X17 is not slated to go on sale any time soon. But with so much competition from other luxury brands, the Jaguar C-X17 is pretty much a shoe-in for the future range.