Jaguar brings the spirit of the XJ220 to life with the C-X75 concept

On the eve of the Paris Motor Show, Jaguar has pulled the wraps off a stunning concept car that nods to Jaguar's past while pointing the way for the firm's future.

The C-X75 is a 330km/h (205mph) four-wheel drive supercar that's capable of running in purely electric mode for 110km (68 miles) on a six-hour domestic plug-in charge. The innovative, lightweight micro gas-turbines are also capable of very quickly and efficiently recharging the Lithium-ion batteries, giving the car a theoretical range of 900km (560 miles).

This range-extension system is a result of Jaguar's research engineers adopting a clean-sheet approach to the question of powering the supercars of the future. The C-X75 turns to the very latest evolution of a pioneering British technology: the gas turbine.

Developed in partnership with Bladon Jets, the miniaturised turbine blade - the first viable axial-flow micro-turbine - increases the compression and efficiency of micro gas-turbines to the point at which they can be viewed as a realistic power source. Each of the micro gas-turbines weighs just 35kg and produces 70kW of power at a constant 80,000rpm.The energy created by the turbines and stored in the batteries is transmitted to the road using four independent electric motors. Using individual motors has benefits in terms of weight-saving and distribution, packaging and efficiency. Each motor weighs just 50kg but produces 145kW (195bhp) of power and a combined total torque output of 1600Nm (1180lb ft).

Because each wheel is driven by its own electric motor, the C-X75 is four-wheel drive - with all the traction, grip and safety benefits that entails - without the weight disadvantages of a purely mechanical set-up. Inherent in this drivetrain is the ability to independently vector torque to each wheel across the full speed range. This offers potential benefits in terms of stability and control, creating an infinitely and instantaneously adjustable traction and stability control system.With the seats fixed, the steering wheel, controls, main binnacle and pedal box all adjust towards the driver. The seats are attached to the bulkhead as in a single-seater racing car, and air to feed the turbines passes smoothly around them via channels in the structure of the body.

A new interface for the driver has also been created for the C-X75 using high-resolution TFT screens. Building on Jaguar's 10-year expertise in touchscreen technology, the Jaguar Co-Pilot display in the centre console supports the driver in extracting the full potential of the C-X75 by seamlessly managing information.

The main driver information screen is housed within the instrument binnacle. Needles float on the periphery of the twin cowls and sweep round the outer edge to display the status and rpm of the two turbines. The design team combined designs from instrumentation in the new XJ saloon with those from fighter aircraft to create virtual 3D ‘gimbals' around which the gauges wrap and rotate to provide status updates.

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