Last year in May, Jaguar told the world of its intention to build a limited run production version of the striking C-X75 hypercar concept that was displayed at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
At the time, Jaguar had said it would offer the car with an advanced hybrid powertrain instead of the concept’s futuristic jet-powered setup limiting production to around 250 units.
Now we learn that the British carmaker has backtracked on the decision axing the project due to the current global economic crisis.
“We feel we could make the car work, but looking at the global austerity measures in place now, it seems the wrong time to launch an £800,000 to £1 million supercar [US$1.29 million to US$1.6 million],” Jaguar Global brand director Adrian Hallmark told journalists, according to Autocar magazine. “This is backed up by other products from us that people are screaming out for.”
Hallmark added that Jaguar has already built five working prototypes, which will continue to be developed until next May, with up to three of these unique models to be sold at auction, while one car will be used as a press demonstrator and the other will be displayed at a future Jaguar museum.
The report says Jaguar has developed a hybrid powertrain for the C-X75 comprising a turbocharged and supercharged 1.6-liter petrol engine and an electric motor on each end of the car producing a combined output of 888hp (900PS) and peak torque of 590 lb-ft (799Nm).
Hallmark told the panel of journalists that 60 per cent of the technology developed for the C-X75 will be transferred to future Jaguar models.
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