Jaguar Trademarks C-Pace Name – Is It For A Smaller Crossover Or A Coupe SUV?

Jaguar’s been steadily expanding its crossover lineup since entering the market with the F-Pace two years ago, and it currently has three SUVs in its range. Now, we might just have an early indication of what it has planned next.

According to AutoGuide, the British automaker has filed to trademark the name C-Pace with European authorities. And while we don’t know for sure what (if anything) it might do with the nameplate, we can take a guess or two.

One possibility is a smaller crossover that’ll slot below the E-Pace. Considering that the E-Pace is already pretty small for a crossover and it’s doing battle in the premium sub-compact segment, fitting one in underneath could prove a bit of a tall order (or a short one, as the case may be). And it wouldn’t quite match up in Jaguar’s nomenclature: the F-Pace is the crossover equivalent to the XF sedan and the E-Pace to the XE, but there’s no CE model for a smaller C-Pace to line up with.

Another possibility is that the C stands for “coupe,” and could be applied to a sportier-looking version of an existing model. It’s a growing trend that would put the model up against rivals like the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe, if it’s based on the F-Pace, or the X4 and GLC Coupe if it’s smaller.

Aside from the rumored C-Pace and existing E-Pace, F-Pace, and electric I-Pace, Jaguar is also expected to be planning a new J-Pace that’ll sit above the F-Pace on top of its lineup.

The expansion represents a marked change for Jaguar, which, until 2016, had no crossover whatsoever in its range. Until then, that segment was left totally to its sister company Land Rover (and its more upscale Range Rover line), but is now drawing on its counterpart’s expertise to take a bite out of an increasingly burgeoning part of the market.