FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Jaguar SUV leaked

It was confirmed in the form of an official teaser sketch earlier this week and now Jaguar’s maiden SUV appears to have been revealed via a leaked studio image.

First published by Carscoops yesterday, the full-frontal image shows how Jaguar could apply its aggressive new car design language to its first SUV, which will be formally previewed by the C-X17 concept at next week’s Frankfurt motor show.

Confirming the all-new SUV will not be based on the Range Rover Evoque’s LR-MS steel platform, the British luxury brand says the C-X17 design study was created to “introduce Jaguar’s new, high-advanced, modular aluminum architecture” and demonstrate “the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using this architecture, which underpins the innovative future of the Jaguar brand”.

Jaguar has reportedly registered the ‘XQ’ and ‘Q-Type’ trademarks in Europe, hinting at possible nameplates for its all-new rival for mid-size premium crossovers like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, as well as the 3 Series, A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Jaguar’s all-new modular aluminium platform is also expected to underpin the Indian-owned car-maker’s upcoming 'XS' medium sedan and the next-generation XF large sedan.

Unique bonded-and-riveted aluminum construction has been employed in Jaguar’s XJ limousine and XK sports cars for more than a decade, although the new alloy platform is expected to form the basis of vehicles sized between 4.5 and five metres long.

That means an all-new small car also under consideration by Jaguar will not be based on the new aluminium chassis, although Autocar has reported that Jag plans to switch to aluminium construction for all its models within four years.

The leaping cat brand will also use the next week’s Frankfurt show to exhibit its new XJR and XFR-S performance models, as well as the XF Sportbrake wagon and F-TYPE roadster, which will next year be joined by the F-TYPE coupe.

As we’ve reported, the first Jaguar SUV is due on sale globally in 2016 – after Jaguar’s belated X-Type replacement and answer to the BMW 3 Series, the new rear-drive ‘XS’ mid-sizer.

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