The Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar has been axed from the company’s plans. The prototypes will continue to be developed and will be sold for collectors, with one being retained for the company museum. The company said that while it feels that the car could make money it is the wrong time for the project because of the global economic problems. The project was in partnership with Williams F1, which provided the expertise for the carbonfibre chassis. This will end in May but Jaguar says that it is likely that the companies will work together again in the future. Jaguar says that much of the technology developed for the C-X75 will be used in the design of other Jaguars.
Jaguar is part of the Jaguar Land Rover company, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors. It is looking at global expansion and has recently announced a joint venture with China’s Chery Automobile Company, which will mean that cars are produced at Changshu, near Shanghai. The company is also going to increase output at its plant in Pune, India, and there is now speculation that the firm is looking at opening a production facility in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the Kingdom or Saudi Arabia.
The company says it is committed to further international partnerships to meet the record demand for its vehicles.
While the deal may not have any major financial effect on Williams, it is still a setback as the company looks at ways to expand its operations into other automotive sectors.
No toys for Narain, I guess.
There was some talk a short while ago of the Renault Clio Williams brand being revived. Could this be a revenue alternative to a Jaguar liaison or has Caterham’s Alpine-Renault alliance clobbered it (or was it never more than speculation in dentists’ waiting room-type mags)?
For a moment, I was transported back to the good old days of Jacques Nasser and the famous quip “who in the hell is Edmund Irvine?”. We miss you, Big Cat.
Shame, they don’t make the best of their great developments. They never built the Jag that sounded like a Spitfire (plane not Triumph) either: I only heard it on Top Gear once, but it was quite memorable. (Merlin of course not Griffon) And yet the queue for road going McLarens is a fair old length.
Any news on the Porshe beating Lotus range Joe? Or on Lotus (Cars) at all?
Nothing good.
Useful (and interesting) innovation killed by myopic lack of vision. Dullards.
Reality kicking in more like…
Wouldnt it be nice to have a Williams Jaguar tie up. Two British pedigree brands back in racing again…
History repeating itself, all barring the cancellation? XJ220 started out with a V12 pencilled in, then reduced down to the modified 6R4 unit with turbos to replace the lost torque.
Also, they are not alone playing the hybrid card, but would you buy the Jag over a McLaren P1?
People with enough money to buy both.