The Jaguar Land Rover had two stunning concepts on display at the 2012 Auto Expo - the Jaguar C-X16 and the Land Rover Defender Concept 100.
The C-X16 takes the traditional front-engined, rear-wheel drive formula that Jaguar defined over the decades and reinvents it for the 21st century in a performance-oriented hybrid drivetrain with 50:50 weight distribution.
Powering the C-X16 is a prototype supercharged all-alloy V6 engine which produces 380PS (280kW) and 332lb ft (450Nm) of torque from 3.0-litres thanks to its innovative design. Supplementing this is an electric motor producing 70kW and 235Nm (equivalent to 95PS and 173lb ft), available to the driver at the push of a steering-wheel boost button.
Allied to an eight-speed gearbox and mounted in a lightweight aluminium chassis this allows the C-X16 to sprint to 62mph in 4.4 seconds and reach 186mph while returning 41mpg (UK gallon) and emitting 165g/km of CO2.
The DC100 from the Land Rover stable was also on display for all to see. Land Rover has declared that the DC100 and DC100 Sport capture the rugged and adventurous spirit of the original Defender and indicate the capability of the Defender family too.
The Defender Concept 100 displayed at the Auto Expo was shown in Firenze Red paint with a white roof and grabbed eyeballs right away. The SUV has the trademark Defender grille with large headlamps and a winch too. The windscreen is upright.
When it goes into production, which Jaguar Land Rover hopes will be sometime in the middle of the coming decade, the Defender will have Land Rover's Terrain Response system, a new Wade Aid system that will optimise the car for water crossings by closing body vents, raising the ride height, selecting a low gear and advising on the safest speed, and the Terrain-i system that will gauge the terrain ahead of the car and represent it in 3D for the driver to view.
New environment friendly technologies include the Twin Solenoid Stop/Start system and the Driveline Disconnect system.
