For a while it seemed that the middle-class car makers made SUVs and the luxury guys stood by their sedans. Well, that changed when BMW created the X5. Soon it seemed everyone was jumping in, creating sports utility vehicles which were not only good to look at, but could also hold their own off-road without sacrificing ride quality and the opulence associated with premium manufacturers. Some examples are the BMW had the X5 (and other X-models), the Mercedes Benz ML, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. Moving in with the times, Lamborgini and Bentley revealed their own concepts of SUVs at motor shows, obviously responding to the high demand for SUV.
And now we have Jaguar who revealed its own SUV at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. To prove that they meant business and that their SUV wasn’t just another stunt to get car journalists yakking, Jaguar Land Rover decided to give their SUV concept a ‘world tour’ – starring the CX-17 Concept. As crazy as it sounds, says Warren Henry jaguar (Miami), here’s why it makes perfect sense for Jaguar Land Rover to be producing their own SUV; the company which produces the famous Range Rover and boasts some of the world’s top off-road engineers and designers.
While there’s no date set for production, the hotshots at Jaguar Land Rover assured us that in the next few years, the CX-17 will be zooming on our roads, fulfilling SUV dreams of those who are cash-flush.
In metal, or aluminium to be precise, the C-X17 is a sight to behold. It evokes an intense mixture of emotions, the most notable being desire. The CX-17 carefully balances feline grace and athleticism with stunning design. At first glance, one can pick up subtle influences of the new Range Rover Sport and even the Evoque. Yet, this Jag does not suffer from an identity crisis; the Range is boxy but the C-X17 is curvaceous and remains a thoroughbred cat through and through.
The CX-17 concept vehicle is used to showcase some of the advanced technologies that are planned for future Jaguars – including what Jaguar terms: Interactive Surface Consoles, which simply means a multiscreen infotainment network that will link passengers with one another, as well as the outside world through social media channels.
Once in production, Jaguar promises to deliver a sports, cross-over that will combine the character and driving experience of a sports car with exceptional style and flexibility. We don’t know about you but the CX-17 sounds like an automobile worth the wait.