When the Jaguar C-X75 appeared at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, it was nothing short of revolutionary. And when we say “revolutionary,” we don’t mean that in the usual marketing hype sense. The C-X75 was the real deal. Each wheel was assigned its own electric motor, which produced a combined 778 horsepower. On the electric motors alone, the car would have a 31-mile range. Factor in the unique diesel/flex-fuel turbines, and the car effectively becomes a diesel-over-electric vehicle with an extended range of 559 miles. While a limited production run was planned in tandem with Williams F1 (which currently holds all five of the prototypes), Jaguar deemed that the C-X75’s price tag — nearly 1.5 million dollars — was a non-starter at the height of the recession, and the project was quietly shelved.
While the C-X75 generated substantial buzz when it was first seen five years ago, the car has largely been forgotten by all but a handful of die-hard Jaguar enthusiasts. That’s about to change, thanks to an assist from a certain member of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Yes, the Jaguar C-X75 is about to play a substantial role in the upcoming James Bond film, titled “Spectre.”
This wouldn’t be the first time that a Jaguar automobile has been the centerpiece in a Bond film. The Jaguar XKR featured in Die Another Day, complete with machine guns, missiles, and a Gatling gun. The Jaguar XJ8 would be seen in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, while Skyfall would see a Jaguar XJ featured as M’s car. What makes this time different is that the C-X75, unlike its predecessors, isn’t a production car. However, if the movie creates enough of a clamor for the car, it’s possible that Jaguar might relent and put it into production.
At Jaguar of Peabody, we don’t have any Jaguar models with missiles or guns on them. We don’t have the Jaguar C-X75 (sorry). We don’t even have a spectacularly suave English secret agent prowling the premises. But we do have some of the best of what Jaguar currently has to offer, like the 2016 Jaguar F-Type. Get behind the wheel and you’ll be reminded why, when the fictional MI6 needs an extra dash of cool, they call on Jaguar.
