Don’t let your eyes fool you. This spacious, five-door, and otherwise SUV-like vehicle you see above is not an SUV.
Like BMW’s ‘Sports Activity Coupe,’ Jaguar’s first SUV-ish model has been given an entirely new designation by its manufacturer.
According to Autocar, the five-door will be labeled a ‘sports crossover,’ and likely be based on 2013’s C-X17 concept (pictured).
Why the fresh name? Put simply, Jaguar Land Rover doesn’t want to compete with itself.
“A Jaguar SUV is not possible,”Jaguar CEO Ralf Speth said. “SUVs and 4x4s are for Land Rover. The Jaguar concept is far more road-orientated. It will need a different kind of name.”
That badge may be sports crossover for now, but the Speth says it could change. After all, the company has until its late 2015 reveal to play the name game.
If you’re familiar with the brand’s upcoming XE, the five-door’s face might look a bit familiar. That’s because it will ride on the same iQ[AI] aluminum architecture as the sedan, which hints at its sporty nature.
“Of course, it will be a vehicle which looks great and which has a strong stance, but the capability will be very different from a Land Rover,” Speth continued. “It will be something special in that regard. Of course, it will not be anything like a sports car, but it will have a very specific character that sets it apart.”
“[Jaguar Land Rover Chief Engineer] Mike Cross and his vehicle dynamics team will do an extraordinary job to make sure that it is sensational to drive on the road.”
As we reported last year, the XE’s aluminum platform will accommodate sedans, coupes, and wagons with hybrid availability, so expect the crossover to equip many of the four-door’s Ingenium engines.
