Recently, Jaguar revealed its C-X75 prototype powered by a 1.6-liter turbo and supercharged four-cylinder that could rev over 10,000 RPM. Together with two electric motors, the C-X75 produced more than 850 horsepower. Although Jaguar has subsequently canceled the C-X75 project, the lessons it learned from the high-performance hybrid will affect future offerings from the British brand.
“We are not wedded to V8s. Can Jaguar exist without a V8?” asked Steven de Ploey, Jaguar’s product and marketing director, in a recent Drive interview. “The answer is yes, but is it our intention at this stage to eliminate the V8 from our engine palette?”
Jaguar has begun the eventual phasing out of normally aspirated V8s by replacing them with supercharged V6 engines. This trend, too, could be short-lived. Although Jaguar loves the virtual instantaneous power created by supercharging, it doesn’t love the fact that superchargers aren’t as controllable as turbos.
“We are not wedded to supercharging as the defining technology to deliver performance. What we are wedded to is intelligent performance; today that is delivered through superchargers but tomorrow that could be anything,” Ploey added.
Although a V8 drop could be more than a decade away, expect smaller displacement, forced induction engines replace larger engines in the Jaguar lineup over the next few years.
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