Jaguar C-X17 crossover teased

Rumblings about a Jaguar SUV or crossover date back several years but never really made the headlines until a few weeks ago when it was revealed the British automaker was planning a landmark announcement at the upcoming 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. There’s little doubt as to what Jaguar is planning to announce anymore, as the automaker has confirmed plans to reveal a new crossover concept at the German show, which commences September 10.

We won’t have to wait that long to see the covers come off, however, as the new concept, officially labelled the C-X17, will be revealed online the night before. This teaser image gives us an idea of what to expect: a muscular crossover with a tail-light design similar to that found on Jaguar’s F-Type sports car.

But the C-X17 hints at more than just Jaguar’s future model plans. Underpinning the vehicle is a modular platform composed of lightweight aluminium. This platform is believed to be a variation of Jaguar Land Rover’s Premium Lightweight Architecture (PLA) that debuted in the latest Range Rover SUV and should also feature in a new Jaguar sedan aimed at the BMW 3-Series as well as the next XF.

While Jaguar has been quiet on production plans, we’ve already seen a test mule for the 3-Series rival and similar test mules for Jaguar’s crossover have also been spotted in the U.K. recently. What the vehicles will be called is still up in the air, though we know Jaguar has registered “XQ” and “Q-Type” with the European Union's trademark agency. Given the automaker’s naming cadence, the new sedan is likely to be called the XQ while the crossover should get the Q-Type moniker.

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