This is the 2001 Jaguar R-Coupè (chassis X1) concept car. This interesting vehicle first ever made a public appearance during the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show. In just a little more than 6 months, a team consisting of Jaguar’s Design Director Ian Callum, the Advanced Design Studio Head, Julian Thomson, the exterior designer, Matt Beaven, the interior designer, Mark Phillips, and others put together the R-Coupè concept, which was the first full four-seater coupè design in around 25 years for Jaguar. This eye-catching concept car was constructed using various S-TYPE chassis parts, however, lacked an actual powertrain, therefore making it just a styling exercise, or ‘mock up’. Despite the fact that the car was engine-less, the R-Coupè still displayed a number of attractive features and elements such as the impressive the looking 21 inch ten-spoke alloy wheels. Other sophisticated characteristics that were included on this concept consist of pivoting Xenon headlights, paddles mounted on the steering wheel, and a full interior with beautiful wood trim, four seats upholstered in ‘Blonde’ Connolly leather and a dashboard finished in anodized aluminum, and dressed with simple and elegant instrumentation. Notably, the R-Coupè is said to be the very first Jaguar design fully created under Callum’s direction, and was the first publicly shown product of Jaguar’s Geoff Lawson Advanced Studio, at the company’s Whitley Engineering Center in Coventry, England. The R-Coupè was originally finished in ‘Pewter’, and later on, the car was subsequently repainted to be ‘Metallic Green’. In 2019, the car was sprayed back again to its original ‘Pewter’ color. Interestingly, the concept car even featured an LCD screen with access climate control, a telephone, navigation, a TV, e-mail and internet. The design for this unique concept was selected after 6 scale models were presented, and Julian Thomson’s design was selected as the basis for the model.
How many made? 1
Engine: n/a
Debut: Frankfurt Auto Show on September 10, 2001.
Top Speed: n/a
0-60: n/a
Photo Credit: @forza_lamborghini, @mrrobhunt, @no_fare_taxi
Research: @rarecarsonly