Jaguar’s early involvement in Formula E and the subsequent reveal the I-Pace E-trophy proved to Yoan Tsonev that the company is really forward-looking in its quest to develop the future of electric mobility. That’s why he created the Jaguar C-X55 as his final thesis project at Coventry University.
Conceived for the year 2030 and inspired by the form of a tennis racket, the Jaguar C-X55 Gran Turismo concept’s design features a cabin linked to a small profile frame at its core. It was developed as an electric prototype for the Gran Turismo virtual racing simulator.
The Jaguar C-X55 Gran Turismo is an example of an electric racecar powered by a graphene super-capacitor, four AC motors (one for each wheel) and two inverters. Unlike some cars in Formula E, the concept is devoid of a gearbox for a better power to weight ratio. But this doesn’t make the car less exciting to drive.
The cabin is balanced by Kevlar tension ropes inspired by tennis racket strings to allow the user/driver can manually control the cabin’s movement through flaps on the steering wheel, distributing weight to the front or rear end as needed.
The rotation is most effective during cornering. The inertia from braking moves the cabin forwards, adding weight to be more accurate before the turn and allowing a better angle of vision. Before exiting the corner, the cockpit releases from the rail to enable the force of acceleration to move it backward and enhance traction by adding weight onto the rear wheels.
The cabin movement is suitable for the more competitive users who seek a certain challenge and manual control over the design function. The casual gamer can either choose the rotation to be done automatically or even choose one of the two proportions to alter the car’s aesthetic — the Fastback specification or the LeMans specification.
The Jaguar C-X55 Gran Turismo concept was designed to embody the British premium brand’s design DNA but also works well in both guises.
