As the CO2 emission regulations are getting stringent, automakers are on their toes to develop new vehicles with a target of meeting strict norms. It is perhaps in light of this, that Jaguar is considering a new range of compact front-wheel drive cars that are frugal and offer lower CO2 regulations. The British automaker is looking closely for compact cars intended to sell in large volumes in the near future. However, the commercial success of these vehicles is uncertain, as investments would be huge and profit margins are likely to be thin.
Jaguar has to invest big to develop new and unique steel architecture for the compact models and also arrange an attractive retail price for them to sell in large numbers. If the plan is implemented on the right track, the front-wheel drive models will compete with the likes of entry level rivals such as Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1-Series. By the year 2020, EU regulations will see an average CO2 output of 95 g/km, hence Jaguar Land Rover has an uphill task ahead to meet these targets, as the manufacturer currently sells large SUVs in good volumes.
We can expect a four metre compact car by Jaguar, as Ian Callum has a keen interest to make one. JLR engineers are also working for a shorter version of the Evoque’s platform to develop a production version of the DC100 concept, which is a small SUV. Similarly, BMW is also considering front wheel drive compact cars along with MINI products to meet stringent emission norms. By 2020, 40 percent of the BMW lineup would account for such cars. For the time being, Jaguar is focusing on bringing a new compact sedan and crossover.
Source – Autocar UK