The future face of the Big Cat

The new all-wheel drive X-Type, which is being heralded as the new Jag for younger car buyers, has been unleashed locally at the reasonable price of $68,150.

It is the start of a revitalised Jaguar - the auto-maker now has more direction and a better sense of what it needs to do, how it needs to perform.

One aspect of this rejuvination is the future - where will the marque be, what will it do? Well, we've one solid lead - it's called the R Coupe.

Essentially a prototype, the new Jaguar was recently unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though the car will never be built for sale, according to Jaguar. Those same words have been uttered by many, so there is a realistic chance that this could be seen on the roads in a few years time.

The R Coupe is an insight into future designs that Jaguar will offer prospective drivers in the coming coming years.

"We challenged our designers to show how the Jaguar 'look' could advance in the years ahead, to reflect the company’s transformation from niche manufacturer to major player in the premium car sector.

"This represents a long-term vision though, rather than anything that we will see tomorrow," said Jonathan Browning, Jaguar’s managing director.

The front end is instantly recognisable due to the ovoid grille and the distinc headlights.The car is well proportioned from front to rear, which lends the car an air of aggressiveness.

With massive alloy wheels, a very showy quad-exhaust system and a smooth, flowing chassis, the R Coupe is certainly the sexiest Big Cat we've laid our eyes upon.

Ian Callum, design director at Jaguar, said: "With the R-Coupe we have the ability both to explore and to display our future design philosophy for Jaguar."

"Concept cars like this provide an incomparable opportunity for us to try out new ideas and to experience them in a full-size, three-dimensional format.

"We’re looking forward to learning a great deal from the reactions of the public too. The R-Coupe demonstrates that you can maintain traditional Jaguar design values – proportions, stance and graphic cues – and create an advanced car around them."

Inside the car is just as astonishing, with leather everywhere - even covering the floorspace! There's also plenty of macassar wood and silver trimming to add just the right amount of luxury.

At the end of the day the Big Cat wanted to do something different. The R Coupe was conceived to show how the company's development philosophy may change, as a four-seater coupe doesn't even exist in Jaguar's four-car line-up.

Next year Jaguar will release the new generation XJ8 and you can expect some of the design cues seen here to rub off on the XJ8. Furthermore, a lot depends on the public reaction towards the car - fingers crossed it's overwhelming. Perhaps this will motivate Jaguar to release the R Coupe?