While many hoped to see a 'new Jaguar E-Type' at the Frankfurt Motor Show few will have considered what that means. The E-Type was innovative and, above all else, gorgeous to look at. Jaguar's new concept, the C-X16, shares those attributes, but in a compact package not too dissimilar in size to the Porsche 911.

Apparently the show car is the shortest vehicle Jaguar has made since the 1954 XK120. It measures 4,445mm in length, 2,048mm in width and 1,297mm in height with a wheelbase measuring 2,622mm. That's pretty much the size of a 911, though with a much longer wheelbase. Despite that the C-X16 has just two seats.

The Jaguar is front-engined, unlike the Porsche, and it's a promising package. First up is a new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine utilising direct injection to produce 375bhp and 332lb.ft of torque. That sounds rapid enough to us, but Jaguar allies it to a 94bhp (plus 173lb.ft) electric motor-generator for both a performance boost and electric, zero emissions running capability.

Claimed performance figures include 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds, 50-75mph in 2.1 seconds and a relatively modest top speed of 186mph. Jaguar cites Formula One as inspiration for its 'Push to Pass' button to draw on the boost of the electric motor - for up to 10 seconds at a time. In fact, the car uses a version of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), as found in F1. A 1.6kWh battery is mounted between the seats solely for this purpose and it is recharged through an electro-hydraulic brake energy regeneration system on the rear wheels.

The electric motor itself is integrated into the housing of the eight-speed automatic gearbox and, naturally, the C-X16 is rear-wheel drive only. CO₂ emissions are just 165g/km, which is likely to be partially to do with the car's ability to drive on battery power alone at speeds of up to 50mph - and the standard stop-start system. Combined economy is quoted as 41mpg.

Not that we expect drivers of the production version of the C-X16 to be too concerned with fuel economy. Though the concept's dashboard allows them to monitor it closely, along with just about everything else. The instrumentation is all customisable and there's a high degree of connectivity available, while tactile rotary dials control several different functions to minimise clutter. Meanwhile the Vermillion Red leather and Alcantara finish are complemented by lashings of piano black and even carbon fibre racing seats.

So what does the Jaguar C-X16 mean? More than you might think. Jaguar has clearly tagged it a 'production concept', so it's undoubtedly previewing a new car set for the showroom. Many reckon it will be called the XE. We expect that the supercharged V6 engine is for real, while the hybrid aspect of it may come on stream at a later stage - as a range topper.

We'll interrogate a few Jaguar executives at the Frankfurt Motor Showto see if we can find out any more...

Shane O' Donoghue - 7 Sep 2011