Jaguar sends out a message with the C-X16..

With just over a week to go until it’s unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show, Jaguar has released another image – this time of the soon-to-be-revealed C-X16 sports car hiding under the covers during filming in the Graian Italian Alps.

As teasers go, it’s distinctly underwhelming, but it got me thinking about the location of the film shoot and what this tells us about Jaguar’s new 911 rival.

The twisty, challenging roads deep within the Graian Alps, Italy.

The route, in case you’d like to retrace the C-X16’s steps for yourself, is around the north west part of the Graian Alps at the border between Switzerland, France and Italy. From what we can see, those exquisitely twisty roads are around Lago Agnel, Gran Paradiso in Piedmont, just 50 or so kilometres south of Chamonix Mont Blanc.

Lago Agnel, Gran Paradiso, Piedmont, Italy.

Having driven these roads many times, I remember there being plenty of tight un-sighted corners that suit an agile chassis and a car with strong brakes. Undeniably the kind of roads that fit Porsche’s 911 like a glove.

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars recently commented: “Great Jaguars have always been beautiful, innovative and have looked firmly to the future. The finished C-X16 concept has the potential to do these things while retaining the ability to surprise, to excite and invigorate.”

Filming for the Jaguar C-X16 teaser video.

Rumour has it that the C-X16 will be powered by two front-engined rear-wheel drive V6 variants – 275 bhp and 350 bhp with supercharger – fitted within a lightweight aluminium platform. It’s likely that hotter models will follow, but for the time being Jaguar are focusing on performance through lightness and agility.

The Graian Alps, Italy.

Exact details of the oily bits will be revealed in just a few days from now – on Wednesday (7 September) – together with that all-important body design which (surprisingly) has remained a total secret until now.

A sketch drawing of the Jaguar C-X16.