When UK prime minister David Cameron opened Williams’ Advanced Engineering division’s new hi-tech facility in Oxfordshire this summer, it was further proof of the British Formula One team’s commitment to R&D. The department’s aims are straightforward: apply futuristic F1 wizardry and know-how to a more diverse range of technology.
That includes the automotive and motorsport sectors, of course, but also areas you wouldn’t expect, such as grids on the Scottish Highlands and wind turbines, to name two. The centre is also the supplier of the batteries powering Formula E, the single-seater electric racing car competition, which held its inaugural grand prix in Beijing this September.
One of the division’s first major projects was also its best to-date: the Jaguar C-X75, one of the world’s most sophisticated, high-performing and environmentally sound hybrid vehicles. As a timely reminder of the achievements of the 250-strong team of design engineers, here’s how a supercar really earns
its name.
Jaguar C-X75: The environmentally sound hybrid supercar
1.Mixes internal combustion power with electric motors to achieve a petrol supercar performance with less than 99g/km CO2 emissions
2.Downsized, highly boosted petrol engine featuring two electric motors and four-wheel drive
3.All-carbon-fibre chassis creates an incredibly lightweight, yet amazingly strong construction