Autocar reports Jaguar has resuscitated plans for an electric XJ after canceling the previous attempt, albeit under a different name. There are supposedly two Jaguar-branded EVs arriving in 2025. We know one will be a four-door GT the automaker teased in April of this year. The scant intel we received on it claimed more power than any previous retail Jaguar, besting the 590-horsepower XE SV Project 8, and a starting price around £100,000 (around $125,000). We’ll guess the output claim represents a top-shelf trim, the starting price represents an entry-trim.
The most expensive hardtop the company sells in the U.K. now is the F-Type R 75, asking £103,075. A Porsche Taycan, the obvious comparison to a sporty, four-door, six-figure, battery-electric GT, starts at £79,200 and runs to £148,300 for the Taycan Turbo S. Autocar said company sources outed the Jag as a lavish electric sedan that is effectively, in the magazine’s words, a “de-facto XJ replacement but larger and much more luxurious.”
The Coventry automaker’s been dealing with even more turmoil than usual in the past several years, so it’s difficult to pin down how many times plans have changed and when. It’s thought the original plan had the GT launching ahead of two SUVs. The larger of the two SUVs would be flagship of a three-model electric lineup, specced and priced to challenge the Bentley Bentayga, the English maker joining a cadre of mass-market luxury brands going superluxe and repeatedly naming Bentley as the target. In July of last year, Autocar reported the new plan was “a trio of… electric crossovers,” a near-production concept not due until the end of 2024.
Now, Autocar‘s sources maintain the model count remains at three, all of which will sit on the dedicated, long-wheelbase Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA). If this plan holds, there will be that four-door GT against the Taycan, the SUV against the Bentley, and the swanky sedan as something like a BMW i7 competitor. It is expected to be about the length of the 219-inch Bentley Mulsanne, offer all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, a range spread of about 385 to 475 miles on the European cycle, and the ability to recharge its battery from 10% to 80% in 13 minutes. The report also said the output floor would be at around 450 hp.
JLR Chief Creative Officer Jerry McGovern has envisioned a new take on Jaguar, as well, far more subtle than before — and almost everything about Jaguar sedans was already subtle save for some exhaust notes. “Minimalist” and “minimalism” come up repeatedly, explaining supposed decisions like getting rid of the Leaper hood ornament and spelling Jaguar in a new font across the front and rear, similar to what Range Rover does. Other exterior notes are “utra-thin” headlights and taillights, a flat front fascia that bears a new grille and that forms a 90-degree angle where it meets the longest hood ever designed for a Jaguar. In back, the design team is apparently eliminating the rear window, akin to what Polestar did with the Polestar 4. About the only commonality with the last XJ will be a floating roof effect thanks to black pillars.
Interiors are said to “center on touchscreens and sustainable materials,” the only buttons in the vehicle said to be on the steering wheel. Everywhere else, it’s all screens all the time.
The GT concept we see later this year should provide clues, the GT painted as a sportier version of the coming sedan. As the duo rolls onto the market in 2025, every current Jaguar will roll off as no longer fit to represent the brand. JLR CEO Adrian Mardell said, “When we launch our new JEA platform, the change from today on Jaguar is very dramatic. We don’t want older-looking cars and newer-looking cars.”
Source: www.autoblog.com