Stillborn next generation Jaguar XJ EV: some illustrations…
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These don’t really match the many spy shots of the new jaguar XJ. But they’re still OK.
I guess. Why not…
But apparently, Jaguar has just decided to cancel the car altogether. Just kill it after years of development and testing. The car was just about a year from production. Imagine the cost of cancelling a project like this!
Just recently, Jaguar had said they would be an EV only brand by 2025. 2025! That’s only 4 years away. And they are cancelling their “ready to go” new EV sedan. That makes no sense.
Unless new Jaguar Boss Thierry Bollore has amazing new plans he hasn’t told anyone about. Or maybe, just maybe, alcohol is involved in this. In large quantity (in that case, I would understand)
Bollore was the boss at Renault before this. Only for a year and a half, before he was fired.
Let’s hope he knows what he’s doing with Jaguar. Such a legendary brand that deserves the best care.
But so far, claiming to be an EV only brand in 4 years and canceling your most advanced EV project makes zero sense.
Especially now that Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and others are getting into the luxury electric sedan business.
WTF……
WHY?!?!?!?!
Thierry Bollore most likely will continue with electrification and most of the underpinnings of the XJ, but scarped the design. I bet he's brining back the glamorous designs that most people loved about Jaguar.
Although the Callum era was interesting it never gave Jaguar a true design identity. Bollore knows that was a big mistake and will correct it.
Someone needs to bite the bullet and deemphasize aerodynamics, or all sedans will look the same.
We know nothing what the cost to build this thing was. The design possibly was so expensive that any profit would be tight. Or, if it was supposed to be the base platform for the rest of the lineup and they decided there were a lot of compromises in order to make that work.
Incredible that any vehicle development would go as far, before terminating the project, especially a flagship model. I seriously wonder what went wrong.
This makes no sense! The XJ was going to be relevant again as an EV!
A little more on the subject.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a35519105/jaguar-land-rover-ev-only/
Sunk cost. The money already wasted on a new XJ is gone. There’s no point dumping more down that rat hole.
XJ sells in trivial numbers. I-Pace sells in trivial numbers. Devoting further gazillions to developing a combination of the two makes no sense.
The question for Tatra is whether it’s worth soldiering on with Jaguar, or putting all its chips on Land Rover where the money is. Similar to Stellantis’ quandary with Dodge and Chrysler. Take ‘em off life support or keep spending in the hope that the market will someday move back to sedans and sports cars?
If it was money at stake, I’d cut them all loose now and never look back.
not surprised it was cancelled and probably a good decision. This was the XJ, meant to compete with MB S-Class, Audi A8, BMW 7, Lexus LS, Maserati Quattroporte, the Tesla Model S and Lucid Air.
Jaguars have become invisible, there are so few of them and the styling is too generic. It's nice, not special but nice! The problem is, for $100K, people want special. This car does not say "flagship". I know it's an illustration but the rear 3/4 view could be Toyota, Lexus, KIA, etc. Horrible trunk opening.
Oh, it's a partial EV? big deal, the others are too and Tesla/Lucid are 100% Electric.
Maybe they can recoup their investment costs and sell the entire project to another manufacturer… I'm sure there's a Chinese firm awash in cash looking for a complete design — with very few tweaks (remove the leapers, the badge and change the grille shape) this would not be a "Jaguar" That would be a win/win as executive sedans are still popular in China.
If this really represents the cancelled XJ, it's no great loss. It looks like a Ford Fusion/Mondeo with a Jaguar grill and tail lights.
Jaguars used to special and instantly recognizable. They were aspirational cars. That is until the current generation of generic Callum designs, which are totally devoid of jaguarness.
And Vince, I read the Bollore interview. He said Jaguar would be all EV by 2030, not 2025.
It's really cute that you think you'd know how to run a car company.
Thank you!
I agree with the similarity of EV design, but aerodynamics in combination with battery size and efficiency are vital in order to get the best range each is so dependent on.