Fans of Jaguar’s flagship executive sedan (particular the supercharged V8 version) may want to take a moment. The new Jaguar XJ could be all-electric.
Jaguar’s flagship sedan – the svelte, luxurious XJ – debuted back in 2011. Design boss Ian Callum sure knows his way around a pen, because despite its age, this car still looks great. But what would you expect from the man who designed the Aston Martin DB7, the original Vanquish, the Jaguar XK, the F-Type, and the F-Pace? He’s reportedly been at it again, redesigning the new Jaguar XJ for the next decade.
There’s just one caveat: According to reports from Autocar UK, Jaguar’s making a bold move. The new Jaguar XJ will be reincarnated as an all-electric model. We know Jaguar Land Rover has been taking big steps toward electrification – see the I-Pace – but this is another level of daring. Kudos to Jaguar for keeping the luxury sedan going in a waning market. However, those who lust after V8-powered XJs of yesteryear may need to take a moment.
Jaguar’s aiming the next XJ squarely at Tesla, in addition to its traditional rivals
You’d expect Jaguar to take an intermediary step here and make the XJ a hybrid. But you’d be wrong. The company is – reportedly – settled on making the new Jaguar XJ a pure EV. That makes it a prime competitor for establish models like the Tesla Model S. Don’t worry, though, Jaguar will still market this car as an alternative to the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Renderings of the new XJ shown in Autocar’s article hint at more of a five-door Sportback design, similar to the Audi A7, rather than a traditional four-door sedan. It will likely also share a powertrain with the I-Pace. That means dual electric motors and around 400 horsepower. With output similar to that of the current V8 XJ (albeit without supercharging), the new car should be fairly brisk. It may not have the same spine-shattering pace of the Tesla Model S’ Ludicrous Mode, but nor would it be a lazy, perambulating bore. We wouldn’t be surprised if some R-themed models came along to level the playing field, either.
No official confirmation from Jaguar, yet
Apart from the Autocar report, there’s no official confirmation from Jaguar that the XJ is coming soon or that it will indeed be all-electric. However, given that the current model is over eight years old, it is time for a serious update. We should see some more information crop up later this year, and the new Jaguar XJ may emerge as a 2019 model.
In the meantime, we have the I-Pace coming up, and we’ll be testing the E-Pace very soon. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more details! As always, subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow on YouTube for more Jaguar news, views, and real-world reviews.
