Production of the Jaguar XJ sedan came to an end on Friday
at the car's plant in Castle Bromwich, United Kingdom.
Jaguar marked the occasion by announcing that a redesigned
model with a battery-electric powertrain is coming. It will be built at the
Castle Bromwich plant, which Jaguar Land Rover is in the process of
transforming into an EV hub. The site will also be home to production of
batteries and electric motors.
“Affordability will
only be achieved if we make batteries here in the U.K., close to vehicle
production, to avoid the cost and safety risk of importing from abroad,” Jaguar
Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth said.
The redesigned XJ will ride on Jaguar Land Rover's new
Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform, which supports mild-hybrid,
plug-in hybrid and battery-electric powertrains. The platform makes its debut
this year in the redesigned
Land Rover Defender and will eventually underpin most models from the
Jaguar and Land Rover brands.
The redesigned XJ is expected to be revealed in 2020 and so
far Jaguar has only confirmed battery-electric power, but hybrid
powertrains are also expected. Jaguar Land Rover plans to have every model
in its lineup with some form of electrification by 2020.
And it won't just be the powertrain that's expected to
change. There are also rumors the new XJ, the nameplate's ninth iteration, will
become more of a hatch than a traditional sedan, something akin to the Porsche
Panamera and the Tesla Model S.
Jaguar had been debating whether to return to a more
conventional 3-box sedan shape for its next-generation XJ or stick with the
current model's coupe-like design. The automaker at one point was even thought
to be going with two
distinct body styles for the car. It seems Jaguar will now focus on a
coupe-like design, which is probably a good move as the design will help
further distinguish the car from its German rivals. And going the electric
route should also keep the car relevant in a segment that's seeing buyers
switch to SUVs.
But what about those buyers, especially in China, looking
for a roomier option in a flagship sedan? That's where sister company Land
Rover will apparently fill the void. The new “Road
Rover” model that we've been hearing about will reportedly be
developed alongside the redesigned XJ, and this one should be roomier as it
will be something of a blend between a sedan and SUV.
The XJ nameplate carries a lot of history. First introduced
in 1968, the XJ quickly became the world’s only mass-produced 4-door car with a
12-cylinder engine. It was also the fastest 4-seater of its time. In addition,
the XJ has carried royalty, politicians, celebrities, and other important
figures for over half a century. Unfortunately, sales dropped off sharply in
recent years. Jaguar sold just 1,579 examples in the United States last year,
which was one of the lowest results in decades.
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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