Over the past decade, Jaguar has blossomed from a conservative automaker into an innovative one, catching up with the automotive world’s rapidly changing pace.
However, it looks like the marque is willing to take its business at the opposite extreme, after it allegedly scrapped its sports-car plans in order to concentrate on building two upscale EVs: one designed to replace the XJ sedan, and a premium SUV.
Back in March, Jaguar designer Ian Callum said that within two years, they’ll have something that’s not driven by a petrol engine available in the line-up. Now, according to Automobile the future luxury EV, codenamed X590, is said to be a breathtaking four-door coupe with a rear hatch (previous rumors suggested that Jag wants to adopt a Panamera-like look for its future luxury vehicle).
The X590 signals the car maker’s dramatic shift in strategy, in its attempts to build a competitor for the S-Class and 7 Series. Equipped with all-wheel drive, the X590 will Take on Tesla’s Model S as well. It will use the brand-new electronic architecture, developed under the watch of former BMW engineer Wolfgang Ziebart, which can accommodate everything needed for autonomous capabilities.
In 2019, the luxurious EV limousine will be followed by an SUV, as a “well-placed” source describes:
“Although it looks sleek, modern and aerodynamically efficient, this model will be rated as an SUV in North-America. All the SUV-defining hard points are there in place.”
For this to happen, Jaguar is sacrificing a 2+2 XK replacement and the production variant of its C-X75 supercar, known internally as Spectre. Guess that’s why the Tata-owned company is in talks with BMW and Ford to build a battery plant in the U.K.
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