- First Jaguar EV based on new platform to be a $125,000 grand tourer
- Jaguar plans to transition from a premium brand to a luxury marque
- The design will be inspired by past vehicles, like the E-Type, and it’s expected to deliver up to 434 miles of driving range
There hasn’t been a lot of news related to upcoming Jaguar vehicles in recent years. That’s because the British automaker has been quietly working on a new bespoke electric platform, and the first model to use it (or at least a preview of it) will finally be ready for the world later this year.
The new electric Jaguar will take the form of a stylish grand tourer and will be one of the 3 new EVs the automaker will launch in the coming years. All will be based on the same platform: the Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA). The new models will not only start the brand’s transition into an all-electric automaker, but they will help it transition from being a premium automaker, competing with Mercedes and BMW, to a luxury marque, competing with the likes of Bentley and Porsche, or at least that’s their plan.
Read: Jaguar To Kill All Gas Cars In June To Embrace EVs
According to JLR CEO Adrian Mardell, the first model will be a grand tourer that will make people “salivate” when they see it, according to Autonews. Although it will be a “copy of nothing,” it will take inspiration from the brand’s legendary back catalog of models, including the E-Type.
On top of being attractive, the model’s move upmarket will be helped by Jaguar’s focus on America. The automaker may choose the Pebble Beach Concours in August or the Los Angeles Auto Show in November to debut the concept car for the first time. Mardell reasoned that the last time Jaguar targeted super-wealthy buyers, back in the ’90s, it found success in the U.S. market.
In addition, the brand will use special edition models to drive up prices even further. JLR’s Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern said that Jaguar may someday make a limited-run model called the “Panthera.”
Jaguar previously promised that the JEA platform would be capable of delivering up to 434 miles (700 km) of range, and it will cost more than £100,000, or, around US$125,600 at current exchange rates.
