Jaguar XJ to Be Reinvented as Hybrid Luxury Saloon

Rumors of the Jaguars XJ’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. But she won’t be the same old flagship we’ve grown to love over the years.

According to Autocar, the next generation XJ will be a luxury, hybrid saloon, ready to take on the world (particularly the Mercedes-Benz S-Class) in the spring of 2019. The photo above is a rendering of what Autocar believes the new model will look like, and here’s what we can expect:

“The new XJ is likely to feature mixed-materials body construction, a new-generation V6 hybrid drivetrain, an entirely fresh look for the interior and much more of the technology needed for connected and autonomous driving.”

The current generation XJ has been around since 2009, with this year’s model receiving a much-needed refresh. But with the latest XF stealing much of the XJ’s luxury thunder, the flagship’s future wasn’t at all assured. Some within Jaguar Land Rover wanted to turn the car into a super lux SUV. Others believed the model should be axed altogether. As recently as last summer, the car’s replacement wasn’t even on the official model cycle plan.

The XJ has been around since 1968, and 50 years later we should see a concept for the revolutionary next generation, which should express not just design language for the new XJ, but for the whole model lineup. Seems like a perfect way to move into the future, don’t you think?

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Via [Autocar]