Report: First Three Next-Gen Jaguars Will be SUVs
Hoping to see an all-electric Jaguar sports car in 2025? Well, a new report says you might have to wait…
Come 2025, the current Jaguar lineup is being put out to pasture, as the legendary British marque is pivoting to an all-electric lineup. That’s not exactly news. But at this point, there’s been precious little official info from Coventry about exactly what the next-generation stable will look like —and there still isn’t. That said, a new report from our friends at Autocar purports to have some insight.
No source is named in the piece, and the speculation is credited entirely to “the latest intelligence,” but from my perspective it seems sound. Here’s what we know. All three of the first models will be SUVs, and will be based on the same platform, which Jaguar has dubbed Panthera. Both three- and five-door models will be available, in rear- and all-wheel drive configurations. The initial goal will be to move between 50k and 60k units per year.
The entry-level vehicles will carry a starting price of around $98k, while range-topping long-wheelbase models will approach the $200k mark. Aluminum will be used heavily in the construction, as will renewable materials like wool, silk, and glass. I also appreciated this little tidbit, regarding the thinking of CEO Thierry Bolloré and Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern:
JLR’s frequently criticized two-year silence on the progress of its Jaguar project is believed to be because its ringmasters, Bolloré and McGovern, are acutely aware of the risks associated with completely overhauling a company with such strong traditions as Jaguar; and according to fellow executive Nick Collins are determined to “have something great to show” before they take the wraps off their new models.
Now, I’d really like to see a two-door sports coupe in the mix. But given the current climate, when even automotive royalty like Ferrari is releasing an SUV, it makes sense. Bolloré wants to make SUVs for the same reason that famous bank robber Willie Sutton knocked over banks — “that’s where the money is.” So if you love Jaguar like I do, cross your fingers this ambitious reboot, because as Top Gear alumn Rory Reid opined in a recent video, Jaguar is currently flirting with extinction…
Photos: Jaguar