The Jaguar XJ is getting long-in-tooth but Jaguar
Design Director Ian Callum has revealed an all-new model is on the horizon.
Speaking to Car Magazine, Callum said "We’ve
gone through a lot of debate on the XJ and come up with something quite
special." He was tight-lipped on specifics but stated "As we work on
the next one [XJ], I’ll make sure it holds onto the values of the first one and
the latest one." The styling guru declined to say when the model will be
introduced but he confirmed the car will not be unveiled next year which is the
50th anniversary of the XJ.
Besides talking about the XJ, Callum said automotive
design in reaching a turning point as electrification and autonomous driving
technology will change everything we known about car design. While everyone is
going to have to deal with the changes, Callum said "If we could all jump
forward 30 years, we’d all be happy to do that."
Despite the upcoming changes, Callum said "If
you want a brand to prosper, you need to create extremities, such as the
Porsche 911. It’s arguable that the Boxster is a better car, but it’s about the
outliers." He added Jaguar has "always been about exotic sports
cars" and that needs to continue in the future.
