XJR

Make
Jaguar
Segment
Sedan

Jaguar's current flagship XJ sedan had its most recent complete redesign in 2009. That's not a typo. The XJ is a dinosaur in today's automotive industry, and Jaguar know this. Everybody does. Question is, should Jaguar opt for a traditional redesign or go for something out of the ordinary? Something shocking (literally speaking)? Speaking to Car Magazine, Jaguar design chief Ian Callum refused to divulge specific details regarding the next XJ, but did say the design is "nearly signed off."

He further added that Jaguar has "Gone through a lot of debate on the XJ and come up with something quite special. I won't say when it's coming but it's not next year." Why not next year? Because 2018 will be the I-Pace's year, the first all-electric vehicle in Jaguar's long history. Its platform will certainly be further utilized to underpin additional EVs, and that's where the XJ replacement comes into play. Do the math. When Callum said the XJ successor won't be ready in 2018, that's a good thing. Why? Because Jaguar would be wise to wait until the Porsche Mission E arrives in late 2019. At that point, Jaguar can set its final benchmarks against its German rival.

With that, a pretty fair guess would be the next XJ appearing in sometime in 2020. The XJ is also a very special nameplate for Callum because the first generation is what inspired the then teenager to work for Jaguar one day. "As we work on the next one, I'll make sure it holds onto the values of the first one and the latest one," Callum added.