Jaguar News: Jaguar's Head of Design Says Next XJ Will Be Larger, Sportier

[William Maley]

Back in December, Jaguar's head of Design, Ian Callum revealed that work had begun on the next-generation XJ. Not many details were given except that the new XJ would be "something quite special." This week at the Geneva Motor show, Callum let loose a few more details.

A key complaint about the current XJ is a cramped interior. Callum said the new model would address this issue.

“It’ll be different. And it will have more room inside it. One of the biggest criticisms XJ has had is that a lot of people think the room inside the car is not big enough. I don’t believe in segmentation like this — I don’t believe in an F Segment as such,” explained Callum.

“I think we should just do a luxury vehicle that matches people well. That’s what we’ve done for XJ, which is what the first one was all about. A lot of our market is far-eastern and people are using these big cars to be driven in, so we must accommodate that better.”

The next XJ will about the size of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but Callum said the XJ will be focused more as a driver’s car.

“I never saw XJ as an S-Class competitor. Mercedes-Benz have created that place — the three-box limo sedan,” said Callum.

“I just don’t think that’s a Jaguar. A Jaguar is a sportier entity and it should reflect that. Yes it will take four [people] to market in comfort and luxury, but that’s where the similarities stop. It will still be a driver’s car. I don’t think many Mercedes-Benz S-Classes are driver’s cars, with the exception of AMGs or something. If you drive an XJR575, it’s a driver’s car. It just happens to be able to take three people in comfort. I don’t buy this segmentation.”

CarAdvice expects we'll see the next XJ at the end of this year. But as we reported previously, Callum said the new XJ wouldn't debut in 2018. We're expecting to see it sometime next year at the earliest.

Source: CarAdvice

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[David]

I totally agree with the statement about MB and their 3 bos limo segment S-Class. I would hope that while making it bigger, the next XJ would bring interior room and space to a driving machine.

[smk4565]

Ian Callum sure does talk a lot about the S-class, for a guy that says they don't compete with the S-class.   I don't get how you make the XJ larger, and make it sportier?  Making something bigger, doesn't make it sporty, it does the opposite.  They do need to maximize interior room better given the size of the current car, the interior is too small.

I think a S63 can out perform an XJR575 right now, and the AMG GT 4-door can for sure can beat anything Jaguar makes.   Mercedes already makes what Jag aspires to.  I think making the XJ electric only could be the way to go.