Jag design boss lays out his vision
Julian Thomson deals out fresh info on next-gen XJ limo
EVEN with the current disruption, 2020 is still set to be a big year for Jaguar, with a glut of new models on the way and a new design direction, following the departure of famed designer Ian Callum. We caught up with the new design director, Julian Thomson, paying particular attention to the brand’s next flagship model: the new, all-electric XJ limousine.
“Now we start a new chapter – it has been 20 years and it is time for a change,” said Thomson. “We’re breaking a few of the rules which were set by my predecessor.”
That’s something we can expect with the forthcoming XJ, which Thomson promises will bring a different type of luxury to that sector. “It’s going to be a very, very luxurious, very, very calm, tranquil piece of transportation,” he says. “But it’s not overtly flashy, it’s not overtly expensive.
“It’s not about loads and loads of bling and ridiculous price points, and the rest of it. We appeal to a customer, we hope, who is more of an intellect, knows a little bit more about design and the materials.”
Thomson hinted that the XJ would have a more traditional sedan look with a longer bonnet. “If a cab-forward-looking car doesn’t suit a certain type of vehicle,
I don’t think you should do it,” he said.
While there are question marks over the future of the XE and XF saloons, the SUV’s place in the Jaguar line-up seem assured.
“They are still continuing to rocket, and they do make a lot of sense,” Thomson told
us, but the brand has always been about sports cars, and he has no intention of that stopping. Currently, the only sports car in the line-up is the F-Type, but Thomson revealed his wishes for another. “I hope there’s more than one,” he told us, while promising that they’ll be bespoke models.
Although the fresh PTA platform architecture would make it more costefficient to build new Jaguar sports cars, Thomson issued a warning: “Some sports cars are compromised because they use the engine out of this, or the heater out of that.
“You’ve got to save money in the right places to allow you to afford to get it right in the other places on a vehicle.” PAGE 22: What Ian Callum’s doing now
“The F-Type is Jaguar’s only sports car at present. Thomson revealed his wishes for another model”