Currently reading: Jaguar could build smaller cars and more EVs in future, says design director

New Jaguar E-Pace SUV may not be Jaguars smallest car in the future; family of fully electric cars also possible

Jaguar could make models smaller than the E-Pace in the future, although no such model exists in the product plan yet, according to its design director Ian Callum.

When asked if there was room in the range for a Jaguar smaller than the E-Pace, Callum said: “No plans, but I’d like to think so.”

Rival firms BMW and Mercedes-Benz have a full range of natively front-wheel-drive models derived from a common architecture. The E-Pace differs in that it has SUV, rather than road car, architecture, meaning hatchbacks and smaller spin-offs, for example, are trickier. 

“There’s no alternative to go front-wheel drive, transverse-engine here [with E-Pace],” said Callum. 

“It’s not cost, but size. You can’t afford to give wheelbase away,” he added, pointing out that BMW had switched from a rear-wheel-drive platform to a front-wheel-drive one with its second-generation BMW X1

Callum has confirmed that the next-generation Jaguar XE will remain rear-wheel and that in future there will be greater differentiation between Jaguar models, though still linked with common design themes. 

“We will separate them [the XE and the Jaguar XF] more in the future,” he said. “There will be a constant grille, then a more flexible front.”

The I-Pace arrives after the E-Pace, built on a bespoke electric architecture. When asked if there would one day be a family of Jaguar EVs, Callum said: “Wait and see how we develop on mid-size platforms.”

More generally, he said that all types and sizes of car were available to Jaguar: “There’s lots of choice, with lots of architectures with massive boundaries. We’re able to pick the right one. Perhaps it’s old behaviour to create products to suit architectures; now there’s no need to.”

 

 

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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k12479 13 July 2017

Why do you keep quoting the

Why do you keep quoting the DESIGN director for everything? Designers make things look pretty, or otherwise. Why not ask/quote finance, marketing, manufacturing or engineering people for things they'll be better placed to comment on?

scrap 13 July 2017

k12479 wrote:

k12479 wrote:

Why do you keep quoting the DESIGN director for everything? Designers make things look pretty, or otherwise. Why not ask/quote finance, marketing, manufacturing or engineering people for things they'll be better placed to comment on?

 

Because that's the guy JLR put up for interviews?

GODFATHER 14 July 2017

k12479 wrote:

k12479 wrote:

Why do you keep quoting the DESIGN director for everything? Designers make things look pretty, or otherwise. Why not ask/quote finance, marketing, manufacturing or engineering people for things they'll be better placed to comment on?

 

who do you think will design the model? If there is one of a handful of people who knows of the models existence, it's the designer.

gussy51 13 July 2017

Ignoring max1e6.…

I see Jaguar in the mid term being electric road cars, some Land Rover based hybrid SUVs and a low volume sports cars built by SVR.
max1e6 13 July 2017

Nissan Qashqai

£28,500?!

From the side it looks like a Nissan Qashqai. I can buy a new Nissan Qashqai for £19,295.

GODFATHER 14 July 2017

max1e6 wrote:

max1e6 wrote:

£28,500?!

From the side it looks like a Nissan Qashqai. I can buy a new Nissan Qashqai for £19,295.

 

Enjoy ur Qashqai anyway not a bad effort Jaguar.