Jaguar’s next generation of sports cars is on the verge of ditching its E-type-inspired oval grille because the design isn’t sufficiently adaptable.
The company’s designers are struggling to stretch the shape to fit the nose of the two new models: the XK and new XE.
“The problem is that the proportions are all wrong when the shape is stretched. They’re not sure if it has got much more life left,” said an insider.
The solution also hasn’t been decided yet, although it could be argued that a shape like that of the new XJ/XF grille makes sense for a small car company like Jaguar, which could boost its brand clarity by focusing on a single, memorable grille design.
Getting the BMW Z4-sized front-engined, rear-drive XE to market is taking longer than some insiders had hoped. Although the two-seater is being planned in aluminium as a platform derivative of the next-generation XK coupé and convertible, the exact direction of each model is the subject of a fierce debate internally.
One faction reckons the next XK needs to get bigger and more luxurious to make room for the smaller car. That envisages the XK growing up to a size close to Maserati’s GranTurismo and featuring a pair of proper rear seats.
But another wants the XK to keep to its current theme and dimensions, which historically has been the foundation of its sales. The challenge is engineering the two cars on the same platform so they share costly elements like the front bulkhead and engine bay, but are also positioned sufficiently apart from each other to appeal to different customers at different price points
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Re: New Jaguar XE: more details
think they should stick with the oval grill, its a jag coupe classic design feature, that is and was featured on all coupe jags upto the new XK. i would prefer they don't go down the Audi, Merc route where every car is almost the same as each other. think it would be a bit off putting if i saw a square looking grill on a jag coupe :s. The new XK works prefectly, as you know its a coupe and its gorgoues and most importantly its different to look at when looking at XF, or XJ. Every jag car in the showroom whispers a different character about itself, and that is what you want. Jag, hope your reading this so don't make the same design mistakes as Merc, BMW, or Audi's. Just hope this article is not true. If its a XF coupe or XJ coupe then its different becuase it is an XJ, XF but small 2 seater should be different looking and to drive. F-type concept was really good.
Re: New Jaguar XE: more details
Jaguar. forget about the size or style of the grill !.Get the bloody cars out and into production and get some cash back into the coffers. Why o why do all cars from the same manufacturer have to look the bloody same,i mean all SEAT cars look the same,same is going for Ford and VW. Its ok having a corperate identity but its style that sells, god forbid you go down the same road as Peugeot and loose all sense of style just so you can have cars with the same front end.
Re: New Jaguar XE: more details
If Jaguar is worried about overlapping the two coupes/convertibles, whats the harm in making the XK a little bigger to accomadate propper rear seats which can seat normal size adults, with the XE as a two-seater.