Farewell seems to have become the theme of the current car generation, whether the target is the family flagship or the new rich, they can’t escape the "sphere of influence" of "electrification".
JAGUAR XJ, the flagship sedan of the JAGUAR brand, has been carrying the elegance, luxury and warmth of the proud flying leopard on the hood since its birth in 1968. But after four generations of changes, this "old man" with good muscles and bones has finally been unable to withstand the fierce attack from the battery pack. On June 5 this year, the Bromwich Fort production line ushered in the final chapter of fate.
Since the XJ rolled off the production line in June 2009, Jaguar has produced 120,000 units. At the age of 10, the X351 is the oldest modern car on the UK market. Jaguar made mid-term changes to the X351 in terms of interior and onboard systems in 2015.
In 2018, Jaguar launched the X351 50th Anniversary Special Edition. At the same time, it specially introduced the X351 long-wheelbase version – XJL – to the Chinese market that loves large spaces in the car: it uses a 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine and can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds.
Even if the XJ is the spiritual totem of Jaguar, it still can’t resist the daily decline in market interest in this flagship sedan. In December 2018, the X351 sold only 301 units, while the SUV model F-Pace sold 4,492 units, the entry-level sedan XE sold 2,252 units, and even the sports car F-Type sold 492 units.
Jaguar is determined to define the internal combustion engine version of the XJ as a brand-new flagship pure electric sedan in the replacement due to the insight that the internal combustion engine version is slow to sell. The news has not been confirmed by Jaguar, but a spokesperson has revealed that "the XJ model name will be retained".
In Jaguar’s values, the XJ rivals the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. After the pure electric blessing, the replaced XJ will directly compete with the Porsche Taycan.
In a sense, this may be Jaguar’s last chance to turn around. Consumers are gradually losing their enthusiasm for the ancient brand. Given that the XJ is Jaguar’s oldest model – released more than a decade ago, a bold electrification strategy while updating the model may help Jaguar establish its new image. At the same time, a partnership with Tesla (possibly) can also help Jaguar, which is already financially stretched, save the cost of laying out charging facilities.
This statement is not groundless. Although Jaguar’s financial report last year was not impressive, the performance of the I-Pace electric vehicle released in April last year was very encouraging.
Since the car went on sale at the end of April 2018, a total of 6,893 vehicles have been sold worldwide. The highest monthly sales volume in December reached 2,230, accounting for 13.8% of Jaguar’s car sales in that month. At the same time, from the sales chart, the sales of the I-Pace continued to rise from April to November, with only a certain decrease in August, but sales in the following September-November increased significantly. This performance has to be said to be in sharp contrast to the relatively poor performance of Jaguar last year.
The XJ has always been a distinct personality among luxury brands in the same class, but unfortunately, due to the relatively outdated style, the distinctive features of the past have gradually faded over time. Through the good market performance of the I-Pace, Jaguar may realize that a significant move towards electrification may be a good direction. What kind of performance of pure electric Jaguar sedans can really be expected by consumers.
