With Jaguar’s XK coupe and convertible range slated to drive off into the sunset this summer, rumors are beginning to emerge concerning what form a successor could take.
According to an Auto Express report, Jaguar will replace the XK with a coupe variant of its next-generation XJ full-size sedan. Stylistically, the car is expected to blend cues from its four-door sibling and the smaller F-Type to create a muscular, yet elegant design.
While unconfirmed by Jaguar, the rumored XJ Coupe would be consistent with comments from the automaker’s design director, Ian Callum, who has suggested that a larger, more luxurious grand touring coupe could take the place of the current XK. Such a strategy could help differentiate the model from the sporty F-Type, which has severely cannibalized XK sales.
If Jaguar ends up green-lighting the XJ Coupe, it likely won’t arrive before 2017 at the earliest, or two-and-a-half years after the XK is discontinued. Besides the need to wait for the next XJ sedan, that gap would also be necessitated by Jaguar’s need to focus on developing other, higher-volume models, namely the XE compact sedan and C-X17-inspired crossover.
Photo by Mark Elias.
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