Confirmed: Jaguar XJ replacement in the works

Less than a year after the Jaguar XJ got its first major update since its launch, the full-size luxury sedan is headed for a complete makeover. In an interview with Autocar, Jaguar's design chief Ian Callum revealed that the Tata-owned luxury carmaker confirmed that the new XJ will be more practical than the current car while still remaining just as stylish.

The Jaguar XJ got its first major update in 2010, following which it got a makeover mid-2015.

Callum also reiterated that Jaguar land Rover isn’t in the volumes race like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Unlike the German trio, which consistently release more body styles of the same model, Jaguar won't go down the route and instead create more standalone models, he said.

Asked whether there will be a Jaguar model that slots just below the new XE sports sedan, Callum said that it was being talked about; however, there was “nothing planned for production variant”. He also ruled out a possible successor to the recently discontinued Jaguar XK.

Apart from the XJ itself, Callum also talked about Jaguar Land Rover’s growth and future prospects. He acknowledged that capacity remains the biggest restraint for Jaguar Land Rover, which could slow down the future expansion of both brands. In addition to the three main factories in the U.K., a fourth one in Slovakia will open in 2018 and bring in some much needed production capacity.

A further JLR factory is due to open in Slovakia in 2018.