A new report out of the United Kingdom suggests that the XK badge (which left the scene in 2014) could return, with the British brand apparently working on a fresh four-seater flagship sports car that could inherit the moniker.
According to Autocar, Hanno Kirner, executive director of corporate and strategy at Jaguar Land Rover, said that the Coventry-based automaker was committed to the sports car segment, despite the fact that automaker had branched out into the SUV segment with the E-Pace and F-Pace.
“We love sports cars, and I use the plural quite deliberately. Whether that is delivered by a body variant or something else remains to be seen, but for now let’s just say that the body type is very important for us,” Kirner told the British publication.
Jaguar’s head designer, Ian Callum, had earlier hinted at a desire to build a four-door F-Type, as well as confirming to Autocar that his team was “working on” a 2+2 version of the F-Type. Still, the publication speculates that would a production model would arrive by 2021 at the very earliest.
Autocar also makes the point that the next-generation F-Type is expected to ride on a platform flexible enough to accommodate both this proposed 2+2 configuration and a variety of powertrains.
“There is an argument that says hybrid sports cars might cater for both the environment and the excitement such cars deliver,” Kirner said.
“A lot of people like the sound of an engine. That’s a fact, and it is a defining part of a sports car. I absolutely believe that there will be electric sports cars one day, but I also believe there may be a different step of combining the battery and an engine.
“At Jaguar, all I can say for now is that we will continue to invest in sports cars.”
