This post was originally published on Autocar
Prototype for Jaguar’s £100k Taycan rival confirms no rear window and shows off unique design elements
The first car of Jaguar’s new era, spawned from December’s Type 00 concept, has been spotted testing again ahead of its much-anticipated unveiling at the end of the year.
The electric super-GT is the first all-new Jaguar since the I-Pace was launched in early 2018. It will pack north of 575bhp, have a range of more than 430 miles and be priced above £100,000.
Due to hit the road next year, it’s the first of three Jaguar EVs due to arrive by the end of the decade atop a new brand-specific, EV-only platform dubbed JEA. The other two are a large luxury saloon and an SUV.
Testing in the snowy conditions near the Arctic Circle, this is the second time the super-GT prototype has been spied, with these new pictures revealing more details about the car that will spearhead Jaguar’s next generation.
For example, the images showcase the heavily camouflage car’s back end for the first time, which confirms a lack of a rear window, similar to the new Polestar 4.
This was shown on December’s Type 00 concept and previously reported by Autocar as a key feature of Jaguar’s next-generation models.
The pictures also show off thin split rear lights – clearly a more practical interpretation of the concept’s dual light blades. Like the concept, it sports a heavily sculpted rear end.
The new images also reveal an interesting rear door design that houses a small window and flares backwards above the rear wheel arch, cutting into the bodywork.
The front end is also pictured with the wording ‘lorips’. Instead of previewing a future production name, this could be a reference to ‘lorem ipsum’, a Latin placeholder text used in graphic design and publishing to fill spaces that do not yet have content. This therefore suggests a different word will appear there on the production car.
Two different mules also sport numberplates both on the grille and to the side of it, possibly indicating different positions for different markets. In the EU, plates must now be centrally mounted, due to new pedestrian safety regulations.
Beneath the heavy camouflage of this early prototype, it is clear that the GT will be a large, low-slung saloon with a rakish, coupé-like roofline, a generous wheelbase and its A-pillars positioned as far as possible behind the front axle to give a cab-rear silhouette reminiscent of some of Jaguar’s biggest-engined past models.
Interestingly, in size and shape, it appears not dissimilar to the electric Jaguar XJ that was axed midway through its development programme in 2021, though it will bear no relation to that car.
The front ends of Jaguar’s new models will be dominated by a distinctive new lighting arrangement made up of ultra-slim LED strips that will be almost invisible when off, but they are covered entirely on this test car.
The one design element recognisable from past Jaguar models on this car is the front grille panel, which is the same shape as that of the I-Pace, but camouflage is clearly visible underneath, which strongly suggests that it is non-functional and won’t feature on the production car. Instead, electric Jaguars will wear an all-new face centred around a new decorative ‘grille’ and a new interpretation of the Jaguar badge.
It’s unlikely we will see the interior before the official unveiling later this year, but sources suggest Jaguar’s future cabins will be highly minimalist and tech-heavy affairs, largely omitting buttons in favour of touch controls and dominated by a wraparound infotainment interface that spans the width of the dashboard, with a secondary touchscreen in the centre console for climate control and audio functions.
A greater focus will be placed on rear passenger refinement, with screens on the backs of the front seats, USB-C charging ports and blinds for the back windows. There will also be the option to spec future Jaguar models with two separate rear seats in place of a conventional bench.
Before the production version of the super-GT is revealed, Jaguar is in a limbo state. Since the Type 00 concept’s unveiling in December, the brand has wound down production of all models except the F-Pace SUV, and even that car has now been pulled from sale in the UK, although it will remain available in other markets for just over a year. As such, Jaguar has no new cars in showrooms in the UK.