Jaguar has confirmed that production of its legendary XJ limousine will come to an end very soon.

Production of the car which came to define Jaguar’s luxury vehicle values since its debut in 1968, will come to an endby July 2019. It has, of late, been the slowestselling vehicle in Jaguar's product portfolio.

For a brand which has successfully reinvented itself as a British luxury SUV marque in the last few years, the XJ no longer commands anapex position within Jaguar’s hierarchy of priorities.

With Jaguar having committed to a battery-powered future, as proven by its I-Pace SUV, an internal-combustion powered limousine is simply not a sensible proposition anymore.

XJ replacement in the works

Jaguar says that although the XJ will go into hiatus by July, it's working on a larger and even more luxurious replacement, due to be revealed next year. This car will ride on a new platform and look a lot different from any previous XJ.

It will alsocompete directly with the Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class and Porsche’s forthcoming Taycan, and in all likelihood be all-electric. The limousine market, where owners are mostly driven, is perfectly suited to the transition from liquid-fuelled vehicles to electric ones.

Providing a quieter and smoother driving experience, especially in stop-start traffic, would give a battery powered XJ limousine the edge in China, which is a crucial limousine market and one where customers are keen on adopting electric vehicles.

As cities such as London, with its congestion and emissions taxes, becomingmore hostile to V8-powered limousines, a battery-powered XJ would provide Jaguar with an excellent product solution. The bankers of New York and London, which are XJ’s traditional customer base, would certainly welcome an electrified version.

Another customer whowould embrace an electric XJ, is the new British Prime Minister, with 10 Downing Street currently running a fleet of armoured XJs as the British government’s VIP transport of choice.

Are you sad that the XJ is dead?

Watch as Ernest Page goes sideways in a Jaguar XJR575!

Buy a new or used Jaguar XJ on Cars.co.za

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