Jaguar’s radical new electric four-door GT has hit UK roads for the first time this week, as the British company boldly reinvents itself as a luxury EV brand.
The first prototypes are taking to public roads around the Midlands after ‘tens of thousands of miles of virtual and physical testing have already been completed’.
The camouflaged car will also now be tested globally, including winter tests in the Arctic Circle.
While the disguise doesn’t give much away, it is immediately apparent the new electric car will have very different proportions to the firm’s current EV: the I-Pace.
Inspired by classic Jaguars
Instead of that car’s cab-forward design, Jaguar has adopted a classic, long-bonnet profile made famous by icons such as the E-Type.
In profile, it looks a very sleek machine, with an extra-long wheelbase and a low roofline. Large alloy wheels are another standout feature.
The new Jaguar four-door GT’s retractable door handles can just be seen behind the disguise, as can the EV charging port behind the right-hand-side front wheelarch.
The rear roofline is very well-disguised though, meaning we’ll have to continue guessing what the car’s profile will look like.
Design Vision Concept due next month
It’s the same at the front – while the prototype has an outline of a traditional Jaguar-style grille, it’s not yet clear if this will transfer to the final production car.
We also note the Alfa Romeo-style offset number plate, which would be a nice detail if it did make it to showroom-ready cars…
Jaguar, which is reinventing itself as an all-electric luxury brand from 2025, says its first ‘reimagined’ car will be built in Solihull on a dedicated electric platform called JEA: short for ‘Jaguar Electric Architecture’.
While this car is undergoing testing, we’ll get more clues as to the look of future Jaguars early next month.
The Jaguar Design Vision Concept will be revealed at Miami Art Week on 2 December, and is expected to deliver plenty of clues as to what defines the new Jaguars.
Jaguar will also reveal its new brand identity later this month, as the revival of this storied marque finally starts to gather pace.
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