Jaguar stays committed to electric future as high-end Grand Tourer previews drive toward 2026 EV relaunch

Jaguar Land Rover says it remains 100% committed to a pure-electric future as it showcases a high-performance four-door Grand Tourer that will anchor the company’s planned EV-only relaunch in 2026. The vehicle, described by insiders as the cornerstone of Jaguar’s electrified strategy, is positioned to redefine the brand’s luxury-leaning performance image at a price point between £120,000 and £140,000. UK deliveries are not expected until 2027, with the first public reveal anticipated around the middle of next year.

The yet‑unnamed four‑door Grand Tourer is described by Jaguar as a flagship that channels the marque’s heritage while embracing new engineering. It sits closely in scale to the Type 00 concept that sparked months of public debate about the company’s branding and design language. The car’s powertrain is a tri-motor configuration with two electric motors at the rear and a third at the front, enabling torque vectoring to actively distribute power where it is needed most. In standard settings, roughly 70% of the torque is directed to the rear axle to deliver the brand’s characteristic driving sensation, with additional torque steer possible through selectable driving modes. Jaguar has not disclosed exact battery capacity, but engineers say the package targets a roughly 400‑mile range on a full charge.

The vehicle, which journalists have been allowed to ride in as a near-production prototype under strict supervision at the Gaydon engineering centre, is designed to deliver a “true Jaguar” experience through a balance of power, handling, and ride refinement. The car’s length is comparable to the company’s famously long-bonnet tradition, and it is developed to feel connected to the road despite its substantial mass. The chassis benefits from rear‑wheel steering of up to six degrees, adaptive dampers, and an all‑wheel air suspension system that Jaguar says preserves ride comfort while maintaining sporty dynamics. In this configuration, the car presents a cosseted, isolated cabin experience with a low seating position and a cockpit layout that emphasizes driver engagement without compromising comfort. It is expected to weigh significantly more than a typical combustion‑engine rival due to its heavy battery pack, yet the packaging and geometry are tuned to retain balanced weight distribution and poised handling.

[Image: Jaguar Grand Tourer prototype](

The project is being led by Matt Becker, Jaguar Land Rover’s vehicle engineering director, who has spent years translating Jaguar’s driving DNA into electrified form. He has described the goal as delivering “deep reserves of power and instinctive responses” while maintaining the brand’s hallmark comfort. Becker has cited influence from iconic Jaguars of the past, including the E-Type and the XJC V12 from the 1970s, as benchmarks for driving feel and proportion. He stressed that the vehicle’s all-electric hardware should still yield the sense of immediacy and engagement that defined the brand’s early signature models. The prototype on display demonstrated that Jaguar intends to preserve its long, low-slung silhouette with a cabin positioned well back from the front axle to create a dramatic stance, while supplying a driver-focused cockpit that avoids a glass rear window in favor of a rearview camera and digital display—a theme that echoes recent EV trends across the segment.

The four‑door Grand Tourer arrives amid a turbulent year for Jaguar Land Rover. The company has faced punitive U.S. tariff pressures on imports, a crippling cyberattack that disrupted global operations for more than five weeks, and executive turmoil that culminated in the retirement of its long‑time CEO and the installation of a new leader from Tata Motors. In addition, reports circulated that design chief Gerry McGovern had been removed from his roles, though Jaguar Land Rover declined to comment on those claims beyond denying any termination.

Rawdon Glover, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover, has sought to reassure stakeholders that the business remains resolute in its strategy. In interviews with media outlets, he underscored that the company’s all‑electric ambitions are non‑negotiable and that the new GT is integral to the plan to relaunch Jaguar as a luxury EV brand in 2026. Glover stated that the leadership transition under PB Balaji, who joined Tata Motors’ board and has been involved in Jaguar’s strategy from the outset, will not result in a retreat from the EV push. He emphasized that Balaji’s involvement on the PLC board means he has witnessed the program’s evolution from its inception and remains supportive of the direction.

Glover also addressed concerns about Jaguar’s branding shift and the controversy surrounding the Type 00 concept and related teaser campaigns. He said the teaser video used to precede the Type 00 unveiling was meant as a marketing tease, not a manifesto, and he argued that recent actions have not pursued controversy. He stressed that the brand’s objective is to exude luxury and craftsmanship while challenging automotive norms in a controlled, non‑sensational way. The executive added that being British – with design and engineering anchored in Solihull and Gaydon respectively – remains a core element of Jaguar’s identity and a core selling point as the company seeks a younger, urban clientele for the high‑end electric GT.

The price target for the GT reflects its positioning as a prestige model intended to reestablish Jaguar at the upper end of the market. Glover said the car is not aimed at broad mass‑market adoption but at a “smaller, premium” customer base that seeks exclusivity and a strong visual statement. He suggested that this audience will likely be more cosmopolitan and tech‑savvy, and that the car’s heritage cues will be balanced with modern electrified performance and a refined user experience. The aim, he said, is to deliver not just speed and power but a compelling emotional experience—an EV that still feels distinctly Jaguar.

The company’s engineering philosophy remains to keep the driving experience at the center of the product development, rather than allowing the electric architecture to overwhelm the dynamics that defined Jaguar’s earlier performance cars. Even as the GT benefits from a modern tri‑motor layout with torque vectoring and an advanced e‑diff system, Jaguar’s engineers are focused on preserving ride comfort, steering clarity, and a sense of connectedness to the road. Becker notes that the car’s battery layout and the placement of the motor units are designed to maintain a favorable 50:50 weight distribution, a crucial parameter in achieving balanced handling and predictable behavior at high speeds.

The launch timing aligns with Jaguar’s broader plan to relaunch as an exclusively electric luxury brand. The company has signaled that the current “sunset period” of paused production while it retools the lineup is coming to a close, and the new GT is intended to signal a fresh start as the brand pivots away from combustion engines toward a pure EV portfolio. Deliveries in 2027 will be the first tests of whether the real-world performance and refinement match the expectations built around the prototype and the early test drives that have occurred under controlled conditions at Gaydon.

Beyond the mechanical and design specifics, the company remains mindful of the need to balance heritage with a bold, modern interpretation of Jaguar’s identity. Glover has repeatedly stressed that the brand’s history will be retained as a touchstone while new models push the envelope in terms of technology, materials, and perceived luxury. He has also encouraged a pragmatic view of the brand’s global standing, noting that Jaguar’s identity is intrinsically linked to its British roots and to the industrial ecosystem of the Midlands, where the car is designed, engineered, and built. The aim, he said, is to persuade a new generation of buyers that a Jaguar can be both emotionally resonant and technologically advanced without sacrificing the brand’s core values.

As to the broader market and regulatory environment, observers will be watching whether the EU’s earlier 2035 ban on internal combustion sales becomes a turning point for automakers to accelerate or recalibrate their electrification programs. While EU policy developments can influence the pace of product introductions and investment, Jaguar has signaled that it does not intend to reverse course on its all‑electric ambitions. The company’s leadership points to ongoing development work and a steady march toward the 2026 relaunch as a practical demonstration of its confidence in the strategy, supported by the engineering work underway in Warwickshire and the Midlands.

The long‑term question for Jaguar is whether the GT can deliver the blend of power, precision, and refinement that owners expect from the brand at a price point that signals exclusivity and prestige. Early impressions from the test ride suggest that the car’s size and proportions present a challenge in tight urban spaces, but the dynamic performance and the cabin’s sense of purpose point toward a vehicle that could redefine what a modern Jag feels like in the electric era. The path to full public disclosure of specifications, performance numbers, and detailed pricing remains to be fully revealed, but the program’s progress appears to be advancing in line with Jaguar’s stated objectives.

In a year characterized by corporate upheaval, the company’s leadership insists that the 2026 relaunch and the associated product family will be the defining moment for Jaguar. The strategy hinges on a careful blend of heritage values and cutting‑edge electrification technologies, with the four‑door Grand Tourer serving as a symbol of Jaguar’s commitment to reestablishing itself as a producer of luxury, high‑performance EVs. Whether the market agrees will depend on the car’s real‑world performance, the refinement of its software systems, and the robustness of its supplier and manufacturing underpinning as production scales toward 2027 and beyond.