Introduced last week in Geneva, the BMW 3 Series-fighting 2016 Jaguar XE (pictured) rides on a brand new modular platform that is set to underpin many of the company’s models over the coming years. Jaguar is keeping precise details about its future lineup under wraps, but chief designer Ian Callum revealed he has been toying around with several XE off-shoots in his spare time.
“Put it this way: I know what a wagon would look like, I know what a coupe would look like … and I know what a long-wheelbase would look like,” said Callum in an interview with Australian magazine CarAdvice.
The designer also acknowledged the thought of building a topless XE aimed at the BMW 4-Series Convertible and the Audi A5 Cabriolet has already crossed his mind. However, he warned that a solid business case must be built before any XE off-shoots are given the proverbial green light for production.
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Callum revealed Jaguar has ruled out following rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz into the world of four-door coupes. The decision applies to the XE, and it also means a British-built Mercedes-Benz CLS-fighting sedan is not in the pipeline.
For the time being, the only XE off-shoot that has been confirmed is a production variant of the C-X17 crossover that debuted as a thinly-veiled concept last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Jaguar’s yet-unnamed crossover will likely be presented to the public next March at the Geneva Motor Show.
