january2021

What’s New: The very last Jaguar XJ se-

dan powered by an internal combustion

engine rolled off the line in July 2019,

ending 51 years of continuous produc-

tion of the iconic nameplate. Replacing

it is an all-new, all-electric Jaguar flag-

ship that will be a more conventionally

styled car than the company’s ground-

breaking I-Pace, with a low-slung se-

dan profile, though it will have a large

rear hatch instead of a conventional

trunk. The new car won’t share its un-

derpinnings with the I-Pace, either, but

will be built on Jaguar’s new Modular

Longitudinal Architecture, which is

designed to accommodate mild hybrid

and plug-in hybrid powertrains in ad-

dition to a BEV powertrain. Top-spec

models are said to be equipped with a

100-kW-hr battery and four motors de-

veloping a total of 800 hp.

What’s Not: Everything else is new, but

Jaguar’s flagship retains the XJ name.

When: 2021

How Much: $90,000 (est)

Future Cars: What’s NEXT

They may be out of favor right now,

but traditional three-box cars will nev-

er go away. To make sure, automakers

around the world are pouring enormous

resources into design and engineering

to keep sedans, coupes, and convert-

ibles as interesting and as compelling

as possible. Whether they’re built for

fun, luxury, a bit of both, or just to get

you where you need to go, the cars of

the near future will offer more style and

technology than ever as they try to woo

you away from joining the SUV herd.

Cadillac Celestiq

What’s New: The Celestiq is a mas-

sive four-door, four-passenger, full-

size electric car with big wheels and

a hatch instead of a trunk. It will be a

hand-built grand tourer with tons of

executive-style space in the very wide

JANUARY 2021 -

SEXY GLAM

MAGAZINE -

Porsche Macan EV

What’s New: Porsche’s Taycan deliv-

ers shocking electric performance, but

that vehicle’s price and layout give it

niche appeal. How can the brand apply

its EV learnings to a mass-market of-

fering? By electrifying its best-selling

Macan. Trouble is, the MLB platform

it rides on wasn’t designed for battery

propulsion (though Audi adapted it for

the E-Tron crossover). As such, the

Macan will be built on the PPE archi-

tecture that provides the basis for the

Volkswagen Group’s premium electric

cars.

What’s Not: Electric hardware and

software developed for the Taycan will

be adapted for use in the Macan EV—

not like that’s a bad thing.

When: 2022

How Much: $65,000 (est)

Volvo XC100

What’s New: Volvo needs a halo car

to show its commitment to and capa-

bilities with electric propulsion. That’ll

manifest in the XC100, a flagship luxu-

ry SUV. Although it’ll be mechanically

similar to the family-oriented next-gen

XC90, the XC100 will take a more in-

dulgent approach. Expect a four-seat

layout, comfort-tuned dynamics, au-

tonomous capabilities, and dramatic

styling intended to distinguish Volvo

from its Polestar performance division.

Volvo might continue to build a hybrid

XC90, but the XC100 will be purely

electric to show the brand’s dedication

to a gasoline-free future.

What’s Not: The new SPA-II architec-

ture will be the basis for all of Volvo’s

SUVs, from the XC40 to the XC100.

Also shared: the Android infotainment

system that’s making its way into Vol-

vo and Polestar cars.

When: 2022

How Much: $85,000 (est)

Byton M-Byte

What’s New: Byton’s first offering,

the battery-electric M-Byte, is an au-

tomotive Rorschach test. Some see the

natural evolution of the automobile

into a connected, interactive, technol-

ogy-loaded mobility platform. Others

are aghast by its dash-spanning 48-inch

screen and de-emphasis of driving (the

front seats even swivel toward each

other by 10 degrees to ease conversa-

tion). Although the Level 4 autonomy

it anticipates has been delayed, the

China-based company is carrying on

undaunted. Like many other new EV

entries, Byton is partnering with Elec-

trify America for public charging.

What’s Not: The M-Byte is brand new

from the ground to its roof.

When: Fall 2021

How Much: $45,000 (est)

Future Cars: What’s NOW

They’re losing market share to trucks

and SUVs, but traditional passenger

cars are far from dead. Although some

automakers (ahem, Detroit) aren’t even

trying to sell sedans and coupes any-

more, all the car companies remaining

are working twice as hard to make their

offerings sleeker, more compelling

alternatives to the taller, truckier ver-

sions of the same underlying vehicles.

Whether it’s sexier styling, more pow-

er, or more batteries, there’s a car for

anyone not taken by the SUV craze.

Jaguar XJ