The watershed moment in the reinvention of Jaguar moves ever closer, as its forthcoming four-door GT electric vehicle (EV) goes through a rigorous development process - with the latest stage involving extreme cold-weather testing up in Sweden.
Is this the car developed from the Type 00 Concept?
That's the one. The vehicle, simply known as the GT now, is undergoing what Jaguar says is the toughest validation programme in the company's history, with 150 prototypes covering hundreds of thousands of kilometres on all terrains and in varied climates - both real and virtual.
So aside from putting this new luxury EV through a comprehensive virtual and rig-testing programme, prior to its physical development phase on the roads, now the prototypes are getting distance under their tyres in both baking-hot desert highways and also on frozen lakes, with the latest work up in Sweden taking place in -40 degrees Centigrade temperatures within the Arctic Circle.
Presumably cold-weather testing puts the battery pack under strain?
Well, that will be one aspect the engineers will look at, as the GT has something called "ThermAssist” technology. This is an onboard thermal management overseer which reduces the energy consumption required for cabin heating by up to 40 per cent according to Jaguar.
It does this by recovering heat to warm both the propulsion system and the passenger compartment in temperatures as low as -10 degrees C yet still managing to optimise the driving range provided by the battery.
However, because the Jaguar GT develops more than 1,000hp from its all-wheel-drive, tri-motor drivetrain - including torque vectoring - this winter work will also see how the big EV can put its immense outputs to the ground and manage traction in low-grip conditions.
The team working on the car will also fine-tune some of the calibrations for the chassis systems, primarily, the all-wheel steering, the dynamic air suspension and the active twin-valve dampers. A set of massive 23-inch winter tyres will also undergo evaluation.
Any words from the engineering team?
Yes, from no less a luminary than Matt Becker, the vehicle engineering director for Jaguar, who said: "Jaguar has always been about driving pleasure and our new electric four-door GT will be no different.
"It marks a step-change in our technical ambitions. Innovative in-house electric propulsion technologies combine with the car's unique proportions and low centre of gravity for a luxurious grand tourer that drives like nothing else.
"Like a true Jaguar, it can be comfortable when you wish, is engaging to drive and, with more than 1,000hp, always has power in reserve.”
When can we expect to see the finished model?
Jaguar is lining up the world premiere of the four-door EV later this year before an Irish launch in 2027. Rawdon Glover, the MD of the firm, said: "Our aim from the outset has been to deliver a true Jaguar driving experience and we have crafted a hugely desirable car that will be as captivating to drive as it is to look at.”