After almost two years of corona, looking into the future is more difficult than ever. An energy crisis has recently emerged. Chip shortages throw product but especially production schedules upside down. As a result, new models are launched on the market six months later. This is reflected in our annual personal previews, which include not only cars. Today speaking: Cornelis Kit.
Before I look ahead, let’s take a look over the shoulder. A year ago I described my curiosity about the Jaguar XJ to be presented in 2021, a completely new car based on an equally completely new platform that is known at Jaguar Land Rover as the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA). Although camouflaged prototypes have already been seen in the wild, the presentation of that XJ has not been forthcoming. It even appears that postponement is becoming a cancellation. It doesn’t mean the MLA can go in the trash, though.
That architecture is also the starting point for the all-new Range Rover. That super SUV was unveiled last fall and I got to admire it up close. Sitting in it is like lounging in the armchairs of a chic gentleman’s salon; the craftsmanship with which that car has been finished is splashing. The people who invented it proudly say that partly because of the possibilities that the MLA offers, it is even better on the asphalt than its predecessor. Oh, without compromising Land Rover’s high brand value. In fact, according to the engineers, the off-road capabilities have also improved. In 2022 we can go on (and especially off) the road for the first time with the MLA Range Rover. I wonder if anyone else is missing the XJ after that.
This article previously appeared in the AutoWeek Year Special 2022.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl