Jaguar wipes its feed clean to post cryptic close-ups of XJR-9 racer that won Le Mans 24 Hours in 1988.
Jaguar has wiped a decade’s worth of posts from its Instagram account, raising questions as to what it could mean for the brand’s all-electric reinvention, which is set to take place in just three years time.
Jaguar announced plans to become an all-electric luxury brand from 2025 more than a year ago but since has revealed no details about the cars that will follow the XE, XF, F-Pace, E-Pace and F-Type into showrooms once they’re phased out.
So far, all that is known about the new Jaguar EVs is that they will ride atop a new bespoke platform called Panthera, will be positioned as more upmarket than the brand’s current cars and will be a radica departure – design-wise – from all Jaguar models past and present.
Now the British manufacturer has cultivated fresh intrigue about its future by deleting all posts from its Instagram account – which at time of writing has some 12.6 million followers.
It’s not readily apparent precisely how many posts have been removed, but the brand had posted regularly and amassed a large, active following on the social-media app.
The posts have been replaced by three close-up detail shots of the Jaguar’s hallowed XJR-9 endurance racer, which claimed victory at the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans – which some have taken to mean a Jaguar Le Mans entry is on the cards for the first time in 32 years.
However, the brand has said nothing to suggest that this is the case, and it’s feasible that the teasers are completely unrelated to the brand’s electrification strategy.
The three images are captioned simply Prologue, Genesis and Flash back, with no further context given.
Responding to curious followers in the comments, Jaguar has gone only so far as to say: “Something vivid this way comes.” And when asked by one fan what is happening, it answered: “that’s a big question.”
The fact that Jaguar’s Special Vehicles (SV) division has posted the same detail shots to its own feed suggests some XJR-9-themed news is on the horizon.
The Jaguar Racing Formula E team’s account has been left untouched.
It seems likely the posts preview some sort of XJR-9-themed special edition being launched to coincide with the imminent 34th anniversary of its win at La Sarthe.
The most recent limited-run special from SVÂ was the V8-powered Defender Bond Edition, of which just 300 were made.
Felix Page