Everyone has been talking about Jaguar since its controversial rebrand video went live on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. While this campaign got caught up in fractious political debate, it was just a 30-second video, and the real test would be the unveiling of the car itself. Finally, that time has arrived, as the prototype car has made its debut at Miami Art Week on Monday evening.
Unfortunately, some publications broke Jaguar’s NDA and leaked the concept images on Monday morning. It’s a sign of how much attention the launch is getting that these publications were willing to risk their relationship with JLR over concept drawings. There has been huge anticipation for the new car’s arrival, which entails Jaguar ceasing all production of its internal combustion engine vehicles, then producing no cars at all until its EV arrives on the market in late 2025.
Enter The Jaguar Type 00
The new EV is called the “Type 00” – implying a complete reset after the lettered Type Jaguars of the previous era (C-Type, D-Type, E-Type, F-Type). According to Jaguar, the zeros mean more than just an alphanumeric reconstruction. The first zero refers to zero tailpipe emissions, with the second meaning that this is first in the line of new Jaguar EVs. The car will be based on a new all-electric platform called the Jaguar Electric Architecture, which is not what was used for the popular I-Pace. Parent company JLR has been investing billions in its EV transition, putting its money where its mouth is regarding electrification.
The Type 00 will be targeting a range of 478 miles (WLTP) and 430 miles (EPA), with the ability to replenish 200 miles of range in 15 minutes of charging. JLR is working with Fortescue’s battery and charging specialists Elysia to make good on this. Elysia is a company with technology that can charge 264-ton mining trucks at 2MW, so this is no empty promise. Jaguar’s continuing dominance of Formula E also raises hopes that the new Type 00 will be an electric GT that can deliver class-leading performance.
But what about the physical design of the car? There have been mixed reactions to the leaked images, with some claiming it is the ugliest vehicle they’ve ever seen, while others appreciate the bold departure from Jaguars of ages gone by. This is no E-Type restomod, although the long front does hark back a little in that direction, as does the sloping back. Otherwise, the angles are sharp. The earlier brand relaunch claimed to “Copy Nothing”, and while the angularity is heavily in line with contemporary car design, the new car looks like no Jaguar that went before.
It does have echoes of the direction Range Rover has been taking, but perhaps the most telling comparison is some of the designs coming out of China right now, such as the Huawei Maextro S800, which was also unveiled recently. The Jaguar design is much sleeker, lower, and classier than the Huawei, but you can bet Jaguar is hoping for plenty of sales in China’s burgeoning luxury car market.
One journalist described the Maextro as looking like “someone put a Maybach, a Rolls and a Porsche in a blender”, and that is also the level of customer Jaguar is now targeting. The E-Type essentially put Jaguar on the global map by being more beautiful than a contemporary Ferrari and just as fast at half the price. But generally, Jaguar has been a British alternative to BMW or Audi, and possibly Mercedes with its larger cars, rather than high-end luxury. Its sedans were infamously popular with gangsters and bank robbers. That image is being swept away, with the new Jaguar EV clearly aimed at “high net worth individuals”, or even the emerging “ultra-high” category. It could be in direct competition with the Rolls Royce Spectre.
Jaguar’s New Luxury Customer
Jaguar’s sales strategy will pivot in this direction too. The hubs for this will be exclusive brand stores around the world, rather than traditional dealerships, complemented by a wider global network of luxury retailers. The first brand store will be in Paris in the 8th Arrondissement – where the city’s fashion industry has its center. When you consider that Jaguar has chosen to launch the vehicle at Miami Art Week, where pieces start at six figures and go up from there, there is a clear departure in this market positioning.
The design details are as ostentatious as you would expect for this intended customer, starting with fittingly gigantic 23in wheels. The doors open in “butterfly” fashion (because all premium cars must have doors that open upwards rather than outwards). The tailgate is described as a “pantograph”, which normally refers to the structure on top of an electric train to draw power from overhead cabling. But there are no pictures of this yet, so we don’t yet know how this has been translated into a door leading to a vehicle’s rear cargo space.
Inside, there is liberal use of brass, including a central 3.2m-long spine down the middle that separates twin dashboard screens. This looks like it would get in the way if the driver and passenger wanted to engage in a loving embrace, and there is no obvious evidence of cup holders. Where on earth will the occupants put their glasses of champagne?
After the video launch a few weeks ago, a lot of the more dubious criticism revolved around the actors in the video. More valid concerns were expressed about the discontinuation of the “growler” big cat emblem and the font used for the Jaguar name. However, the feline branding is still evident, with the “leaper” images found on golden rectangles on the side, which deploy to reveal rear-facing cameras.
The two unveiled color choices are sure to keep the “anti-woke” debate rolling, though. They are called Miami Pink and London Blue. Both have a pastel hue that is a million miles away from British Racing Green, which is what most people seem to think all British cars should be painted with. However, pink is a color associated with Miami, where the launch is taking place, and the blue echoes the Opalescent Silver Blue that was a hallmark of E-Type Jaguar sports cars in the 1960s.
Jaguar Type 00: Triumph Or Travesty?
Criticisms of the concept photos should be taken with a pinch of salt. The images officially released are design drawings rather than images of the real car. The car actually unveiled in Miami has slightly smoother lines, and the side profile is gobsmacking. It’s a car that will grab as much attention on the road as the ad campaign has on social media. I’ve seen this vehicle in “camouflage” covering at a test track, and it has also been shown in spy shots. It’s an imposing vehicle, which makes a clear statement about its owner in a way that previous Jaguars since the E-Type haven’t.
Like it or love it, the Jaguar Type 00 is a huge departure for the brand. Everyone’s eyes are on it. Maybe there’s some E-Type in it, but it’s nothing like the fast sedans driven by shady characters that have been the hallmark of the brand for decades. It’s also nothing like the mid-sized family F-Pace SUV, either. We will have to wait until later 2025 to find out if Jaguar can actually sell them to their intended customers. But the launch has definitely grabbed enough eyeballs to keep our attention.
This article was originally published on forbes.com.
