Jaguar, the iconic British premium car brand, has had a busy few weeks.
As the famed brand makes its long-awaited move to becoming a premium electric-vehicle manufacturer, it unleashed a new PR campaign in November that made a gigantic splash with a promotional video that was bright and colourful, energetic and eye-catching, and did not seem to have a car in it. Along with the unusual promo came a new logo; a new ‘leaper’ cat design; new marketing slogans, including ‘Copy Nothing’; and a handful of teasing images of a concept car that would herald that new, all-electric direction upon which the company will embark from 2026.
All of this, and the video in particular, went viral online, made headlines in news and social media outlets across the world, and became a talking point across the internet as people pondered whether what they were seeing was a colossal, and possibly business-destroying, miscalculation, or a work of marketing genius – there is, after all, an the old saying that ‘no publicity is bad publicity.’
As the conversation around the polarizing rebrand rumbled on into December, Jaguar finally revealed the concept upon which everyone seemed to be breathlessly waiting.
And what that concept indicates is that Jaguar has not completely lost its way … not at all.
As a concept car – one that, as concepts are supposed to do, highlights the design and technology direction in which a company is heading – the Type 00 looks like a pretty decent piece of work.
It’s certainly eye-catching and its wide and aggressive stance, long bonnet, sweeping roofline, and fastback profile – and 23-inch wheels – make for something dramatic in the same way many of Jaguar’s classic vehicles of yesteryear did.
While there’s little detail about what is going on under the skin of the Type 00 – it is a design project, after all – we do know that the models that will appear will be built upon Jaguar’s dedicated architecture JEA (Jaguar Electrical Architecture), and that the first new-generation production Jaguar will be a four-door GT to be revealed in late 2025. It will target a driving range up to 770km (WLTP) and be able to add up to 321km of range in as little as 15 minutes when rapid charging.
Design-wise, the Type 00 points to some pretty bold styling choices for those upcoming production models.
The new face combines upright, flush surfaces with the new Jaguar device mark at its centre. A distinctive front light signature emphasises the corners of the car, while the side profile includes the new Jaguar ‘leaper’ laser-etched into a brass ingot on each side of the car. These ingots deploy to reveal rear-facing cameras.
The rear continues the bold statement. There’s a glassless tailgate and panoramic roof, and horizontal strikethrough graphics hide full-width taillights.
A pair of butterfly doors open to a futuristic and modernist cabin which includes a central 3.2m-long brass spine that splits a pair of floating instrument panels. Travetine stone and brass are here, as are rich-looking textiles that envelop the two seats, sound bar and flooring.
Some odd-sounding, sci-fi stuff is being paired up with the luxury interior. For example, behind a powered door there are three totems of natural materials – Brass, Travertine and Alabaster. Placing one of the totems inside the centre console tailors the mood of the interior. Everything, from the ambient lighting and unique soundscape to the tailored screen graphics and even scents, reflect the properties of the chosen material. Pretty weird … but sounds fun.
Who knows just how much of the look and feel of the Type 00 will make it into Jaguar’s future all-electric production fleet.
“Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar’s new creative philosophy. It has an unmistakable presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination,” said Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, Chief Creative Officer, JLR, in a statement. “It is our first physical manifestation and the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you’ve ever seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour.”
Aiming for a place amongst premium, luxury brands and going all in on all-electric power is a bold move and the journey there requires more bold moves. Jaguar has certainly done that.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (December 2024 / January 2025)
29 January 2025