Did the Contentious Jaguar Rebrand Work? Yes, the new EV is amazing

Everyone has been talking about Jaguar since the controversial rebrand video hit YouTube a few weeks ago. While this campaign engaged in frenzied political debate, it was only a 30-second video and the real test would be the unveiling of the car itself. That time has finally arrived, as the concept car made its debut at Miami Art Week on Monday night.

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 has that these brands were willing to risk their relationship with JLR over concept designs. There has been huge anticipation for the new car’s arrival, which means Jaguar will cease all production of its internal combustion engine vehicles and then produce no cars at all until its EV hits the market in late 2025.

Enter the Jaguar Type 00

The new EV is called “Type 00” – implying a complete reset after the Jaguar Type letters 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 emissions, with the second meaning that this is the first in a range of new Jaguar EVs. The car will be based on a new all-electric platform called the Jaguar Electric Architecture, which is not the one used for the popular I-Pace. The parent company JLR was investing billions in its transition to EVsputting her money where her mouth is for electrification.

The Type 00 will aim for a range of 478 miles (WLTP) and 430 miles (EPA), with 200 miles of range replenishable in 15 minutes of charging. JLR works with Fortescue battery and Elysia charging specialists to get it right. Elysia is a company with technology that can charge 264-ton mining trucks at 2MW, so it’s not an empty promise. Jaguar’s continued dominance in 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’s the ugliest vehicle they’ve ever seen, while others appreciate the bold departure from Jaguars of yesteryear. This isn’t an E-style rollback system, though the long front ends a bit back in that direction, as does the sloping rear end. Otherwise, the corners are sharp. The brand’s previous relaunch claimed to be ‘Copy Nothing’ and while the angular alignment is very much in keeping with the car’s contemporary design, the new car doesn’t look like any Jaguar that came before it.

It echoes the direction Range Rover has taken, but perhaps the most telling comparison is some of the designs coming out of China right now, like the Huawei Maextro S800, which was also introduced recently. Jaguar’s design is much sleeker, lower and classier than Huawei’s, but you can bet Jaguar is hoping for a lot of sales in China’s growing luxury car market.

One journalist described the Maextro as looking like “someone put a Maybach, a Rolls and a Porsche into a blender”, and that’s also the level of customer Jaguar is now targeting. The E-Type basically put Jaguar on the world map as it’s more beautiful than a modern Ferrari and just as fast at half the price. But overall, Jaguar was a British alternative to BMW or Audi, and possibly Mercedes with its larger cars, rather than high-end luxury. Its sedans were notoriously popular with gangsters and bank robbers. That image is drifting, with the new Jaguar EV clearly aimed at “high net worth individuals” or even the emerging “ultra high” segment. It could be in direct competition with the Rolls Royce Spectre.

Jaguar’s new luxury customer

Jaguar’s sales strategy will turn in this direction as well. 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 store will be in Paris on the 8th^u District – where the city’s fashion industry is centered. When you consider that Jaguar chose to launch the vehicle at Miami Art Week, where the pieces start in the six figures and go up from there, there’s a clear deviation in this market niche.

Design details are as flamboyant as you’d expect for this aspiring customer, starting with the matching giant 23-inch wheels. The doors open in a ‘butterfly’ fashion (because all premium cars must have doors that open upwards and not outwards). The tailgate is described as a “pantograph”, which usually refers to the structure above an electric train for extracting power from overhead wiring. But there are no photos of this yet, so we don’t yet know how this translated into a door leading into the rear trunk of a vehicle.

Inside, there is liberal use of brass, including a 3.2m central ridge in the middle that separates the twin dashboard screens. This seems like it would get in the way if driver and passenger wanted to engage in a loving embrace, and there’s no obvious evidence of cupholders. Where the hell are the tenants going to put their champagne glasses?

After the video was released a few weeks ago, many of the more questionable reviews revolved around the actors in the video. More valid concerns were raised about the discontinuation of the big cat “growler” emblem and the font used for the Jaguar name. However, the feline branding is still evident, with the ‘leaper’ icons set in gold rectangles on the side, which expand to reveal the rear-facing cameras.

However, the two revealed color options are sure to keep the ‘anti-wake’ conversation going. They are called Miami Pink and London Blue. Both have a pastel hue that’s a million miles away from British Racing Green, which most people seem to think all British cars should be painted. However, the pink is a color associated with Miami, where the launch takes place, and the blue echoes the silvery blue that was the hallmark of E-Type Jaguar sports cars in the 1960s.

Jaguar Type 00: Triumph or Travesty?

Criticism of concept photos should be taken with a grain of salt. The officially released images are design drawings and not images of the actual car. The car that was actually revealed in Miami has slightly smoother lines and the side profile is striking. It’s a car that will get as much attention on the road as the ad campaign on social media. I’ve seen this vehicle in “camouflage” covering a test track, and this one it has also been shown in spy shots. It is an imposing vehicle, making a clear statement about its owner in a way that previous Jaguars since the E-Type did not.

Love it or love it, the Jaguar Type 00 is a huge departure for the brand. All eyes are on him. Maybe there’s some E-Type in it, but it’s nothing like the fast sedans driven by shady characters that have been the marque’s trademark for decades. It’s also nothing like the F-Pace mid-size family SUV. We’ll have to wait until later in 2025 to find out if Jaguar can actually sell them to their intended customers. But the launch has certainly grabbed enough eyeballs to keep our attention.