Jaguar releases concept car after controversial rebranding campaign

• Jaguar unveiled the first concept car as part of its new identity.
• The rebrand has sparked controversy because it didn’t include any cars – with some claiming it was “woke”.
• Jaguar said it would unveil a new electric model in late 2025 as part of its all-electric future.

Jaguar unveiled a design concept for its next generation of electric vehicles on Monday – ultimately linking an image of a car to its ‘exuberant modernism’ rebranding campaign.

Jaguar’s rebranding campaign has received fierce criticism in recent weeks from some who said it was “woke” due to its diverse models and bright colours. The campaign also did not feature any cars.

Now, the luxury British automaker has filled in some blanks regarding its new identity by unveiling a concept car during Miami Art Week.

The exterior of the concept car – dubbed ‘Type 00’ due to its zero-emission tailpipes and its status as ‘car zero’ in the brand’s new line – features butterfly doors, a glassless tailgate and a panoramic roof.

It has been conceptualized in two colours: ‘Miami Pink’ in honor of the pastel Art Deco architecture of the revealing city, and ‘London Blue’ inspired by the Opalescent Silver Blue of the 1960s in honor of the company’s British roots, Jaguar said in a statement. .

“Type 00 turns heads, just like the best Jaguars of the past,” Jaguar’s chief exterior designer, Constantino Segui Gilabert, said in the statement. “It is a dramatic presence, channeling a unique spirit of British creativity and originality. It celebrates art and embodies the essence of exuberant modernism.”

The Jag’s exterior design also features the redesigned Jaguar ‘leaper’ badge, laser etched into a brass bar that opens to reveal the rear-facing cameras when required.

On the inside, three copper lines run the length of the interior: one on each door and one straight down the center of the cabin.

Floating instrument panels mark either side of the center brass line, which is supported by a travertine stone pedestal, as do the floating seats.

A woven wool-blend fabric surrounds the two seats, the soundbar and the cabin floor.

“As with the exterior, deployable technologies are a feature of the interior,” Jaguar’s chief interior designer Tom Holden said in the statement. “Screens slide silently and theatrically from the dashboard, while electrically powered storage compartments gently slide open on demand, revealing hidden splashes of exuberant color.”

It is not clear which specific design elements of the new concept could ultimately be implemented in Jaguar’s upcoming electric vehicle models. Jaguar said the Type 00 is intended as “an indicator of the design philosophy and intent for upcoming new vehicles.”

The brand announced in 2021 that it would switch to fully electric vehicles. The first model of its new series – an electric four-door – will be unveiled in late 2025, the company said on Monday.

The upcoming model is expected to use the special Jaguar Electric Architecture and is expected to have a driving range of up to 450 miles on a single charge, adding a further 200 miles of range after 15 minutes of fast charging. the company said Monday.

With the new vehicles expected to hit the market in 2026, the company is already phasing out production of cars with combustion engines. converting its factory in Halewood, UK, to all-electric production, and to hold up sales of new cars in Great Britain.

In preparation for the launch of its EV range, Jaguar first debuted its rebranding campaign in November, which included an updated font for the ‘Jaguar’ logo, a redesign of the bouncy Jaguar brand and a colorful new video ad featuring models were dressed in high quality. fashion and no cars in sight.

The promotional video received widespread attention on social media, late night television and in the media because it did not feature any cars, while some conservative personalities accused the company of abandoning its history and moving into “woke” politics. move in. Elon Musk even joined in.

In an interview with the Financial TimesJaguar’s managing director, Rawdon Glover, defended the rebranding, saying the campaign’s intended message was lost “in a blaze of intolerance” and that the controversial promo video was not intended as a “woke” statement.

The refresh of the iconic brand – and vehicle of choice of the British Royal Family and Prime Ministers – also included an introduction to the company’s new design philosophy of ‘exuberant modernism’, which the company defined as ‘imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint’.

Some marketing and rebranding experts have heavily criticized Jaguar’s new identity.

One told Business Insider that the rebrand is “crazy” and another said he’s not convinced the company is making the right statement.

However, others were more positive, with one advertising expert telling BI that the rebranding rollout had been relatively successful and another saying it was a “significant disruption” that could ultimately work for the company.

It’s not just the shift in Jaguar’s brand identity that has marketers talking, but also the apparent pivot in the target group Jaguar is now trying to reach.

As part of the brand’s positioning, the newly announced Jags are expected to be significantly more expensive than the models being phased out. Car and Driver previously reported that the brand, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, looked to Range Rover, its corporate cousin, for inspiration for where it wants to be. The magazine mentioned a Range Rover costing about $400,000; most 2024 Jaguar models had list prices of around $50,000 to $80,000.

“We have forged a fearlessly creative new character for Jaguar that is true to the brand’s DNA, yet forward-looking, relevant and truly stands out,” Glover said of Monday’s concept debut.