At first glance, Jaguar’s new electric Type 00 concept car is surprising, shocking or perhaps even jarring to some. This is largely due to its bright pink colour (it also comes in blue).
On first seeing it, my thoughts immediately went to to Lady Penelope’s Ford Thunderbird car from the Thunderbirds movie (2004), which can be seen at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon in the English county of Warwickshire – coincidentally, where Jaguar’s research and development department is located. Perhaps there was some unconscious inspiration from a lunch break visit.
There has been much talk in recent weeks of the Jaguar rebrand and the marketing and PR teams’ efforts were clearly effective. My social network feeds, for one, have been dominated by discussion of it for well over a week. The purists clearly weren’t happy. But, there is a definitive need to reform and change, due to diminishing sales over the past 12 months, industry wide dips in sales of new cars and increased competition from China in the production of electric vehicles.
The rebrand is a timely opportunity to recenter the carmaker’s product range and the Type 00 GT is clearly a step in the traditional direction and focus of Jaguar as opposed to Jaguar SUV’s introduced in 2016 which are more the preserve of their sister brand, Land Rover. Ensuring that Jaguar remains its own distinctive brand and doesn’t succumb to a victim of “badge engineering” (the marketing of the same model under different brands and models) that was the downfall of many British car brands in the 1970’s is important.
Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.
In some respects, the approach to the launch has been rather Tesla-esque: a slick, high profile, highly charged and curated introduction, such as that used on the Cybertruck. As opposed to the traditional unveiling at a car show, Jaguar chose Miami Art Week and it’s a bold statement. This is not the first time that Jaguar and Land Rover cars have been identified as art, with the original 1970 Range Rover being the first car to be exhibited at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.
Criticism of the design and branding has accused Jaguar of ignoring tradition. This sort of talk appears to stem from a particular market demographic who negate or misunderstand the importance of change and innovation that Jaguar has employed throughout its history to transform the company and appeal to newer and, importantly, younger markets. In this respect, parallels have been drawn historically with ambitious redesigns that have emboldened Jaguar.
For instance, the iconic Jaguar E-type (1961), which Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari called the most “beautiful car in the world”. Or the introduction of the XJ6 in 1968, which was a complete departure in terms of styling from the models it replaced. Both cars were incredibly important to Jaguar’s tradition and image but more importantly their survival and growth at a time when the British motor industry was struggling.
So the Type 00 GT is on-brand if you look at the manufacturer’s history. But as my nine-year-old son, who has encyclopaedic top trump knowledge of car stats, asked: “it looks really cool, but how fast it is?” An answer we don’t know. Real technical details seem to be missing from these announcements and marketing – beyond the fact it will be electric and some estimates on battery size and range.
What will set it apart? What innovations will the higher £120K price tag afford? What level of autonomy or comfort will be offered? What will it be like to drive? These are surely far better indications of the essence of Jaguar and its historic racing pedigree than just styling and aesthetics. But in the great furore, speculation and sea of opinions, what has gone largely unnoticed is that this is a “concept car”, not a production ready model. It doesn’t even have the same number of doors that the final 2026 production version will have.
Concept cars have been routinely used by automotive manufacturers since the late 1930’s and while these can serve as indicators of future models or directions, they are also used to promote futuristic visions or measure market approval before tooling commitments. Even as pre-production concepts, as we are told the Type 00 is, there are typically distinct differences in the eventual production models.
I suspect that the overall silhouette and stance will remain, but some key styling details may differ. Perhaps the front and rear grills will have more definition or be smaller to ensure crash worthiness. The legal requirements of lights, indicators, number plates and so on, will all have subtle impacts, as will the manufacturing restrictions.
Regardless of what you think of the new Jaguar Type 00 or Jaguar’s controversial rebrand, it has been a major marketing success. Perhaps the rebrand has affirmed the adage “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” with the internet circling with speculation, admiration or disdain for the rebrand. This carefully curated relaunch has brought the Jaguar brand and name into the public consciousness, especially that of the younger target demographic.
I do hope the rebrand will be a financial success, partly because I want the iconic and historic Jaguar brand to survive, even thrive, especially considering the fate of many of its British motoring contemporaries. More importantly though, it needs to for the many livelihoods of those who work at their facilities in Gaydon, Halewood, Solihull and Castle Bromwich and the suppliers who depend on it.
Matthew Watkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
