In these days of easy access to 3D modelling software and image editing apps, your first thought might be that the photos of the Jaguar Type 00 at Paris Fashion Week are fake. It really does look like a CGI render pasted in over images of a grey Parisian winter day – the straight lines and ultramarine coat look that surreal.
The Jaguar rebrand was one of the most controversial of last year, if not of the decade. The British carmaker announced its transition to electric vehicles with no cars but a minimal wordmark and androgynous models carrying sledgehammers. But now that we've finally seen at least a concept car actually move, the rebrand is winning me over.
The Jaguar Type 00, which remains a non-production concept, previously turned up in London Blue and Miami Pink variations at Miami Art Week 2024. Now it's made an appearance wearing French ultramarine and serving as a taxi to take guests such as Barry Keoghan, Jamie Dornan and Zoë Saldaña to venues like The Peninsula Paris and Hôtel Plaza Athénée during Paris Fashion Week.
Yes, Jaguar has gone from carmaker to fashion statement, and yes, the car looks like it was made in Minecraft. But it's also bold and fresh, standing out from anything else on the road with its super minimal silhouette and its sheer size. It's like a Rolls-Royce that dropped a pill at a cyberpunk-themed club in the 80s, or a huge pre-War GT that's mutated and evolved afterdoses of radiation, and it proves that minimalism doesn't need to be boring; it can be stunningly vibrant.
This color seems to emphasise how sheer the exterior is, with few features other then the brass ingots behind the front wheel arches. There's not even a rear window, since cameras do the work of seeing what's behind. The butterfly doors look incredible, although I'm assuming these won't make it to the production model GT expected later in the year, and the interior looks just as sharp and minimalist.
Back when the Jaguar rebrand was first revealed last year, I had the feeling that this might be the EV that Tesla has always really wanted to make. As the Tesla Cybertruck flop reaches its climax with desperate incentives and even a sales pitch on the White House lawn, I'm now even more convinced.
All the pre-activation hype is dismaying traditionalists, but it's keeping Jaguar in the news in spite of the fact that it doesn't currently have any cars for sale, and it's refreshing Jaguar's associations with luxury as it's conceived today, and in the city that will host its first new "curated brand store".
Like Tesla's electric SUV, Jaguar's EV GT will be a vehicle that a lot of people hate on principle because it looks so different. But the Cybertruck is ridiculous in a point-and-laugh at it kind of way. The Type 00 looks ridiculous in a bold and audacious way that stops people in their tracks. Hopefully, it will be well built and roadworthy too. I'm starting to think that Jaguar could pull it off. Astutely pitching its brand between art, fashion and tech, it could just make luxury EVs work, and even make an iconic car in the process.
For more car branding news, don't miss the terrible-looking Volvo AI advert and the surprising meaning behind the Hyundai logo. We've also seen how one designer "fixed" the Jaguar logo.
