JAGUAR HAS RELEASED a first look at its new luxury electric car after coming under heavy criticism for rebranding its image.
The British car maker sparked widespread controversy last month when it unveiled a series of dramatic changes ahead of becoming a fully electric brand.
This included a new bespoke logo, written as JaGUar, a new prancing “leaper” cat design and marketing slogans such as “delete ordinary”, “live vivid” and “copy nothing”.
Images of the new electric car, called the Type 00, were shared at an event in Miami in the US on Monday, with the model described as a “concept with bold forms and exuberant proportions to inspire future Jaguars”, according to the brand.
It has been revealed in two colours, Miami Pink and London Blue.
The Jaguar logo is laser-etched into a brass ingot on each side of the car, which themselves open to reveal rear-facing cameras that provide a view for the driver similar to conventional wing mirrors via screens located in the cabin.
Access to the cabin comes through two “butterfly” doors which reveal a large, spacious interior with three hand-finished brass lines which run the length of the interior.
The “floating” front seats are finished in a wool blend which is also used on the flooring and other areas.
Jaguar said the new car uses a dedicated electric platform which should return up to 478 miles of range while rapid charging will add 200 miles of charge in 15 minutes.
The production-ready version of the Type 00, which will be made in the UK, is set to be revealed late in 2025.
Although prices have not yet been confirmed, it is expected to cost more than £100,000.
Copy nothing. #Jaguar pic.twitter.com/BfVhc3l09B
— Jaguar (@Jaguar) November 19, 2024
A video posted by the company on X last month, featuring people wearing brightly coloured clothes making synchronised movements but no cars, led to platform owner Elon Musk, the largest individual shareholder in electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, asking “Do you sell cars?”
British MP Nigel Farage also struggled with the new branding, posting a video to X in which he said the company deserved to go bust.
Mark my words, Jaguar will go bust. pic.twitter.com/DP5zUL0Y7B
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) November 20, 2024
Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover said he was disappointed by the “vile hatred and intolerance” in responses to the advert.
Speaking at what he called the “reimagining” in Miami, chief creative officer Professor Gerry McGovern said the new brand was “influenced by the desire to recapture the essence of Jaguar’s original creative conviction”.
“Some may love it now, some may love it later and some may never love it. That’s what fearless creativity does,” he said, citing David Bowie, Vivienne Westwood and architect Richard Rogers as some of his creative heroes.
“They were British trailblazers who challenged convention and had no desire to copy the norm.
Controversy has always surrounded British creativity when it’s been at its best.
Jaguar will launch three new electric cars in 2026, having taken new cars off sale more than a year ago to focus on its rebrand.
It comes after the owner of Vauxhall announced plans to shut its van-making factory in Luton next April and create an all-electric plant, putting more than 1,100 jobs at risk.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders warned the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) could have a “devastating” impact on the automotive industry.
A weak demand for EVs combined with “the need to fulfil ever-rising sales quotas” will cost the industry some £6 billion this year, the trade association said.
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