Don't Know How to Feel About This: Jaguar Releases New Concept Car After Their Radical Rebrand

British carmaker Jaguar has just unveiled their new Type 00 concept vehicle, which marks the first appearance of a Jaguar car since their flamboyant "Copy Nothing" trailer. The Type Zero Zero’s boxy, monolithic design features narrow, sleek lighting and brass accents, signaling a radical departure from Jaguar’s historically sleek and sporty aesthetic, but would it be enough to silence the critics?

Jaguar's new "Copy Nothing" philosophy underpins its branding and design overhaul. “If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we'll just get drowned out. So we shouldn’t turn up like an auto brand,” said Jaguar Managing Director Rawdon Glover. He added that the brand's transformation must break from conventional automotive stereotypes to establish a unique identity, just like how they did with the original E-type.

The vehicle has a sleek body, with a beautiful sloping roof complemented by the widebody look with the large fenders. However, the vehicle uses weird luxurious materials, including brass for the exterior and travertine stone for supporting seats. It gets weirder with the extremely minimalist interior design, having only 2 screens, 2 pedals, 4 seats and the steering wheel. Jaguar calls this design language Exuberant Modernism. While the exterior is indeed a looker, it feels as though they are taking the 'Nothing' in their new slogan quite literally in some places. Some concept features, such as alabaster totems that adjust lighting and scent in the cabin, may not make it to production.

The Type 00 concept paves the way for a new electric lineup, promising up to 478 miles of range on a single charge and the ability to recharge 200 miles in just 15 minutes. Glover emphasized the brand's focus on delivering performance that feels uniquely Jaguar: "It needs to drive like a Jaguar at its best,” he told WIRED.

The first production vehicle inspired by the Type 00 will be a four-door grand tourer, expected to launch in 2025. With starting prices exceeding £100,000 ($127,000).

The release of the Type 00 follows Jaguar's controversial rebranding campaign, which faced backlash for removing the iconic leaping jaguar logo and using a video that some viewers deemed overly abstract. Critics accused Jaguar of abandoning its heritage, while others labeled the campaign as "woke." Glover condemned the “vile hatred and intolerance” in some responses, reiterating that the rebrand was a necessary evolution for the company’s future. 

Jaguar has struggled with profitability in recent years, with global sales plummeting and competition in the luxury EV market intensifying. Despite the challenges, Jaguar is betting everything on its radical new direction. “We need to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point, so we need to act differently,” Glover explained.

Although the Type 00 looks promising, if this rebranding doesn't work out for Jaguar, we could potentially see the end of a 102 year-old brand. I sincerely hope that isn't the case.

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