Jaguar’s Type 00: The era of exuberant modernism?

Updated Dec. 20, 2024, 8:51 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast / Skyye Ndlovu

Jaguar - what was once a revered car brand - has disappointed fans all over the world after they recently unveiled their newest EV concept; the Type 00.

Jaguar Type 00 — Jaguar Media / media.jaguar.com

Jaguar officially unveiled their newest concept car, the Type 00, to the world at Miami Art Week on 3 December; calling the electric vehicle “Jaguar at its best”, the company said in its official press release.

Is this really Jaguar’s best though?

The public took to social media to share their opinions on this rebrand, with some commending the brand's fresh direction while others remain sceptical about the drastic misalignment with Jaguar’s legacy.

Jaguar revealed this concept car in three bold colours: Miami Pink, London Blue, and Parisian Gold. For a brand as luxurious as Jaguar, these colours came as an unexpected shock to the world. “Can we not get this in Jet Black or Frozen Grey?’, one user asked.

It turns out we may never be able to get it. On X (formerly Twitter), Jaguar shared their new car in the post below and stated that the ‘Jaguar Type 00 is a non-production vehicle', which further fuelled confusion. All that work to rebrand and realign themselves with a vehicle that consumers will most likely never get to buy... Weird.

ALSO READ: Jaguar's rebrand: Bold leap or tradition killer?

Jaguar Type 00 is a non-production vehicle.
— Jaguar (@Jaguar) December 3, 2024

User @tommo_king commented: “You've become a sad, woke company. You're not even Jaguar anymore.”

@EddyGraphic1 asked a very valid question, “Then what’s the point?”. Jaguar replied without replying, saying “Type 00 establishes a new design language for future vehicles. Bold, colourful, and unexpected.” But what’s the point of this rebrand?

Jaguar has stated that this new vision aligns perfectly with their new slogan, ‘Copy Nothing’, even though it’s taken on a strikingly similar design philosophy to Rolls Royce. The automaker claims this new car is a physical manifestation of their creative philosophy which they call, ‘Exuberant Modernism’. Although, it seems a bit too early to be modernism – more life futurism, which we’re clearly not ready for.

Nevertheless, Jaguar’s Chief Exterior Designer, Constantino Segui Gilabert, says this extravagant design was done to further amplify the essence of exuberant modernism and place the car in a league of its own.

“Jaguar is no place for ordinary. When you see a new Jaguar for the first time, it must have a sense of awe, of never having been seen before. Type 00 commands attention, like all the best Jaguars of the past. It has a dramatic presence, channelling a unique spirit of British creativity and originality.”

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The name, ‘Type 00’, is the only thing that still ties this new car to Jaguar’s legacy. Chief Creative Officer, Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, explained the meaning: “The ‘Type’ prefix is a link to the brand’s provenance, to models like the pioneering E‑type. The first zero references zero tailpipe emissions. The second represents its status as car zero in our new lineage”.

What about performance? Well, Jaguar has stated that this EV targets a range of up to 769 kilometres, which is a groundbreaking feat considering EVs have a maximum range of just over 643 kilometres; so at least you might be able to make it as far as Johannesburg on a single charge.

The Type 00 essentially marks the beginning of a new era of electric luxury and exuberant modernism for the automaker. Judging from public opinion though, one can only hope that this model sells more than 00 units to avoid embarrassment and a waste of resources.

Nonetheless, let’s not forget that this is still concept car. Looking back, most “concept cars” never make it to the market looking exactly like the concept, which still gives us hope.

By the time Jaguar releases this car (if they ever will), most of the design and performance factors will probably be very different, which will hopefully make it more appealing to buyers.