In case you’ve been living under a rock over the past few weeks, allow me to get you up to speed on Jaguar’s rebirth marketing campaign. After showing us a camouflaged prototype of an upcoming electric sedan, a video advertisement started flooding our social media feeds.
The video featured no cars at all, an all-new Jaguar logo that now reads JaGUar, as well as what appeared to be non-binary human beings of mixed racial backgrounds wearing bright colors and doing strange things like walking in a robotic manner, threatening to “break moulds” with plastic hammers and painting white stripes whilst spinning in circles. It was all emphasized by Jaguar’s own “Copy Nothing” ethos.
The ad was…interesting, and very controversial, garnering a slew of mixed reactions online. Some journalists went out saying that it was one of the worst rebranding exercises they’d seen in their lifetime, while others called it pure genius. Well, the actual car is here, for real. At least, in concept form. It’s called the Type 00, and it previews what we should expect from the prancing cat in the coming years.
Jaguar Type 00 Will Be A Very Expensive And Exclusive EV
Launched at Miami Art Week under the “Jaguar. Exuberance” theme, the Type 00 previews an upcoming electric sedan scheduled to be officially revealed by the end of 2025, and sold as a 2026 model. It’ll be based on an all-new electric vehicle (EV) platform called Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA), and promises 430 miles of range as per EPA predictions. Jaguar also said that Type 00 will fast-charge its battery at the rate of 200 miles in only 15 minutes, but it didn’t release any technical specifications.
I think it’s fair to say that Jaguar needed a good reset. The British icon only sold 8,348 vehicles in the U.S. last year, which was down a whopping 80% from 2017. That’s clearly not enough to keep a carmaker afloat. So, until the Type 00 arrives in production form, Jaguar will halt production of all models, including the somewhat lucrative F-Pace which will hit its last model year in 2025. Moving forward, all new models at Jaguar will be electric.
With Type 00, Jaguar is going even more upmarket by selling a very exclusive product to a small percentage of consumers at a high price tag. Jaguar estimates that only about 15% of current consumers will buy into the expected $120,000 EV. It’s a risky move, but Jaguar is in such a position that its only option to survive is precisely that, bold and risky. From Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR):
The magic of Jaguar is close to my heart – an original British luxury brand unmatched in its heritage, artistry and emotional magnetism. That’s the Jaguar we are recapturing, and we will create the same sense of awe that surrounded iconic models like the E-type. Our journey is already underway, guided by our original ethos to Copy Nothing – and the results will be nothing short of spectacular.
A Concept Built On Core Values
Jaguar’s latest concept may come as a clear departure from the models we know and expect from this nameplate, but in its press release, the carmaker was very clear about the three fundamental characteristics that have always defined the Jaguar brand. The concept itself evokes what Jaguar calls “Exuberant Modernism”. The goal is to present a bold artistic visual identity and, more importantly, one that’ll connect with the target consumer’s lifestyle. Jaguar breaks down the concept’s stylistic values into three main categories:
- Exuberant: Vibrant, uninhibited and fearless. In vehicles, it creates and moments it curates.
- Modernist. Future-facing, curious and inspired by the world. Respectful of the past, not dictated by it.
- Compelling. Holistic, sensory and extraordinary. Generating meaningful connections with clients.
It’s obvious with this concept that Jaguar wants to attract a whole new generation of rather wealthy consumers. These individuals do not purchase luxury items in the same way as previous generations did. No matter what your thoughts are on this highly controversial concept vehicle, Jaguar seems to have understood that its old business model and brand image no longer work with a new generation of buyers.
Only time will tell if this rebranding effort is the work of genius, or if it represents the final nail in the coffin for the Jaguar brand. We’ll keep following the Type 00’s development closely and will report back here with more details once we have them.
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