Jaguar Type 00 concept unveiled following highly publicised rebrand
New brand identity
After its rebrand caused a storm beyond even the automotive space, Jaguar has finally revealed its future direction with a design concept called Type 00 (pronounced zero zero).
As a British brand steeped in heritage, it is safe to say that the reaction to the rebrand wasn’t exactly overwhelmingly positive. For a good week or so, the story became the subject of a culture war, with many calling it the ‘death’ of Jaguar or the brand putting all its chips on red and taking a massive risk. It certainly felt that way as the brand consciously looks to, in some ways, abandon its history (swiftly deleting any past content on its Instagram page) and take a giant leap into the future. As the brand puts it, this car is “the physical manifestation of Jaguar’s new creative philosophy – Exuberant Modernism.”
Miami Art Week was the location for the unveiling of the concept as Jaguar looks to recapture its ‘Copy Nothing’ ethos that was so important to its founder Sir William Lyons. Whether it has achieved that with Type 00 remains to be seen, as it could be argued the concept is a mix of a Rolls Royce Spectre and Tesla Cybertruck. It certainly has the look of Lady Penelope’s car from Thunderbirds, also.
Professor Gerry McGovern, Chief Creative Officer at JLR: “Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar’s new creative philosophy. It has an unmistakable presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination. It is our first physical manifestation and the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you’ve ever seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour.”
Why Type 00?
Let’s clear up any confusion surrounding the concept’s name.
The ‘Type’ prefix signals the car’s pioneering nature and references historical models such as the E-type, which were very much pioneers of their day. The first zero refers to zero tailpipe emissions as Jaguar looks towards an all-electric future. The second zero represents its status as car zero in its new lineage, with the concept referred to as a “prelude to a future generation of Jaguars that will recapture the spirit and essence of the brand at its best.”
Defying electric vehicle convention
In a modern automotive world crammed with electric SUVs, Jaguar has made an effort to design an EV that stands out from the crowd. Type 00 is five metres long and has a long bonnet and sweeping roofline, sitting on 23-inch alloy wheels. Yes, it is boxy with large wheel arches, but you can see the spirit of the E-type in there.
At the front, the new Jaguar logo is placed at the centre of a wide face, complemented by a front light signature that emphasises the corners of the car.
The side profile shows its bold proportions and the new Jaguar ‘leaper’ has been laser etched into a hand-finished brass ingot on each side of the car. These ingots deploy to reveal rear‑facing cameras that remain hidden until needed.
At the rear, there’s a glassless tailgate defined by the horizontal Strikethrough graphics, which Jaguar says “hides dramatic full-width taillights” and “emphasises the power and scale of Type 00”.
The design is the work of Jaguar Electrical Architecture (JEA), the brand’s new dedicated platform that will also deal with driving experience, handling and ride comfort.
Two colours
The Type 00 has been revealed in two contrasting colours - Miami Pink and London Blue.
Aptly revealed at Miami Art Week, Miami Pink honours the pastel colour of the city’s Art Deco architecture and is a Satin Rhodon Rose example, inspired by the rose colour that brass takes on as it ages.
London Blue, on the other hand, has been chosen to reflect Jaguar’s British heritage and is inspired by the Opalescent Silver Blue colour of the 1960s that was seen on a fair share of E-types being driven to the French Riviera.
Modern Interior
The Type 00’s modern interior is accessed through butterfly doors and features three hand-finished brass lines which run through the length of the interior, dividing the passengers. This 3.2 long brass spine splits a pair of floating instrument panels made up of two wide screens containing tailored graphics. The interior feels light and spacious thanks to the glass roof.
This is a tray that sits in a special section on the body side and contains three ‘totems’ of natural materials: brass, travertine and alabaster.
The textiles used in the interior are a wool blend, inspired by handwoven yarns, which envelop the two seats, sound bar and flooring.
Tom Holden, Chief Interior Designer at Jaguar: “Just as on the outside, deployable technologies are a hallmark of the interior. Screens glide silently and theatrically from the dashboard, while powered stowage areas slide open softly on demand, revealing hidden splashes of exuberant colour. We believe technology should enhance the modern luxury experience, not dominate the architecture, and the digital screen at the centre of the dashboard is an example of this philosophy. The Clearsight display replaces the traditional rear‑view mirror, improving overall visibility.”
First production car in 2025
Of course, the concept is a prelude to the first new generation production Jaguar, a four door GT to be revealed in late 2025. The vehicle will be built in Solihull in the UK and will look to include a range of up to 478 miles on a single charge and 200 miles of range on a 15 minute rapid charge. It is expected to cost well over £100,000 when released.
Read Alex Goy’s excellent opinion piece - Can we talk about that Jaguar rebrand video? - here.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Jaguar