OPINION | You're wrong to be angry about the Jaguar Type 00 Concept

At the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, I finally got a good look at the real-life concept car that sparked one of the (if not the) most significant internet reactions in recent history - the Jaguar Type 00 Concept Car.

Taking centre stage on the as-ever imposing Jaguar stand at the 2025 Festival of Speed was one of two Type 00 concepts. The main feature was the model, finished in French Ultramarine Blue, which has been touring the world to various car shows and was featured earlier this year on Jaguar’s social media feeds during Paris Fashion Week. Tucked away in its own glass-encased display box in front of the bright blue car was the second model, painted in Satin Opalescent Blue, matching the colour of the E-Type Jaguar launch car from 1961. For added drama, the Opalescent Blue car was backlit on one side by a wall of ever-changing colours to help accentuate the bold design.

Seeing the cars for the first time in person, I couldn’t help but be slightly enamoured by the Type 00, and upon speaking to a few others at the event, I learned that my newfound positive opinion was shared by others, some of whom had been critical of the design seen only up to this point via a screen. Of course, like all things polarising, opinions weren’t exclusively positive. Some felt indifferent about seeing the concept, while others frankly didn’t care for it, and to more than a few… It was all a bit too confusing to work out.

December 2024 - The Month we all started talking about Jaguar again

Let's start with a quick recap. In December 2024, Jaguar did something very bold, actually, a few things. Firstly, the brand wiped its entire Instagram feed, which had shared images of past and current Jaguar models since the platform's inception in 2010. Some were immediately outraged by the mass content delete, claiming the brand was abandoning its heritage. Others, like me, weren't too bothered. After all, the Jaguar Instagram feed for the year or two building up to the big moment wasn't exactly car-oriented. It was quite artsy and cool, but it represented something more along the lines of a fashion label or perfume brand, rather than one that sells cars.

Then came the series of subtle reveals, photographs of a new car taken from angles to show just a hint of what was to come. There were large grilles, massive doors and a long bonnet. This sequence of teaser shots was the first opportunity for people to get excited and, of course, to moan in the knowledge that whatever was coming next was going to be an EV. Regardless of how amazing it might look, the fact that it wouldn't have a roaring 5.0L V8 engine under its hood was enough for some to be angry about the new car before they'd even seen it.

And then, came the video. Yes, that video. The video that went so viral so quickly that it was being reported on prime-time news and discussed by almost everyone with a social media following, even those with little to no interest in cars.

The reaction to the video was far greater than anyone could have anticipated, I expect Jaguar included. The 30-second video featured models dressed in brightly coloured clothing, moving and flowing as if on a fashion show catwalk in Milan. On the screen, text appeared showing statements such as 'create exuberant', 'live vivid', 'delete ordinary', 'break moulds' and the final quote, 'copy nothing', which has been carried forward by the brand as a new slogan since.

The one thing the video didn’t offer was much of a clue about what was to come. If it wasn't for the fact that the video was produced and published by a car brand, we might have all assumed that the video was promoting a perfume or fashion label instead. But, it wasn't. It was a video from the car company that had previously given us the E-Type, the XK-R, the F-Type SVR, and some of the most iconic racing cars to have graced our circuits. For die-hard fans of the roaring, snarling, and crackling combustion cars up to this point, the radical new look for the brand and the 30-second video published to reveal the new identity were precisely that. A bit too radical.

'It's Woke'

My current least favourite word in the English dictionary is 'woke'. According to Wikipedia, "woke" is ‘an adjective derived from African-American English, used since the 1930s or earlier, to refer to awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination.’ It's essentially a word that describes someone's ability to identify that a criticism or hate based on race, gender, sexuality or otherwise is wrong. 'Woke' in a sentence could be: "I see that you're being criticised because you're a woman, and I'm not okay with that". With that in mind, the word 'woke' and its definition are both good, surely? I'm glad to say I don't share any social circles with anyone who would reject friendship with another human because of their gender or sexuality. Still, I've met a fair few people over the years who I've thought better of that have taken a dislike to the word 'woke' and used it as a negative term. In brief, if you use the word woke as a jest-based criticism, as some might say, 'I don't like that because it's a bit gay', we're probably not going to be friends, sorry. But it was the word ‘woke’ that seemed to be the literal definition of why people didn’t like the new brand. To some, the video showed people who appeared to be men dressed as women and women dressed as men, which was difficult for them to understand. But rather than trying to work it out, or, easier, see it as an attention-grabbing, clever bit of marketing, it was simply described as ‘woke’.

New-Jaguar: Love it or hate it, it was a stroke of genius

The reaction to all of the above was huge. It put Jaguar in the media spotlight to a level that some brands and their marketing departments could only ever dream of. It may have been accidental, and the polarised reaction of the consumers may not have been quite what the marketing teams were hoping for, but, like it or not, everyone was talking about Jaguar, and as P. T. Barnum's quote goes: "There is no such thing as bad publicity". Sure, the homophobia and transphobia sparked by the 30-second colourful non-car related video wasn't exactly 'good', but to the intelligent amongst us, the negative response showed more about the people moaning (along with their use of the word ‘Woke’) than it did the brand.

Enough of the Virtue Signalling - what about the car?

Fair enough, I'm 800 words in, and I've not yet started talking about the car. Jaguar, along with its wider JLR brand, likes to put on a show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Jaguar constructed a stand that was so large, it could be seen from almost a mile away - I've been inside considerably smaller churches! Positioned in the centre of a large white room was the Jaguar Type 00 Concept. The centrepiece, painted in French Ultramarine Blue, is the exact car that upset many people when it was revealed in Pink back in December last year. It's also the car that was spotted at Paris Fashion Week, featuring A-list celebrity stars such as Barry Keoghan and Jamie Dornan, emerging from it in a clearly orchestrated paparazzi-infused scrum. Even I'm going to admit here that that was a bit weird.

It's smaller than you expect

The Type 00 in person is undoubtedly large at over 5 metres in length, but strangely smaller than I expected it to be visually. The roofline of the car sits lower than that of the current Jaguar F-Type, and the proportions don't appear nearly as large as I was expecting them to be, having seen the photographs.

The Type 00 looks menacing, imposing and undeniably out of this world, just like the E-Type Jaguar did to onlookers in 1961. While many have moaned and criticised that Jaguar is turning its back on heritage, I'd challenge anyone not to see the similarities in the design approach - a sleek, long bonnet followed by an aerodynamic cabin that slopes down beautifully at the rear. The silhouette is reminiscent of the E-Type, with 64 years of design trends separating the two. When Sir William Lyons revealed the original E-Type in '61, he did so with the statement of wanting to 'Copy Nothing'. It looked like nothing else on the road at the time, and the Type 00 looks like nothing else on the road today.

Santino Pietrosanti talks us through the car

Whilst on the stand, I met and spoke with Santino Pietrosanti, the man responsible for bringing the Type 00 Concept to life. Santino walked me through the design language and opened up the doors to reveal the interior, which features a minimalist approach to screens, buttons, and tech, which pop up from hidden panels only when needed or desired. A subtly hidden head-up display shows only what's necessary and is visible only to the driver, adding to the sleek and futuristic feel.

The materials used in the concept's interior include brass, travertine stone, and textiles, all of which are designed to create a natural feel within the space. Over time, the brass will patina and age, as will the stone. This is no ordinary interior because this is no ordinary car.

Both inside and out, the Jaguar Type 00 is an exciting vehicle. It wouldn't be out of place in an action movie, whether as the hero's or the villain's mode of transport. Like many, I couldn't decide if it was love or loathe when the pictures were initially released, but now that I've seen it in person, it makes a lot of sense, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I quite like it.

Remember, It's Only a Concept

A sticking point for many when seeing the car in person at Goodwood and online through social media coverage was the question of its practicality. When on the Jaguar stand, I overheard remarks of "it'll never get over speed bumps", "how's anyone going to park it", "where's the rear screen!?" - remarks from people that failed to grasp the most vital point of the Type 00...

It is not, and never will be, a car.

The Type 00 is a statement piece, a 'make them stop and look' act of exhibitionism. It's a reason to get people talking about a brand that needs attention now, more than ever. Later this year, we will see the road-going version of Jaguar's new product, and until then, it's worth holding judgment, making any bold claims or writing off the brand too soon.

The old stuff isn't going anywhere.

It's also essential to remember that the Jaguar models we've loved over the years are not going away. Jaguar Classic is a brand in its own right, and as a result, the E-Types, XKs and MkIIs will be around and loved for many generations to come. The V8 engines will still roar and rumble, and the straight sixes will still rasp, pop, and bang. Just because the future looks different, it doesn't mean we have to stop appreciating the past.

Okay, so it's bold, but will this work?

Here’s the point where I play devil's advocate and prove that this isn’t a piece of paid advertorial content (I’m certain a few will be thinking it!) The question that I share with many others is the one regarding the future of the brand. Sure, the rebranding has its controversies, for example, I don't like the new typeface and inconsistent use of lower and uppercase lettering.

I also don't care much for JLR's latest obsession with acronyms and the use of a confusing double-J on the wheel centres, where an immediately recognisable Jaguar leaper would have sufficed. Do I think it's a good idea to power the new vehicles exclusively with electricity? Again, I'm not entirely sure, but time will reveal all as to what has been a good decision and what hasn't.

Beyond the controversial and at times upsetting reaction to the new branding and concept cars is the vital fact that sales of existing Jaguars in showrooms have dropped significantly since December last year. If I were a shareholder, an MD, or a CEO, I'd be more concerned about the future now than ever before.

However, and here's the big caveat, this change was wholly necessary. Jaguar has been in a dark place long before the bright colours and bold statements were a thing. For as long as I can remember, the brand has been desperately trying to shift the perception of being exclusively desirable to stuffy old men wearing driving gloves and ill-fitting tweed. The new brand, assuming it works, is not going to sit well for the stereotypical Jaguar owner up to this point, and that, depending on how you look at it, might be the most significant and clever move forward so far.

If you're still angry, the problem might be you.

Change can be challenging to accept, especially when it involves an area that people are passionate about. For many, a brand such as Jaguar represents so much more than just another car brand. It triggers nostalgia, emotion and pride. As a proud Brit, I want to see the brand succeed and be perceived as one of luxury, class and elegance for many years to come. The rebrand has not been perfect, but it has been necessary. Now that I have seen the concept car for myself, I'm feeling a little more confident about the future of the Jaguar brand. Let's just hope it works.

words by John Marcar
photography by Henry Faulkner-Smith, Emily Banks and John Marcar