Jaguar has revealed its Type 00 concept car as part of the British automaker’s push to reinvent itself. While the resulting design exercise has been polarizing, it’s also keeping people’s attention on the brand.
Boasting a long hood and 23-inch wheels, the automaker said the Type 00 served as a “glimpse of its dramatic new creative philosophy.” Jaguar is calling its new design language “Exuberant Modernism” and tied it to the Copy Nothing ethos of its founder, Sir William Lyons.
The new concept is very clearly part of Jaguar’s similarly controversial rebrand, which consisted of a new logo and a marketing campaign that hasn’t yet featured any automobiles. While it did take a fair amount of criticism, it also garnered the brand a significant amount of attention. It may have looked like a pastel-infused perfume commercial and was assuredly a case of style over substance. But the marketing push was ultimately successful in getting eyes back on the company.
Jaguar’s Type 00 concept looks to be an attempt to bridge the media campaign back into something having to do with cars. It debuted at Miami Art Week and is vaguely reminiscent of the E-Type in profile. It’s blunted, modernized, and painted in sparkly fuchsia or baby blue. But you can see some of the hallmarks of Jaguar’s most-iconic model.
The fastback consists of a lot of flat surfaces that flow into each other, with the automaker stating that the intention was to have “exuberant proportions.” While there is no rear windshield, the car does come with a panoramic roof and gull-wing doors. It’s said to be entirely electric and rides on Jaguar Electrical Architecture, which is a proprietary all-electric platform.
Lacking mirrors, the Type 00 has brass flaps that pop open to reveal side-mounted cameras. Cameras also handle the lack of a rear window, with the feed going into a screen situated in the center dashboard. Additional screens are supposed to slide silently out of the dashboard when the vehicle is operational. But they remain stowed while parked to convey a minimalist appearance. There are loads of hand-finished brass accents inside, along with alabaster and travertine stone.
As previously mentioned, its debut has been polarizing among car enthusiasts. However, the Type 00 is unlikely to be a direct representation of anything Jaguar will actually produce. This is just a design concept that may go through several iterations before anyone even considers singing off on the necessary factory retooling.
However, Jaguar (like any automaker) wants to reinforce the idea that its concepts directly embody where future designs are heading — even if the reality is somewhere in the middle.
“Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar brand’s new creative philosophy. It has an unmistakeable [sic] presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination,” stated Chief creative officer of Jaguar Land Rover Gerry McGovern. “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.”
The real takeaway is what Jaguar is saying in tandem with the debut. Despite having a hard time with the all-electric I-Pace, the automaker says it still intends on pivoting exclusively to EVs. It also wants to embrace modernism, which is open to interpretation.
In terms of physical products, we know that the first vehicle to embrace Jaguar’s new mindset will be revealed late in 2025. The electrified model will be built inside the United Kingdom, yield four doors, and is supposed to slot into being a grand tourer with a targeted range of 430 miles.
Jaguar also plans on launching several high-end storefronts in major cities around the world to improve brand recognition and create a place for people to interact with the brand.
[Images: Jaguar]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Source: The Truth About Cars
