Yahoo News Why Jaguar's 'polarising' new Type 00 concept car has divided opinion
The British car maker has unveiled its striking new design following its controversial rebrand.
Jaguar has revealed a first look at its new luxury electric car after fending off criticism of its controversial rebrand last month.
The British car maker sparked widespread controversy last month when it unveiled a series of dramatic changes ahead of becoming a fully electric brand.
This included a new bespoke logo, written as JaGUar, a new prancing “leaper” cat design and marketing slogans such as “delete ordinary”, “live vivid” and “copy nothing”.
On Tuesday, images of the new design were unveiled at an event in Miami. And although it's a concept car - and therefore only an indication of what will eventually end up on the production line - it's the first proper glimpse of how the company plans to breathe life into the iconic British car.
Yahoo News takes a look at the first reviews....
'The haters won't admit Jaguar's new car is a modern take on the E-Type'
The concept has a legitimate design connection to one of history’s most iconic Jaguars. I think it really looks like how the E-Type coupe might have if it had remained in production for the past fifty years and through the magic of Photoshop I have produced this side-by-side images to show just how connected these two Jags are. Now, these comparison images are definitely not perfectly to scale; we don’t have dimensions but the Type 00 is certainly much huger than the E-Type and rides on 23-inch wheels, so I just placed the cars to be about equal length in these images so you can really see the similarities.
'Unlike anything Jaguar has done before'
In an effort to “Copy Nothing,” the concept retains the basic parameters that have always defined Jaguars, namely a long hood, graceful roofline sweeping rearward with a fastback rear, and a proper stance thanks to its large 23-inch alloy wheels. Interestingly, the concept uses glass on its roof, but not on the rear tailgate.
It also wears a distinctive new face. With lighting placed in the corners to emphasize its width, it’s clearly upright and boasts Jaguar’s new fashion-forward logo at its center using a custom typeface named Jaguar Exuberance. Air intakes remain hidden unless needed, at which point they open to let the car breathe.
'Shocking, brave, radical, brilliant'
Say hello to Type 00, Jaguar’s new design vision concept made real. Shocking, brave, radical, brilliant. It’s all-electric, takes the form of a low, muscular coupe with a long bonnet, sweeping roofline, fastback profile and moon-sized 23” alloy wheels. It is, says its maker, an example of what Jaguar does best: “a fearless statement, an object of desire.”
Under this extraordinary skin, Type 00 – zero emissions, car zero for New Jaguar – delivers a range of 430 miles on a single charge, no less. And yes, a year from now you’ll be able to order something that flows from this, in two years it can be sat on your drive. Think it’s a bit much? Fair enough, it’s not for you, and New Jaguar is fine with that.
'A concerning lack of respect to what went before'
And while there’s an undeniable optimism about the new direction, there’s a concerning lack of respect for what went before, some of which was very good indeed (the i-Pace for example, which was in the vanguard of following Tesla into an all-electric future) and most of which was signed off by the current management.
While the video presentations were filled with images of Bill Lyons and E-Types, of the other great Jaguar models and hugely influential figures from Jaguar’s past, there was no sign, almost as if they’d been purged from the company’s memory.
'The Type 00 pushes a radical rebrand even further'
Behind the promises of breaking moulds and copying nothing, this is still a car that sits on four wheels. Albeit enormous 23-inch wheels. Sadly, although I got to see a physical model against the neutral background of a viewing room, the only images Jaguar has released are heavily manipulated renderings with pink and blue versions of the car surrounded by similarly vivid backgrounds. But I can assure you the concept really does look like this.
Will such a bold new strategy work? That probably comes down to the question of whether the world needs more six-figure electric cars, and if Jaguar’s new brand direction will attract buyers who previously haven’t been considering its products.
