I think I was wrong about the new Jaguar: Opinion

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that the Jaguar we once knew, and perhaps even loved, is no more.

The British marque has repositioned itself in the ultra-luxury market, setting its sights on rivals such as Porsche and Bentley while targeting a younger, wealthier, and more tech-savvy clientele.

In 2024, Jaguar announced that it would halt production across its entire line-up as it prepared for a major rebrand, unveiling its ‘Copy Nothing’ campaign in the process. 

Jaguar’s fashion-driven campaign, which notably featured no cars and abandoned the brand’s familiar visual identity, sparked widespread backlash. 

The prototype of its first new model only fuelled the debate.

Dubbed the Jaguar Type 00, the concept was unlike anything the brand had produced before, featuring entirely new badging and ditching the iconic leaping jaguar emblem as a mainstay, relegating it to a support act.

For many traditionalists, the Type 00’s boxy silhouette, squared-off front end and futuristic styling were a stark departure from the sleek, refined design language that had long defined Jaguar. And then, the production version officially launched. 

MORE: Got questions? Ask a Drive expert (not an AI agent) here

What is the Jaguar Type 01?

The Jaguar Type 01 is the first production model in Jaguar’s bold EV-only reboot – an ultra-luxury electric sedan that will come to Australia with a starting price of about $300,000.

The most powerful road-going Jaguar ever built, the Type 01 packs a tri-motor powertrain producing 757kW (1030 metric horsepower) and 1365Nm combined.

Built on the company’s new JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture), this radical EV has a claimed WLTP driving range of 720km. 

The styling didn’t venture far from the concept, with a long bonnet intended to recall the traditional proportions of petrol-powered luxury cars, plus a low roofline and a polarising front fascia.

Jaguar kept the bodywork clean, with frameless door glass, and much of the interior technology hidden from view.

The design takes an even more radical approach in the rear, with a wide, imposing strikethrough design and no conventional rear windscreen. Instead, a rear-facing camera feeds a digital rear-view display inside the cabin.

Other standout features include a central spine running through the cabin, separating the four individual seats, and a 24-inch OLED display positioned behind the steering wheel to house the instruments and infotainment system, rather than the traditional centre-dash layout.

The Type 01 is slated for Australia, with Jaguar to open orders from 2027.

What has Jaguar said?

I attended the global reveal of the Jaguar Type 01 in New York earlier this month, and after speaking with executives, it was clear they hadn’t anticipated the level of backlash that followed their rebrand announcement.

“I think the sort of politicisation of those messages was certainly never the intent,” Rawdon Glover, managing director of Jaguar, told Drive.

“It was actually more around a message about creativity and originality that got hijacked,” said Glover.

Jaguar also acknowledged its previous business model was no longer viable, with poor commercial performance and a shrinking, ageing customer base helping drive the decision to reinvent the iconic British marque.

“It wasn’t sustainable for us to continue as we were,” Glover said.

“A lot of brand management is small, little changes… It’s about tweaks here and there. This wasn’t one of those changes.

“It really needed to be a big step.”

He also told Drive that interest in the brand’s new direction was strong, with around 50,000 people signed up to receive updates. Close to 80 per cent of them are new to the brand.

We’ll keep you posted once we receive an update from Jaguar on order numbers and the level of interest in Australia.

What are people saying?

I posted this reel below on the 9th of October, which has hit 1.9 million views, and I’m still getting comments to this day. 

With 1005 comments, it took me a while to get through them all, but not everyone was being negative.

In fact, many people, like me, admitted that they might have been wrong.

“We owe a big big apology to Jaguar.” 

“Haters licking their wounds.”

“The Type 01 is the kind of EV that actually sells a brand.”

“Sorry, we judged you too early, really sorry.”

Then of course, there were plenty of haters:

“Not going to sell many of them.”

“Nice refrigerator.”

“A fridge on wheels.”

“Looks like another battery powered car…no artistry, no style, no elegance.”

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

My verdict

Before you assume that my opinion is influenced by the fact that I attended a brand-funded event, let me be clear: I was very upfront in my YouTube video about the fact that the car wasn’t “my cup of tea”. 

That was my initial reaction after seeing it for the first time, and I filmed my thoughts straight afterwards, before I’d had the chance to properly walk around it or sit inside.

I also posted a rather cheeky reel on my personal Instagram back in 2024, throwing shade at Jaguar’s rebrand campaign when it first launched. So, yes, I’m more than comfortable forming my own opinions, even if they’re not what a brand wants to hear. 

I’ve done it plenty of times before, and I’ll continue to do so whenever a car doesn’t appeal to me.

What changed my mind was seeing the Type 01 out on the road. It looked completely different to how it did in the photos, and I have to admit, it looked pretty boss! I drive a boxy car myself, so I’m naturally drawn to that chunky, muscular aesthetic.

That said, there are still things I’m not sold on. The idea of relying on a digital camera to see what’s behind me isn’t particularly appealing. Just give me a rear windscreen, please! 

I’m also not a fan of the lack of physical buttons, something we’re seeing more and more in newer cars. Why are so many manufacturers so determined to get rid of buttons and dials?

What I do appreciate, though, is that Jaguar has dared to do something different. The cars flooding our market are starting to look increasingly similar, so I’ll give the brand credit for stepping outside the mould and creating something that stands apart from the crowd.

One thing’s for sure, you’ll be able to spot this car from a mile away. But just how many will we see on Australian roads? Only time will tell.

MORE: Jaguar boss on why the brand had to pivot: ‘Wasn’t sustainable’

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