Jaguar reveals ‘Type 00’ idea automobile, first in controversial rebrand

Famed British carmaker Jaguar revealed its new automobile design route Monday evening with the introduction of an all-electric idea automobile referred to as “Type 00.”

The automobile, pronounced “Type Zero Zero,” encompasses a minimalistic but considerably gaudy design. It is boxy with glossy lights and enormous wheels, a notably visible change from the model’s present, sporty automobiles and SUVs.

Automakers routinely use idea automobiles to gauge buyer curiosity in a design or present the longer term route of a automobile or model. The automobiles will not be meant to be bought to shoppers.

Jaguar is anticipated to supply a number of new electrical automobiles over the approaching years, together with a four-door GT automobile that’s anticipated to be revealed subsequent 12 months that resembles the idea automobile.

Jaguar is projecting a spread of as much as 430 miles on a single cost with its new manufacturing EV, with as much as 200 miles of vary in quarter-hour when speedy charging.

The new idea automobile comes weeks after Jaguar launched an artistically flamboyant video meant to debut the corporate’s “Copy Nothing” rebranding.

The video featured androgynous fashions of various ethnicities and sizes posing in vibrant clothes in a brightly coloured panorama. The 30-second clip was accompanied by new logos and fonts for the embattled automobile firm, part of Tata Motors-owned group Jaguar Land Rover.

The rebrand and video went viral on-line, drawing widespread criticism on social media final month. The criticism ranged from commenters critiquing the corporate’s font selection and determination to take away the Jaguar animal brand — which has been featured on the automobile for the reason that Fifties — to calling the corporate “woke” and saying it was abandoning its heritage.

Critics additionally famous that the advert didn’t have a automobile within the video. The firm defended its efforts regardless of the backlash, saying the “model relaunch for Jaguar is a daring and imaginative reinvention and as anticipated it has attracted consideration and debate.”

The promoting marketing campaign got here after Jaguar in early November halted all new automobile gross sales within the U.Okay. because it prepares to relaunch as an electric-only firm in 2026, a part of a wider trade shift that’s presenting quite a few challenges for automakers.

Over the previous few years, a number of automakers have introduced plans to completely promote EVs, however many have backed off amid slower-than-expected adoption of the automobiles.

“We must re-establish our model and at a very totally different worth level so we have to act otherwise. We wished to maneuver away from conventional automotive stereotypes,” Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover informed the Financial Times in an interview final month.

Glover additionally condemned “the extent of vile hatred and intolerance” expressed by some folks commenting on the advertising video and denied it was “woke.”

— CNBC’s Jenni Reid contributed to this report.