Jaguar has revealed an all-new model in Miami called the Type 00. The brand proudly claims that their latest car is not a copy of anything, as their new tagline says: "Don't copy anything." And this is true in a way, because the design is quite radical and definitely different from what we are used to from Jaguar. On the other hand, the shape itself is somewhat reminiscent of Rolls Royce's Specter concept from 2022, which was later discarded.
The new Type 00 (read "zero zero") marks a completely new beginning for the brand, which has been announced for the better part of the last month. Jaguar's marketing campaign was quite controversial, but definitely unique, which is what the brand was aiming for. If we think about the last time Jaguar was in the limelight, we'd probably have to go all the way back to 1961, when the E-Typa was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. However, this time they attracted attention in a completely different way than that time in Geneva, because by changing the famous jumping cat logo and using somewhat special marketing material, they started a lot of talk on the Internet. But, as they say, all publicity is good, even if it's bad.
Electrification is one of the main themes of Jaguar's transformation. Otherwise, we know that this is not Jaguar's first attempt at an electric car - the I-Pace has already turned 6 years old. This time, Jaguar aims quite high, as they intend to place the new Type 00 right next to the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT, but with its rather huge overall dimensions, it is more in the class of the BMW i7. It measures five meters in length and two meters in width, so the Type 00 is certainly not a light or elegant piece of automotive design, in fact quite the opposite. The words that can be used to describe the new design would be: wide, bold, imposing. In a way, the shape of this Gran Tourismo looks even more imposing than that of the Range Rover. With its, to say the least, huge dimensions for a car of its class, it will be interesting to see how the car will behave on our roads.
For now, the Type 00 concept is just that - a concept. Its purpose is more to hint at the brand's new design language than to show their next model as accurately as possible, although the new four-door gran coupe is expected as early as late 2025. The gran coupe version will be the first of Jaguar's new models, but later, of course, as suitable for today's trends, even an SUV that is not aimed at the Range Rover class, but rather at the Ferrari Purosangua, of course without the naturally aspirated V12 engine. Prices are expected to start at around €110.000, which is less than the Range Rover. Based on the proportions of the revealed concept, we can conclude that the gran tourismo version will be equipped with a suicide rear door, reminiscent of a Rolls Royce. Last but not least, we will also see a two-door coupe, which is still in the concept phase for now.
So far, we have listed many similarities with other cars, but this does not mean that Jaguar was not creative. The new Type 00 has a new design feature front and rear, and that is 16 horizontal bars, which will also be available in vertical and different densities. They may also be in place of the rear glass on the concept, but it will be interesting to see if this will be the case on the final product as well. These bars seem to be a signature of the new Jaguar, as they were quite proudly revealed two weeks ago. As a whole, the concept looks quite powerful and muscular, as it suggests - you will definitely not go unnoticed in the new Jaguars.
In terms of technical details, Jaguar unfortunately did not surprise us with an in-line six-cylinder, naturally aspirated V8 or anything similar. But they did reveal that the new Jaguars will have a pretty impressive electric powertrain. Otherwise, they haven't revealed many details yet, but the information about 1000 horsepower and 770 km of range is enough to conclude that the new JEA (Jaguar Electrical Architecture), on which the new models will be based, will be quite advanced.
The interior of the new Type 00 is still full of conceptual imagination and fantasy at the current stage, which will not make it to final production. Of course, they are forgiven, because Jaguar has made it clear that it is a concept. The bar trick of the interior is, of course, the 3,2-meter central spine, which is made of brass. But let me disappoint you that in all probability it will not be in this form in the final production, as the homologation regulations do not allow it due to the extraction of passengers in the event of an accident. Of course, no new car is complete without screens, and no concept car is complete without foldable screens. And the Type 00 is no different, as we can see two huge screens on the concept that will fold away when not in use. This makes sense, as Jaguar is working on new projection screens that will eliminate the need for screens while driving. This would likely eliminate some distractions for the driver and give the interior designers more freedom. So in the end, everyone is happy, except for the engineers who will have to design these screens. Inside, you'll be waiting in vain for decorative elements of walnut veneer, chrome and leather, because this is no longer the Jaguar of yesterday - we're talking about the Jaguar of tomorrow. Instead, there will be more sustainable solutions, such as wool accessories in the interior.
Jaguar has put everything on the line for the new Type 00 and its daughter models. Factories have been shut down and adapted to produce new electric models, and dealers will have nothing to sell for at least the next 12 months, with the exception of unsold inventory and vehicle servicing. A complete brand transformation is, in principle, a move that manufacturers avoid due to all the risks associated with it. Jaguar, however, has never been a completely predictable brand from a historical perspective, which has always made it special. Now, they have no choice but to cling to their new identity as a plot drunk, as this is their last option before extinction.
