Jaguar reveals ‘Type 00’ concept car, first in controversial rebrand

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

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

Automakers routinely use idea autos to gauge buyer curiosity in a design or present the long run course of a automobile or model. The autos usually are not meant to be bought to customers.

Jaguar is anticipated to provide a number of new electrical autos over the approaching years, together with a four-door GT automotive that’s anticipated to be revealed subsequent yr that resembles the idea automotive.

Jaguar is projecting a variety 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 brand 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 automotive 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 alternative and choice to take away the Jaguar animal brand — which has been featured on the automotive for the reason that Nineteen Fifties — to calling the corporate “woke” and saying it was abandoning its heritage.

Critics additionally famous that the advert didn’t have a automotive within the video. The corporate 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 automotive gross sales within the U.Ok. because it prepares to relaunch as an electric-only firm in 2026, a part of a wider business shift that’s presenting quite a few challenges for automakers.

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

“We have to re-establish our model and at a totally completely different value level so we have to act in another way. We wished to maneuver away from conventional automotive stereotypes,” Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover informed the Monetary Instances 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.