Double Zero: Is It Too Much of a Provocation for Jaguar?

Jaguar has finally revealed its new 100% electric concept Type 00. But is it a car or a communications exercise?

Who knows, in a few years, Jaguar’s communication in 2024 might be cited as an example in the top schools. But today, it’s hard to understand this embarrassing stance. And what about its name, Type 00?

As often, social media is a good indicator of the reception of this quirky vehicle. While some find it original, exciting, modern, or breathtaking, others urge Jaguar’s designers to respect the brand’s history a bit more or even to “eliminate this anomaly and go back to the drawing board”. One thing is certain, the Indo-British car manufacturer is undertaking its biggest change in history by becoming an exclusively electric brand, choosing to do so with less British reservedness and more Bollywood-style glitter! For proof, look at the colors chosen for the two models presented, which are far from the elegant Green “British Green”. The Pink “Miami Pink” pays tribute to the city’s iconic architecture where the car was unveiled. The Blue “London Blue” honors British creativity, inspired by the Opalescent Silver Blue color of the 1960s Jaguar Type E. We invite you to explore this historic color and tell us what you think of the homage…

During the presentation of this Type 00 at the Miami art fair, Gerry McGovern, Jaguar’s Director of Design, expressed his excitement about the various emotions stirred by the company’s new direction. “This initiative has already sparked emotions and will continue to do so,” he said. “Jaguar does not aim to please everyone.” On this point, it’s hard to disagree, but how many brands in automotive history have succeeded in completely changing their image and clientele? Because we can guess that a Jaguar collector is not going to rush to the dealership to buy a Type 00 to enrich their garage. Last month, Jaguar asked us to “be patient and suspend all judgment” regarding this change of course. So, we will give a simple piece of common sense advice to TATA, Jaguar’s parent company. Perhaps it would have been better to create a new youthful, dynamic, modern, and fun brand rather than recycling Jaguar and sweeping over a centuries-old heritage under the carpet. Only time will tell.

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