For Jaguar, Blue And Pink Is The New Black

Blue and pink is the new black. Or British Green. At least that’s what Jaguar wants us to believe with its new cars.

In a revamp that’s more Barbie than Bond villain, Jaguar has unveiled its first all-new electric car at the Miami Art Week. The Type 00 Concept—pronounced ‘Type Zero Zero’— has been shown in two colourways: Miami Pink and London Blue. While the former is a nod to the Art Deco of the Magic City, the latter references the brand’s century-old British heritage.

That’s a stark departure from Jag's roguish charm, often clad in black.

The concept car is a two-door coupé—a nod to the iconic Jaguar E-Type that defined Jaguar’s design language since 1961—but it will not go into production. What will is an electric four-door grand tourer that will be built in the UK and launched in late 2025.

The concept features a long bonnet—atypical of electric cars—a sweeping roofline and fastback profile that rests on 23-inch wheels for what Jaguar calls a “dramatic silhouette”. The car lacks a rear windscreen but there’s a panoramic sunroof to look out of. The new “leaping Jaguar” is etched on a brass ingot on each side of the car, which open to reveal rear-facing cameras in place of conventional wing mirrors.

The front is bereft of the signature four headlights and narrow grill. Instead, we get a slatted facia embossed by the new, much-debated 'jaGuar' logo. The car, overall, lacks dramatic lines or distinct shoulders.

The minimalism continues on the inside—the dashboard does away with physical switches altogether. A panoramic touchscreen dominates, instead. The central tunnel that traditionally houses the transmission is decked with a brass-lined spine. The upholstery, in no surprise, is a mix of beige and white.

“This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination,” Gerry McGovern, chief creative officer at JLR, said in a media statement. “It is our first physical manifestation and the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you’ve seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour.”

The cars will use the dedicated Jaguar Electric Architecture and target a range of up to 430 km on full charge, with the ability to add 321 km of charge in 15 minutes. Jaguar plans to launch three electric cars by the end of 2026. Each of these will be priced over $100,000, or substantially higher than the outgoing $60,000-price tag.

“The magic of Jaguar is close to my heart—an original British luxury brand unmatched in its heritage, artistry and emotional magnetism,” Adrian Mardell, chief executive officer at JLR, said. “That’s the Jaguar we are capturing and we will create the same sense of awe that surrounded iconic models like the E-Type. Our journey is already underway, guided by the original ethos to Copy Nothing—and the results will be spectacular.”

Mardell’s comment follows the unveil of Jaguar’s redesigned logo that has been called, among other things, “woke garbage”. The concept itself is a stark departure from the old “Jaaag”, which while elegant were charmingly roguish, appealing to the “slightly caddish”. The new one is as amorphous a design as any electric car in the market.

To be sure, JLR parent Tata Motors Ltd. wants to start the next chapter of Jaguar’s storied history with a clean slate, so much so that the British brand is going dormant in the UK until 2026, when it will emerge as an EV only brand.

JLR laid out plans to take Jaguar on an all-electric route in early 2021, after then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to phase out sales of petrol and diesel cars by the end of this decade. The transition, however, is faltering globally.

Still, Tata Motors is persisting with its $18-billion ‘Reimagine’ strategy for its crown jewel.

In 2023, JLR announced plans to invest £15 million over the next five years to expand its industrial footprint, vehicle programmes, and technology know-how. The Halewood, UK plant will become electric only even as the first luxury electric Jaguars roll out of Solihull.

That, even as JLR continues its march to become net debt-free in 2025.

The company’s net debt position improved by £1.5 billion year-on-year in April-June 2024 even as it delivered record first-quarter revenue of £7.3 billion. While the going has gotten tough since then—revenue declined 5% year-on-year to £6.5 billion in July-September— JLR believes that Jaguar may sell fewer cars in its newest avatar but at much higher prices.

“The setup for this brand as we relaunch it in 2026 is going to be spot-on,” CEO Mardell said in a post-earnings call on Nov. 8. “We’re confident that, as we roll out and when we come back, this is going to be something very, very special, and appeal to lots of existing and new clients.”

But for Gabor Schreier, chief creative officer at Saffron Brand Consultants whose past clients include Daimler’s city-car brand Smart, the reimagining smacks a bit of desperation.

“All these established carmakers are in panic mode,” he told Bloomberg after the new Jaguar logo was unveiled. “They are trying to hide it, but they are in terrible panic mode, and running into a sort of schizophrenia where they don’t know if they belong to the old combustion world, or to the new EV world.”