Jaguar boss says he showed ‘fearless creativity’ with new electric car | Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar’s design boss said the car brand showed “fearless creativity” as it unveiled a much-hyped electric vehicle that sparked backlash online over its unusual marketing campaign.

Gerry McGovern, who is responsible for design for Jaguar’s parent company, said at a launch event in Miami on Monday: “Some may love it now, some may love it later and some may never love it.” That’s what fearless creativity brings about.”

The British brand unveiled the new concept car, dubbed Type 00 (pronounced “Zero Zero”), to set the tone for a relaunch that represents a change in strategy. A version ready for series production is scheduled to be released at the end of 2025.

The rebranding has already attracted far more attention than usual for a car launch after a teaser trailer – which did not feature the car itself – became the subject of polarized and often biting comments online. Elon Musk, the boss of rival electric car brand Tesla, asked: “Do you sell cars?”

Jaguar chose the US city of Miami for the launch event during its arts week as a symbol of its move away from the premium market – in which its cars have struggled to compete with Germany’s BMW and Mercedes-Benz – towards a more international, wealthier elite. The production car is expected to cost more than £100,000 when released, almost double the average price of the previous range.

The concept model was unveiled in two colors: Miami Pink and London Blue, a departure from Jaguar’s traditional racing green. Images of the car – leaked on Monday hours before the official launch – show a wraparound windshield, a long front hood and a rear-view video screen in place of a rear window.

The front also features the new Jaguar logo – the brand name written in a sans serif font – while a version of the ‘Springer’ cat is only seen etched on the pop-out side cameras. The “Growler” big cat badge of the previous models is not present.

Jaguar said the new car, which will be manufactured in Solihull, UK, will have a range of up to 478 miles, with fast charging capable of reaching 200 miles in 15 minutes.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) chief executive Adrian Mardell said he wanted Jaguar to be a “original British luxury brand, unrivaled in its heritage, artistry and emotional appeal”.

“This is the Jaguar we are reclaiming, and we will evoke the same sense of awe that surrounded iconic models like the E-Type,” he said, referring to the sports car – a symbol of the swinging ’60s – that has long been Jaguars are considered a design highlight.

JLR, owned by Indian conglomerate Tata, has taken two strikingly different paths for the two brands. His Land Rover vehicles are big earners, and so a new electric version of the Range Rover hardly differs in appearance from its petrol counterpart.

In contrast, Jaguar’s sales had long been declining, so the company decided to completely reinvent itself. The company has been slower to introduce electric cars than many rivals, selling only the aging Jaguar I-Pace, but is investing £18 billion to produce battery versions of its range alongside petrol cars.