Jaguar’s new concept car, the Type 00, has attracted plenty of attention. There have been heated debates about the size of its bonnet and wheels, and the lack of rear window.
At this stage it is just a concept though – an idea designed to demonstrate the kind of engineering and design that will be involved in a new Jaguar vehicle that people can actually buy and drive and which is expected to be revealed in 2025.
But for some car enthusiasts, the Type 00 (named after the company’s aim for zero emissions) still came as a bit of a shock. Jaguar is, after all, a well established premium brand, associated with sleek curves, racing and James Bond movies.
The company has also unveiled a new logo as part of a determined mission to reinvent that brand. “We need to change people’s perceptions of what Jaguar stands for,” says the firm’s managing director.
But change can be risky. And “brand authenticity” – how consumers relate to big companies, and how they attach consumption value to them – is a delicate idea.
It usually involves things like heritage (history), craftsmanship and a sense of consistency. And my research suggests that accessibility, convenience and affordability are becoming increasingly important.
Heritage and craftsmanship have long been part of Jaguar’s status as a maker of classic cars. But all companies need to consider the future, and Jaguar’s approach could be seen as a logical attempt to identify and connect with new consumers when sales have reportedly dropped from 180,000 units in 2018 to just 67,000 in 2023, and competition in the global car industry is intense.
So how is the rebranding going so far?
When it comes to reviving public interest in Jaguar and getting people talking about the company, it has certainly been successful. But the razzmatazz of showing off a big pink is not enough to hide a few marketing errors.
Perhaps the key issue is that the campaign appears to ignore Jaguar’s valuable legacy. Rebranding means educating (or reminding) consumers about a brand’s heritage and craftsmanship – the main selling points that Jaguar has established over the past century.
The company was founded in 1922, produced its first fuel-engined sports car (the XK120) in 1948 and then the much-loved E-Type in 1961. Today, Jaguar offers a collection of SUVs, saloons, sports cars, and electric vehicles under a brand which, for many, signifies quality design, performance and status. It is these traits which allow Jaguar’s vehicles to command premium prices.
The Type 00 concept car does not remind people of these hard-won achievements. Instead, it opts for replacing the familiar with the completely new – a new shape, a new logo, a new approach to rear windows. It tells potential customers about the features of its next generation of cars, but forgets to mention the possible benefits of owning one.
And the new cars based on this concept are expected to be pretty expensive. At over £100,000, this will be a considerable mark up on their most recent electric vehicles.
So will consumers accept that kind of price tag, if they can’t see or feel any of Jaguar’s old brand when they’re driving? And is it even possible to experience a roaring engine and a smooth gearbox in an electric car operated using a digital screen?
Research suggests that consumers choose an electric vehicle based on affordability, travel range and performance. Affordability is (or should be) a key concern for all car manufacturers in the face of rising competition from Chinese firms such as BYD and Polestar.
When it comes to range, Jaguar’s concept car leaves us none the wiser. But research suggests (and is borne out non-scientifically in the conversations I have had with family and friends) that it’s an important issue. I call it the “fear of running out of battery”, or “Foroob” for short.
Foroob intensifies when EV owners plan a long-distance journey. How low can the battery go before a recharge is necessary? Where will I be able to stop, and will a charging point even be available? None of the features promoted by Jaguar’s Type 00 helps to mitigate Foroob.
The actual cars, when they land on forecourts in 2026, will of course come with more information about range and performance. And for now, Jaguar bosses seem pleased with the concept car as a testament to the “fearless creativity” necessary to disrupt the electric vehicle market.
But perhaps they should be wary of the cases where rebranding has not really worked. Logos matter to consumers. The Gap clothing company and Tropicana orange juice are just two examples of big companies which ditched their fancy new designs after a public backlash.
For even the most dazzling new designs may not bewitch consumers’ hearts and wallets if they ignore the brand’s historic and valuable past – and the sentimental value consumers attach to them.
Kokho Jason Sit is affiliated with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK).
