British automaker Jaguar has revealed images of its electric concept car, the Type 00, two weeks on from the launch of a rebrand that made waves online.
Unveiled last night at Miami Art Week in a series of renderings, the Type 00 concept car is supposed to embody Jaguar's new creative philosophy of "exuberant modernism" with a design that the company sees as defying electric vehicle conventions.
The exterior of the car marries a sweeping, fastback rear with a boxy and angular front end and a panoramic roof that is said to have "body-harmonising glazing".
Both the front and rear of the car make use of the "strikethrough" – a new linear graphic motif that hides full-width tailights at the rear – while the classic image of the leaping jaguar has been sidelined from the front or rear of the car in favour of the rounded letterforms of the new wordmark.
The "leaper" instead appears discreetly on the side of the car, where it is laser-etched into a brass ingot that deploys to reveal rear-facing cameras.
"Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar's new creative philosophy," said Jaguar Land Rover chief creative officer Gerry McGovern. "It has an unmistakeable presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination."
"It is our first physical manifestation and the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you've ever seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour."
Jaguar chief exterior designer Constantino Segui Gilabert added that the concept car was a "dramatic presence" that channelled British creativity and originality.
"Jaguar is no place for ordinary," he said. "When you see a new Jaguar for the first time, it must have a sense of awe, of never having been seen before. Type 00 commands attention, like all the best Jaguars of the past."
Inside the interior, the Type 00 is characterised by three materials: brass, travertine stone and wool-blend woven textiles from Kvadrat. Three lines of brass run the length of the interior, one along each of the doors and one down the centre forming a "spine", while the stone appears like a plinth for the seats.
Perhaps most unusually, there is an interactive experience called Prism based around these materials.
Users can pick one of three totems – one made of brass, another travertine and the last alabaster – to place inside the centre console to tailor the mood of the interior, including elements such as ambient lighting, soundscape and screen graphics. The experience is meant to invite users to reflect and appreciate simple sensations.
"We have three key materials – brass, travertine stone and textiles – and the way we use these materials represents bold pieces of art and creates a unique atmosphere," said Jaguar chief materiality designer Mary Crisp.
As with the exterior, there is a focus on subtle or hidden technologies, with screens that glide across the dashboard, powered stowage areas that slide open on demand and a live display replacing the rear view mirror.
The Type 00 was presented in two colours – Miami Pink and London Blue. The name of the concept car is meant to hark back to the classic naming convention used for historical models like Jaguar's E-Type, while the first zero references zero tailpipe emissions and the second represents that this is car zero in a new lineage.
Jaguar has positioned its rebrand as a "complete reset" and aims to reveal its first reimagined production car, an electric four-door GT, in late 2025. It will also open new "brand stores" around the world as part of this push.
Jaguar was widely mocked when it revealed its rebrand on 18 November, particularly for a video advert that included diverse human models but no cars.
In a Dezeen opinion column design writer Sophie Tolhurt said it was "baffling" and suggested the company was "leaning on others' visions of the future" rather than finding its own.
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