Jaguar has been a beloved brand for car enthusiasts for decades, thanks to its incredible racing success in the 1950s, which produced Le Mans winners such as the XK-120C, C-Type and D-Type.
And so the iconic Jaguar E-Type was born, which Enzo Ferrari called “the most beautiful car ever made.”
An anonymous JLR insider confirmed that the rebranding was equally unpopular within the company.
Let's fast forward to today.
After changing hands many times over the decades, Jaguar now belongs to India's Tata Motors, which also owns Land Rover. The latter worked very well, especially with the all-new version of Defender.
What about Jaguar? Well, we've all seen the ad by now.
From hero to zero
No more jumping Jaguars, no more roaring engines, no more classy cars with James Bond style. The trendy off-base teaser announcement didn't even show the actual car.
An anonymous JLR insider confirmed that the rebranding was equally unpopular within the company. How much did Jaguar spend on consultants to create this awful ad? Too much!
In any case, last week we finally got a glimpse of how this parade of eccentric fashion victims translates into car design: Jaguar's new Type 00 (pronounced Type Zero Zero). Masu).
The Type 00 is an electric vehicle with a long bonnet, spacious roofline, fastback profile and 23-inch alloy wheels. It gives the impression that it wants to be priced similarly to a Rolls-Royce Specter.
Debuting in late 2025, the Type 00 will be built in the UK. It features a glass-less rear tailgate, panoramic roof, and all-around glass with body-matching glass. It comes in two colors, Miami Pink and London Blue, and is expected to have a range of up to 430 miles on a single fast charge.
raw trading
Jaguar also plans to cut ties with most dealers as part of its move to an all-electric range by 2026. The brand intends to focus on affluent areas where potential buyers of its new luxury electric vehicles live.
If you have any doubts about the rationale behind this radical makeover, please refer to this statement from Jaguar's marketing director. Santino Pietrosanti:
“We are on a unique journey of transformation, driven by a vision of diversity, inclusion, creativity, policy and, most importantly, action.”
Whatever that means, going all-electric at the wrong time could cost a brand its future.
I know a lot of people are enjoying Jaguar's transition from a macho V-8 brand to a feminine EV brand. But in reality, this is a leading indicator that the entire industry is moving towards the same environmentally friendly battery-powered vehicles.
Almost every brand has seen the light and gone back to offering gasoline and hybrid cars in addition to electric cars.
Apparently it's not a jaguar. Didn't the company listen to the news or talk to consumers?
what the customer wanted
“We need to re-establish the brand, and we need to act differently, at a completely different price point. We wanted to break away from traditional automotive stereotypes,” says Jaguar's managing director. Director Rawdon Glover said.
Some might call what Glover calls “stereotypes” a 100-year legacy. In any case, the company obliterated it with the “Hail Mary” rebranding of this expensive fashion show.
To be fair, the campaign did succeed in terms of buzz. Jaguar earned $1 billion in earned media. Kudos to whoever put that part together. All it takes is a new customer base of drivers willing to spend $100,000 or more per EV.
Let's hope new customers buy from us. Jaguar sold just 66,000 cars in 2023.
Yet another historic British brand has squandered its heritage. This should come as a surprise to no one, given the direction the UK has generally been heading in recent years. Keep in mind that if you live there and object to this advertising campaign on social media, you will likely be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Luckily, I'm American.
