Jaguar's contentious rebrand finally gets its car moment, but questions remain

After weeks of controversy surrounding what some critics have called a "carless" rebrand, Jaguar has finally unveiled its Type 00 concept at Miami Art Week, attempting to bridge the gap between its polarising new identity and its automotive heritage.

The reveal comes as the storied British marque battles scepticism over what many see as a radical departure from its traditional luxury positioning.

The journey to this moment has been anything but smooth. When Jaguar first unveiled its new brand identity in November, the launch was met with immediate backlash. The initial campaign, featuring diverse models in high fashion but notably devoid of any vehicles, drew criticism from conservative commentators who labelled it "woke," even attracting commentary from Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk. The controversy centred not just on the campaign's content, but on what many saw as an abandonment of Jaguar's core identity as a luxury car manufacturer.

Perhaps more significant than the aesthetic overhaul is Jaguar's dramatic repositioning in the luxury market. The brand is setting its sights on ultra-luxury territory currently occupied by Range Rover, its corporate cousin under the Tata Motors umbrella. This represents a stunning leap from Jaguar's current price positioning of £50,000-£80,000 ($63,00-$101,000) to what industry observers expect will be a much higher price point in line with ultra-luxury competitors—a move that has experts questioning whether the brand can justify such a dramatic upmarket shift.

The choice to reveal the Type 00 at Miami Art Week rather than a traditional auto show also suggests a reinforcement of Jaguar's new "exuberant modernism" philosophy. Presented in "Miami Pink" and "London Blue," the concept car attempts to marry the brand's controversial new identity with its British heritage—a deliberate effort to position Jaguar as an art-world luxury brand rather than just another premium automaker. The company claims this timing emphasises its purpose as an advocate for art and a celebration of British creativity, though cynics might view this as another attempt to distance the brand from its automotive roots in favour of more fashionable cultural credentials.

The Type 00 itself is a dramatic departure from Jaguar's traditional design language. Gone are the muscular haunches and growling grilles that defined the marque for decades. In their place, a new aesthetic emerges: Butterfly doors sweep upward to reveal an interior dominated by three hand-finished brass lines running the length of the cabin. The exterior showcases what Jaguar calls a "fearless" new face, with flush surfaces and a distinctive light signature emphasising the car's width. Even the iconic leaping cat has been reimagined, now laser-etched into brass ingots that theatrically deploy to reveal rear-facing cameras.

Inside, the modernist approach continues with floating instrument panels and seats supported by travertine stone plinths. The interior evades traditional luxury materials in favour of woven wool blend fabrics and deployable screens that glide silently from the dashboard. It's a space that feels more art installation than automotive cockpit. Beyond the artistic flourishes, Jaguar's new dedicated Electric Architecture promises to deliver 430 miles of range and add 200 miles in just 15 minutes of charging—ambitious for a brand reinventing both its identity and engineering.

Marketing experts remain divided on the strategy. While some praise it as a significant disruption that could eventually work in Jaguar's favour, others have labelled it reckless, questioning whether the radical departure from its established identity will resonate with either existing or aspirational customers, or risk alienating their base entirely.

"Watching Jaguar's rebrand from afar does remind me of the Ship of Theseus paradox," says Prayaank Gupta, executive director at Ellerton & Co, a public relations and marketing firm based in Singapore. "The company is undergoing so much change that, though it sits within its same hallowed facilities, it no longer feels familiar. It's as if, in its quest to reinvent itself, Jaguar has not only lost its way, but its soul. In this new direction the company may well have sounded its own colourful, abstract death knell."

Such stark criticism comes at a critical juncture. With production models not expected until 2026, Jaguar has given itself a long runway to convince the market of its new direction. The company is already taking concrete steps toward its all-electric future, converting its Halewood, UK factory to all-electric production and phasing out internal combustion engine vehicles.

The success of this transformation will ultimately depend on whether Jaguar can convince ultra-luxury buyers that its new identity—from its simplified logomark to its art-world aspirations—justifies Range Rover-level pricing. It's a gamble that sees Jaguar attempting to rewrite not just its brand identity, but its entire market position.