Copy Nothing? We analyse whether Jaguar keeps its promise

A bold step or is the brand gambling away its future for good?

Photo by: Jaguar

By: Roland Hildebrandt

Dec 5, 2024 at 3:11am ET

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UNMISTAKABLE, UNEXPECTED, DRAMATIC. Jaguar is hitting the ground running, and with a really big hammer. You've probably already guessed what it's all about: the new study called Jaguar Type 00, which is intended to provide a glimpse of the future. Slogan: Copy Nothing. Which we strongly doubt. Here is my very personal opinion.

Let's start with the positive aspects: Jaguar has achieved maximum attention with the Type 00. The study is being discussed and illustrated all over the world, even outside the car magazines. A lot of PR with presumably manageable effort, which is absolutely necessary as Jaguar's first new car (an electric saloon) will only be presented in just over a year's time.

Gallery: Jaguar Type 00 Concept (2024)

Source: Jaguar

We are stuck with the study for now, but who came up with the name "Type 00"? Officially, the name encompasses the heritage and the future of the brand as the prefix "Type" refers to the brand's roots whilst the zeros stand for zero emissions and the start of a completely new model family. I see.

Furthermore, "A fearless statement, an object of desire, a design vision with bold shapes and opulent proportions - an inspiration for future Jaguar models. The visionary design defies the usual standards for electric vehicles - with a long bonnet, sweeping roofline, fastback profile and 23-inch alloy wheels; all creating a spectacular silhouette."

Apart from the fact that I absolutely cannot stand such marketing gobbledygook, this is supposed to be visionary? It's easy to recognise the legendary Jaguar E-Type (long bonnet, not necessary for an electric car) and its successor, the XJ-S (the rear side window). But hey, the Type 00 is an eye-catcher. That is undisputed. And of course, the production vehicle planned for 2027 will not look the same.

Jaguar Type 00 Concept (2024)

Picture from: Jaguar

The sticking point for me is the constant emphasis on "Copy Nothing". Literally, it says: "The brand is returning to the original "Copy Nothing" ethos of its founder Sir William Lyons." And that means a mixture of generator, heat pump and Tesla Cybertruck? Rolls-Royce Spectre at the front, Chrysler Crossfire at the back, Bentley in between.

Now you may object: Nowadays you can hardly dare to do anything new in car design. In contrast to the Citroën DS of 1955, the Porsche 901/911 of 1963, an NSU Ro 80 of 1967 or the first Renault Twingo. That may be true. but all the cars mentioned have become icons thanks to their timelessness without being forced into it. And in my opinion, the new electric Renault 5 shows how retro can be successfully mixed with the future.

NSU Ro 80 (1967)

Other examples of timelessness: the Braun electrical appliances by Dieter Rams or the industrial graphics by Otl Aicher (Olympia 72, Lufthansa and more). Or the Bauhaus theme, which Jaguar may have had in mind. Here, however, Wikipedia is quoted: "The Bauhaus interpreted the design principle "form follows function" as "renunciation of any ornament". However, critics such as Adolf Loos objected even then that an oversized ("ornament-free") glass façade of a high-rise building without any practical use was also a kind of ornament.

What do you think?

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Comments

Adolf Loos died in 1933, and his thoughts on the new Jaguar would be exciting. It is still too early to condemn the Jaguar outright. Let's wait and see the upcoming saloon. Will the complete reinvention succeed? Especially with prices starting at £100,000? It is likely that the clientele Jaguar has in mind does not exist. They would like to be Luis Vuitton, but that doesn't work with cars.

It remains to be seen whether exaggeration in word and form will attract the old clientele and open up new circles. The better slogan for Jaguar comes from Mercedes: The best or nothing.