Hours before the much-anticipated launch, a significant event took place. The designs of Jaguar's next generation of electric vehicles (EVs) had been leaked, setting the stage for a series of reactions and discussions.

Jaguar's Electric Future Unfolds Amidst Backlash

Leaked Designs and Initial Reactions

Days after facing backlash for its marketing campaign, Jaguar made a grand move on Monday (Dec 2). The 'Copy nothing' rebrand is a crucial part of its transition to an EV future. The British luxury car company aims to offer an entirely electrified model range by 2025 and phase out ICE vehicles. However, the car designs seemed to further anger social media users. The concept design called Type 00 depicted Miami Pink and London Blue coloured vehicles with a minimalist design featuring oval-shaped steering wheels and a wide front grill. There appeared to be no rear window, suggesting the use of cameras to show the road behind. "London Blue honours the iconic Opalescent Silver Blue of the 1960s E-type. Miami Pink pays tribute to the city's pastel colours and Art Deco architecture," Jaguar captioned its post, adding that Type 00 is a non-production vehicle. Notable is that the designs were leaked hours before the launch, leading to a deluge of reactions. One user said, "This is really embarrassing. It's all over for Jaguar. Goes woke, alienates its existing customer base, removes any reference to its legacy, and expects buyers to go with a car that's ugly and looks like a 90's Chrysler." Another added, "They're going to write chapters in textbooks about how bad this rebrand is. Jaguar is ruined." A third commented, "Don't be so hard on yourselves…GO COPY!!!"Despite the backlash, some users seemed to resonate with the car design and applauded the company. One user said, "Pretty sick. I love it! Love their rebrand and the campaign surrounding it. It's been brilliant and thus far effective." Another added, "I know everyone's been hating on them but I actually like this a lot. Gives me that Cyberpunk 2077 energy."

London Blue and Miami Pink - A Tribute

Type 00 in London Blue and Miami Pink was revealed at Miami Art Week. London Blue honours the iconic Opalescent Silver Blue of the 1960s E-type. Miami Pink pays tribute to the city's pastel colours and Art Deco architecture. These finer points were noticed in the comment section. (Picture: Jaguar's tweet with relevant details)

Jaguar's New Design Philosophy

Jaguar Type 00 was presented by the Chief Creative Officer Professor Gerry McGovern OBE. It showcases a new design philosophy that is both modern and distinct. The minimalist logo and the marketing ad featuring a diverse cast of models in bold, techno-inspired outfits demonstrated the brand's seemingly modern aesthetic. However, the launch surprisingly didn't showcase any of Jaguar's iconic luxury vehicles, leaving social media users puzzled and calling out the brand for pandering to identity politics instead of focusing on manufacturing luxury cars.Jaguar's journey towards an EV future is filled with both challenges and opportunities. The leaked designs and the subsequent backlash have sparked intense discussions among car enthusiasts and the general public. It remains to be seen how Jaguar will navigate through these turbulent times and continue to establish its presence in the highly competitive automotive industry.