Jaguar unveiled the Type 01, its first all-electric Grand Tourer, in New York on Tuesday. The car produces 1,000 horsepower, accelerates from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, and claims a range of up to 320 miles at sustained highway speed. It starts at £130,000 in the UK and $130,500 in the US.
The launch capped a tumultuous two-year rebrand. In 2024, Jaguar's parent company JLR announced a shift to an all-electric luxury marque with a controversial rebranding campaign featuring models in bright clothing and no actual cars. A subsequent reveal of concept cars in "Miami Pink" and "London Blue" triggered backlash online, with critics accusing the company of abandoning its heritage for "woke" messaging.
The Type 01 itself has divided opinion. Car journalist Steve Fowler called it "incredible" and said it makes him "proud to be British." Alistair Weaver from Edmunds credited Jaguar for its boldness despite the polarising design. But LinkedIn user Craig Kinnersley dismissed it as an "unmitigated catastrophe" resembling a hearse and a Bentley Continental hybrid. On Facebook, Ken Katch compared it unfavourably to a Cybertruck.
Jaguar's core market had already abandoned the brand years ago, according to Matthias Schmidt of Schmidt Automotive Research. The once-iconic marque, which supplied E-Types to Brigitte Bardot and Steve McQueen, had struggled to sell upmarket saloons and SUVs to corporate buyers who preferred Audi and BMW. JLR wound down old Jaguar production in 2024 and 2025, and the controversial rebrand at least kept the brand name in public view.
JLR has invested billions on the reinvention and pledged £15bn for new models and technologies in early 2023. The Type 01 is described by the company as the "most technically advanced, powerful and aerodynamic Jaguar ever engineered." Two new electric designs are expected to follow.
The real test now is commercial viability. Jaguar faces competition from Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and Chinese brands such as Denza. Since the Miami event, design chief Gerry McGovern has left JLR, the company parted ways with its rebranding agency, and a new CEO took over. Whether buyers will pay £130,000 for the Type 01 remains uncertain, and analysts stress the car's quality alone may not be enough to revive the brand's fortunes.