Jaguar is about to undertake a complete brand transformation encompassing identity, product, physical environments and beyond. It is a move to both reconnect with some elements of the brand’s past while completely jettisoning all of the last several decades of history. All of it is being revealed at a series of events at Miami Art Week.
Located within the large tent complex that makes up Context Art Miami is a Jaguar pavilion that introduces the new brand language and identity elements through a special walk-thru exhibit. Additionally an installation incorporating the work of several British artists takes over the Jungle Plaza in the Miami Design District. Both of these locations have the Type 00, Jaguar’s design vision of an all-electric GT car on display. I attended both a brand media briefing and global reveal of the Type 00.
My initial reaction is about the interesting return to classic GT car proportions. The long hood and generous dash to axle length were born from a larger engine under the front hood. This being an all electric car, I’m curious why the designers stuck to essentially a hundred year old vernacular for the proportions. The silhouette does nod to the familiar while the exterior styling pushes the reductive modernist needle past the point of no return.
I’ve written before how much of contemporary car design doesn’t represent well in photos. I suspect it’s down to a lot of faceted and sheer surfaces. I remember way back in school working with a modeler from GM who kept adding clay to a car I was working on. She knew that the shapes I was going for needed more surface roll to create generous ground and sky reflections. Contemporary car design is much more graphic and two dimensional and therefore you get less form drama. The Type 00 has a blocky appearance, in person it’s actually much less extreme. From plan view and it’s really quite rounded.
Maybe it would have been too ‘retro’ to make the Type 00 softer as it would have given away more to the Auto Union cars of the 30s. But I already see a lot of the Type 00 ingredients from those cars. But zooming out, the reason for the Type 00 to exist is to test out ideas and propose questions that future models will have to answer. The Type 00 won’t see the road as a production car and it might not even offer that many design ques to forth coming models. With three other SUV brands in the Jaguar Land Rover portfolio, is Jaguar’s future to be a more bespoke SUV-free brand?
I think the Type 00 is a shock at first but in the few hours I’ve seen photos I’m already getting comfortable with it. It is a bold break for a brand that needed it. The Type 00 isn’t the literal future of Jaguar but artifact of the process that will inspire it.
Text and Photos: Dave Pinter
Additional Description: Jaguar
Full Description
Introducing an unmistakable, unexpected and dramatic physical manifestation of Jaguar, as the brand continues its transformation. Type 00 (pronounced Type Zero Zero) embodies the Jaguar brand’s creative philosophy of Exuberant Modernism following the debut of its new brand identity.
The world premiere of the design vision concept at Miami Art Week – as South Florida becomes the center of the art world for six-days – previews what’s to come from Jaguar, as the brand recaptures the original ‘Copy Nothing’ ethos of its founder, Sir William Lyons.
World premiere: Type 00
Introducing Type 00. The physical manifestation of the Jaguar brand’s new creative philosophy – Exuberant Modernism.
The ‘Type’ prefix is a link to the brand’s provenance, to models like the pioneering E-Type vehicle. The first zero references zero tailpipe emissions. The second represents its status as car zero in our new lineage. Its visionary design defies electric vehicle convention with a long hood, sweeping roofline, 23-inch alloy wheels, fastback profile and boat-tail to create a dramatic silhouette with sophisticated, modernist surfaces. This design was enabled by our unique and dedicated architecture JEA (Jaguar Electrical Architecture).
Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, Chief Creative Officer, JLR, said: “Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar brand’s new creative philosophy. It has an unmistakeable presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination. It is our first physical manifestation and the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you’ve ever seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour.”
Exuberant Modernism
The Jaguar brand’s new creative philosophy is founded on three fundamental characteristics and expressed in every part of the brand and everywhere it appears – represented in both a new artistic visual identity and the way it builds relationships with clients.
Exuberant. Vibrant, uninhibited and fearless. In the vehicles it creates and moments it curates
Modernist. Future-facing, curious and inspired by the world. Respectful of the past, not dictated by it
Compelling. Holistic, sensory and extraordinary. Generating meaningful connections with clients
Capturing the Spirit of Jaguar Type 00 is a prelude to a future generation of Jaguar models that will recapture the spirit and essence of the brand at its best. Our start point was a blank sheet of paper from both a design and engineering perspective. A new and unique architecture, JEA, was developed from scratch to enable the dramatic design of Type 00. This dedicated technology platform will ensure clients experience a captivating driving experience, engaging handling and exemplary ride comfort. The latest electrification technologies and awe-inspiring designs will make future Jaguar vehicles stand out in an increasingly homogenous EV market.
Exclusive brand stores The physical embodiment of Jaguar brand’s culture will come to life in a select number of exclusive brand stores for clients around the world. These dramatic environments will present an immersive step into the world of the Jaguar brand that embraces their setting and local culture and will be complemented by a wider global network of luxury retailers. The anticipated first new Jaguar brand store will be in the heart of the luxury fashion district of Paris, the Golden Triangle in the 8th arrondissement.
Dramatic exterior
The confident new face combines upright, flush surfaces with the new Jaguar device mark at its centre. A distinctive and precise front light signature emphasises the corners of the car, giving width and grounding it.
The side profile is dominated by bold proportions, with the Jaguar ‘leaper’ laser-etched into a hand- finished brass ingot on each side of the car. These ingots theatrically deploy to reveal rear-facing cameras that – like the charging ports and front air intakes – remain hidden until needed.
The rear continues the bold statement. A glassless tailgate and panoramic body-harmonized glazed roof create a sense of sculpture. The rear elevation is defined by distinctive horizontal Strikethrough graphics, which hide dramatic full-width taillights and emphasise the power and scale of Type 00.
Constantino Segui Gilabert, Chief Exterior Designer, Jaguar, said: “Jaguar is no place for ordinary. When you see a new Jaguar for the first time, it must have a sense of awe, of never having been seen before. Type 00 commands attention, like all the best Jaguars of the past. It is a dramatic presence, channelling a unique spirit of British creativity and originality. It celebrates art and embodies the essence of Exuberant Modernism.”
Just as a pair of E-type vehicles attended its 1961 launch at the Geneva Motor Show, the reveal of Type 00 celebrates two contrasting interpretations of Jaguar’s new design vision. A Satin Rhodon Rose example – dubbed ‘Miami Pink’ in honour of the pastel colors of the city’s iconic Art Deco architecture – is inspired by the distinctive rose colour that brass takes on as it ages. It is joined by a striking Inception Silver Blue model. Dubbed ‘London Blue’, it is inspired by the Opalescent Silver Blue of the 1960s and was chosen to reflect the Jaguar brand’s British roots.
Captivating interior
A pair of dramatic butterfly doors and ‘pantograph’ tailgate open to reveal a modernist interior that shares its exuberant proportions with the exterior. The awe-inspiring cabin features three hand- finished brass lines which run the length of the interior, with a central 3.2m-long (10.5 ft) brass spine that splits a pair of floating instrument panels.
Mary Crisp, Chief Materiality Designer, Jaguar, said: “The Materiality ideology for Type 00 embraces authentic, unexpected materials and captivating colour, with our new creative philosophy visible at every turn. We have three key materials – brass, travertine stone and textiles – and the way we use these materials represents bold pieces of art and creates a unique atmosphere.”
Soothing travertine stone functions as a plinth, supporting the floating seats and central spine. It inspires the rich layered tonal color palette of the interior. Woven textiles add to the sense of craftsmanship. A tactile wool blend, inspired by handwoven yarns, envelops the two seats, sound bar and flooring.
Tom Holden, Chief Interior Designer, Jaguar, said, “Just as on the outside, deployable technologies are a hallmark of the interior. Screens glide silently and theatrically from the dashboard, while powered stowage areas slide open softly on demand, revealing hidden splashes of exuberant color. We believe technology should enhance the modern luxury experience, not dominate the architecture, and the digital screen at the centre of the dashboard is an example of this philosophy. The Clearsight display replaces the traditional rear-view mirror, improving overall visibility.”
A sensory experience
Type 00 is an experience for the senses. Its body-harmonised glazed roof casts a subtle pattern onto the materials inside, bringing textures to life and changing their character throughout the day.
The Jaguar design team explored new ways of enhancing the interior. Occupants can tailor the cabin to suit their mood using the uniquely crafted Prism case. The objective of this feature is for occupants to engage with the vehicle and extend the concept of customization and personalization. It stows behind an exquisitely engineered powered door on the bodyside and contains three totems of natural materials – Brass, Travertine and Alabaster. Together they create a new sensorial experience, inviting users to reflect and to appreciate simple sensations.
Placing one of the totems inside the center console tailors the mood of the interior. Everything, from the ambient lighting and unique soundscape to the tailored screen graphics, reflect the properties of the chosen material. Bespoke scents interact with the materials for unprecedented personalisation.
This exuberant and artistic approach to engaging the senses extends to the display screens, where animations are formed through the creative technique of ‘Chiaroscuro’ – using light and shadow to define three-dimensional objects.
Symbols of change
Type 00 showcases Jaguar brand’s new identity with powerful symbols of the change highlighting the transformation, all inspired by Jaguar brand’s precious provenance. These include:
Device mark: Jaguar brand’s signature. A powerful celebration of modernism – geometric form, symmetry and simplicity – seamlessly blending upper and lowercase characters.
Maker’s marks: The Jaguar ‘leaper’ and monogram. The ‘leaper’ is a precious mark of provenance. Always leaping forward, it is a representation of excellence and the hallmark of the brand, as it has been since the beginning. The new monogram is a discreet artistic motif that incorporates and repeats the ‘j’ and ‘r’ characters and signifies a completed work.
Strikethrough: This bold linear graphic generates an unmistakeable presence and an immediately recognisable visual for Jaguar, wherever the brand appears.
Exuberant colors: The bold use of colour is a cornerstone of Jaguar brand’s new brand identity, embedded in its association with art. Always presented with texture or movement.
