Two years ago, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) relaunched Jaguar into a blizzard of controversy. Its bizarre teaser ad was described as “woke” and its “Barbie pink” concept car was ridiculed.
Now, the first of its new models has appeared in public for the first time. The all-electric Type 01, unveiled in New York, represents a radical new direction for the classic brand.
The car itself is an imposing four-door “Grand Tourer”, with a long bonnet that deliberately harks back to Jaguar’s emblematic 1960s E-Type.
But it marks a gamble for JLR, which has invested billions reinventing Jaguar and is facing mixed reactions over the new car’s design and the brand’s all-electric strategy.
The new model’s electric motors are potent, producing about 1000 horsepower and allowing it to accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds. JLR says it has a range, at “sustained highway speed”, of up to 320 miles.
The company describes it as the “most technically advanced, powerful and aerodynamic Jaguar ever engineered”.
However, it comes at a hefty price tag, with a minimum cost of £130,000 ($172,426). In the US, the Type 01 has a starting price of $130,500.
Under normal circumstances, the launch of a car like this might generate few headlines. But in this case the attention has been much greater, and for good reason.
