- Jaguar is in the midst of a controversial rebrand, planning to move upmarket to sell more expensive ultra-luxury cars
- But the brand has delayed the car meant to launch its new look, which will now appear next year
Jaguar is in the midst of a massive brand transformation, shelving most of its lineup and designing more upscale cars to cater to a more exclusive clientele. But the plan has hit a snag.
Jaguar Managing Director Rawdon Glover told ABC News that the first product of the new Jaguar, the striking Type 00 electric grand tourer, is a year behind schedule.
“We’ll unveil it next year and start taking orders. Then deliveries will start relatively soon after that,” he said.
The company had initially planned to reveal the car this year.
A concept car version of the Type 00 has been circulating since December, appearing more at art shows than car shows. With a blocky look, an upright grille, and a low-slung roofline, it reads like the legendary E-type filtered through a video game conception of the future. It will carry an asking price, Glover said, of around $130,000 – significantly more than what Jaguar asks for most of its current products.
It has been divisive, but that’s intentional, says Glover. “I think great design does polarize, whether that’s in fashion or architecture or whatever else.” A launch video introducing the brand’s new style was met with a strangely mixed reception. That may have been the intended outcome.
For now, however, you can still buy an F-Pace SUV. “For the next 18 months or so you will still be able to buy a Jaguar. We are gradually ceasing production of all the production vehicles. The F-Pace will be the last one. We wanted to do a complete reset,” he explains.
Dealers still have some stock of other models, including the F-Type and I-Pace. But the company has stopped production of those models.
