A Whole New Type

There are times when a brand reinvents itself – and Jaguar is currently seizing that moment. Under the leadership of Rawdon Glover, the storied British marque is making a bold fresh start: electric, luxurious, uncompromisingly modern. Type 00 is the first visible sign of this reinterpretation – a concept car that picks up the legacy of the E-Type and reimagines it for today. In our conversation, Glover explains why design is becoming more central than ever to the brand’s new identity – and why the courage to be different matters now more than ever.

Mr. Glover, what does Type 00 tell us about Jaguar’s current strategy?

Jaguar was at its most successful when our vehicles were aspirational and desirable, with bold and fearless designs. We want to take the brand back to its natural habitat, to when Jaguar was at its best, and Type 00 is our first manifestation of this. The “Type” prefix is a link to the brand’s heritage, to models like the pioneering E-Type. The first zero references zero tailpipe emissions; the second represents its status as car zero in our new lineage.

How serious is Jaguar about the Type 00 concept?

Our Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern, has always made it clear that concept cars should inform production cars, so you will see a strong design lineage between Type 00 and our first production car. Of course, the production car will be a four-door GT as opposed to a two-door coupe, but both feature a dramatic silhouette built from a low roofline, long bonnet and sculpted surfaces that are reductive with clean and bold lines.

What are a designer’s responsibilities these days? Are they more like creative directors who are also responsible for consistent and authentic brand experiences?

We have a fantastic creative department with specialists who are reimagining every aspect of the brand with Exuberant Modernism in mind.

Tell us more about this philosophy . . .

What we mean by “exuberant” is that we must be bold, dramatic and vibrant – this applies to our whole brand and all touchpoints, from our vehicles to our upcoming boutiques, digital touchpoints and one-off events. It will be part of the full customer journey, from car design and materiality to brand identity and retail spaces.

Who exactly do you want to get excited about this car?

We believe our cars create strong emotional reactions with anyone who experiences them. But we resonate especially with independently minded clients – people who want to make a bold choice, who are original thinkers with an appreciation of great design. We are targeting wealthy clients, many of whom may never have considered Jaguar before. We also know that this audience is younger and wealthier, more connected, and will likely live in urban locations. This does not mean we are forgetting our current clients – they are some of our biggest fans and advocates and we want them to understand why we are changing.

(...)

→ You can read the full interview in rampstyle #35 “There Is No Substitute”.