Jaguar reimagined?
22nd November 2024
In the past 10 days there’s been two significant moments in the history of Jaguar, both bold and ambitious in equal measure, and already dividing opinions of fans and critics alike.
On Tuesday 12th November, the final petrol- and diesel-powered cars rolled off the Jaguar production line. This marks the end of an era for the iconic manufacturer, which has been synonymous with luxury performance vehicles for over 80 years.
This pivotal moment is not just about saying goodbye to petrol and diesel engines – it is a part of Jaguar’s ambitious transformation into an all-electric brand as we head into 2025. The company announced several years ago that it would stop producing vehicles with traditional combustion engines in a bold move towards sustainability, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2039.
For many, the end of petrol and diesel production is a bittersweet moment. From the historic Coventry site which has been the beating heart of the company since 1928, some of the most recognisable cars in automotive history have been produced. From the timeless elegance of the Jaguar E-Type to the thrilling performance of the F-Type, the marque has long been associated with luxury, craftsmanship, and engineering excellence.
While the move to electric is in line with modern demands, it signals the end of an era for petrolheads who will miss the distinctive growl of a Jaguar engine; give me a straight-6 XK engine screaming down the Lavant straight at Goodwood any day!
Fast forward to Tuesday 19th November, and in-line with their all-electric transformation, a Jaguar re-brand is launched to complete the reinvention.
There had been rumours the famous leaping Jaguar would be demised, however we’re grateful to see this has been retained, at least in some form.
The new sleek, modern look compromises of a lower-case, high-relief font for ‘Jaguar’ plus a horizontal line theme that will appear constantly throughout their designs and behind the leaper. The leaper, however, is only expected to be used sparingly on future cars. The final part of the creatives released was a monogram for wheel centres featuring two opposing J’s within semi-circles.
The combination of this re-brand and the launch campaign has drawn strong opinions, none more so than from Elon Musk, who is likely to be as intrigued about this new path Jaguar is embarking on as we are. With various images being teased out over social media, which is set to continue over the coming weeks, the marketing approach is certainly delivering plenty of airtime.
A step towards EV market domination, or a wild animal heading towards extinction, only time will tell.
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts…