Jaguar finally has a car to go with its controversial rebrand.
The British automaker unveiled the Type 01, an electric vehicle that marks its first new model in roughly two years. The reveal follows a 2024 rebrand campaign that went viral for ditching cars entirely in its marketing, drawing both mockery and attention online. Wired describes the Type 01 as the most divisive electric car shown yet, a design that leans into the brand's new visual identity rather than softening it for mainstream tastes. It is Jaguar's biggest bet yet that the rebrand backlash was noise, not signal.
A legacy automaker going two years without a new vehicle is a long bet in a market where electric rivals ship updates annually. Jaguar is wagering that a bold, unapologetic design wins back attention it lost during the rebrand's quiet stretch. If the Type 01 flops, the rebrand becomes a cautionary tale rather than a repositioning.
Expect reactions to split along the same lines the rebrand did: people either get it, or they really, really don't.