That certainly grabbed everyone’s notice. Let’s start with discussing the advertisement: At the close of November, a vibrant, 30-second clip with a somewhat bleak undertone spread rapidly across the globe. It turned out that Jaguar had garnered millions of fiercely opinionated followers who didn’t just voice their views clearly but unfortunately also rather harshly toward Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern and his fellow JLR associates. Although JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) isn’t unfamiliar with evoking strong feelings, these sentiments typically stem from showcasing new versions of beloved vehicles or engines. This time, however, many of the reactions were decidedly negative and intense.
Sadly, numerous—or possibly even the majority—of these indignant “fanatics” have never purchased one of their automobiles. The substantial amount of adverse feedback likely surpassed the quantity of units sold over the past year. As they put it, “do the maths,” since this is where the issue resides. For years,
Jaguar
Has been crafting exceptional and pioneering automobiles. The D-Type from the 1950s, the legendary E-Type from the 1960s (dubbed “the most beautiful car ever made” by Enzo Ferrari), along with the Mark 2 and Mark 10 sedans, multiple generations of the XJ series, sleek XK models, and more recently the F-Pace SUV, I-Pace, and F-Type coupe—all these stand out as remarkable vehicles, each brimming with character. However, just as every company must do, Jaguar can’t rely solely on affection; they require solid sales figures too. In recent times, the marque has found itself grappling with challenges to turn a profit due to insufficient sales performance.
“The unveiling was at one of the pre-eminent global art gatherings – and that tells you a lot”
Brands are peculiar entities. The concept of “brand memory” adds another layer of complexity. About fifteen years back, I listened to a disheartened colleague from Jaguar Land Rover (which was how it went by then) discussing the arduous struggle against the entrenched notion among young prospective clients—“gin and Jag”—that defined them. With foresight, he questioned whether they could ever triumph over such perceptions. Despite acknowledging that the Jaguars were often comparable or superior to similar models from BMW or Mercedes-Benz, those same prospects viewed it as more of an older generation’s choice. Fast forward fifteen years, and little seems to have changed; Jaguar accounts for merely 15% of all JLR sales. Although Range Rover and Defender lines remain lucrative, Jaguar struggles financially. This scenario poses significant long-term risks from a corporate perspective. In essence, action needed to be taken.
“Something” was a major reset. Back in February 2021 the announcement was made that Jaguar would be relaunched as an all-electric brand from 2025. To begin with it looked as though this would be done with what might be called “conventional” cars – simply evolved versions of the existing portfolio. But there was a distinct risk that Jaguar would merely find itself in a whole new frying pan. BMW and Mercedes already have rapidly developing ranges of EVs – some dedicated, some just electric versions of regular models – to say nothing of Tesla and the impressive products coming from the likes of Kia and Hyundai. You can begin to see how and why Jaguar is where it is.
And so we come back to the ad. Two weeks later, JLR gathered in Miami for the unveiling of its Type 00. Significantly it was in the setting of Art Basel Miami, one of the pre-eminent global art gatherings – not the Geneva Motor Show – and that tells you a lot. Beforehand, there were a series of briefings with MD Rawdon Glover and his teams, laying out the context of the brand development – the logo, monogram, colour, detailing, touchpoints and architecture. It also included materials probably never before seen in a car, such as travertine veneers and brass that will be allowed to patinate naturally. This takes car design into truly new territory and is hugely impressive, but perhaps not surprising as this reset has been led by Gerry McGovern, who is not your average car designer. Later that day the world got to see not the production car but a design vision – very different in the flesh to the flat renderings that leaked hours earlier. It was undoubtedly a “wow” moment.
A great deal of modern car design ends up looking very similar. Even for car enthusiasts like myself, it is hard telling many of them apart. But more than that, I am simply not stirred by the great majority of what is on sale, and that includes well-known brands that I was once excited by. That makes me sad. Some of the models are embarrassingly unattractive with aggressive plastic mouldings, and the interiors are frequently a soulless place to be, with uninspiring materials (and yet more plastic). This is not how Gerry works. Firstly, he has established “Creative” as being the driving force at JLR, with Design now a 700-strong operation, and Engineering playing second fiddle. Normally it is the other way round. And secondly, his design ethos has been forged in a more cerebral place, rather than a practical one. His creative aesthetic is informed by a deeply held belief in modernism, a philosophy which is now a century old, with design heroes such as Breuer, Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. “Reduction” is a central tenet: lines with a purpose and subtle details that are celebrated and executed beautifully. What this means in practice can be seen in the new-generation Range Rover. This vehicle may not be for you, but it can still be appreciated as a piece of great design, and is highly sculptural in a way that almost no other cars are. It is very “considered” and immediately strikes you as the product of a truly integrated design vision, not just a collection of parts.
But there is another aspect to all of this and I think one that has largely been missed in the rush to respond to Miami. McGovern is also a long-time admirer of luxury brands such as Hermès, Cartier, Chanel and Loro Piana. These historic businesses have made an art of the way they curate themselves, their attention to detail, materials, how they develop an emotional connection with their customers and, above all, their craft. They are very good at it and hugely successful commercially. That, I believe, is the ambition for Jaguar. Significantly the first “brand house” will open in Paris, the centre of so much of the luxury industry, and will be followed by London and a small number of other luxury hubs. It is a very clear move away from the old – and rather tired – “dealer” model, where cars are lined up in boxes on the edge of town and you may or may not get attended to by one of the salesmen (and they are usually men).
For me, the key takeaway is that Jaguar isn’t merely undergoing a revamp as a car marque; instead, it’s evolving into a broader luxury brand that also produces vehicles. This strategy seems wise. The automotive landscape today bears little resemblance to what it was during the peak years of the brand. As McGovern put it, “Why bother recreating something irrelevant in our current context?” Indeed, contemporary motoring can feel rather bleak—what with congested roads, strict speed restrictions, ubiquitous surveillance, and impending technological oversight. Driving these days lacks much enjoyment (though perhaps electric vehicles might mitigate some noise pollution). Moving forward, my preference would be to find myself ensconced within a thoughtfully designed, soothing environment adorned with exquisite finishes—a sanctuary that enhances one’s well-being. That’s precisely the direction Jaguar appears headed towards. While taking such a bold step requires trust, I’m confident they know their way around this transformation.
