To understand the Jaguar Type 01, we must look back to an era largely forgotten to draw some very familiar parallels to Jaguar’s new launch today.

The much admired E-Type stormed into view in a very dramatic way. In March 1961, Public Relations Manager, Bob Berry, drove a gunmetal grey, fixed-head, E-Type coupé flat-out from the factory in Coventry to the Geneva Motor Show in Parc des Eaux-Vives (long before the U.K. implemented motorway speed limits).

It was a high-risk strategy that saw Bob arrive with just 20 minutes to spare creating a media storm before the grand unveiling. But, what came next stunned the world as the cloth was lifted from the voluptuous bodywork, drawing gasps from the crowd. Even Enzo Ferrari was stunned into commenting that it was "the most beautiful car in the world". He was not wrong!

Despite the E-Type undergoing refreshes, production ended after 13 years with the Series 3 being the last generation from that era, but it left Jaguar with a huge headache.

How could it produce another GT car with the same admiration and acclaim, but with all new looks? By the end of its tenure, the E-Type had maxed out is tweaking potential, so it simply couldn’t rinse and repeat the same formula once more. Instead, it did something that shocked fans, the industry and the media and launched the XJ-S in 1975 following a 15 month hiatus.

When the XJ-S arrived, Jaguar had replaced swooping lines, curves, chrome and haunches that stirred the gentlemen loins with straight lines, squared off headlights, strange buttresses, odd shaped rear lights and big-shock absorbing plastic bumpers.

Back in 1975 Jaguar had hit the reset button and changed design direction, and this is where the new Type 01 draws parallels. But, despite the media storm, the sharp criticism and bold new looks as we’ve heard about Jaguar’s latest offering, the XJ-S was not the failure that many feared. In fact, it had a production run of 21 years, spanning from September 1975 to April 1996, with a total production of 115,413 units of this high-end, expensive grand tourer.

**Jaguar XJ-S**

The design was divisive. It was like nothing else on the road, and it drew sharp criticism from the media, the public and Jaguar fans and it was the butt of many jokes that still persist today.
Some purists still claim the XJ-S is not a proper Jag. But, despite that, it’s now regarded as a supremely comfortable, elegant, long distance grand tourer.

The colourful rebrand launch from a couple of years ago drew stark criticism for departing from its customer base, but it was done to represent a break point between old and new, and that Jaguar was transforming once again. We’re so used to Jaguar being mainstream, that we forget that it was once a low volume, premium car brand that produced desirable luxury cars in small numbers.

However, Jaguar’s first launch in this new rebrand era is very much an aspirational car, and one that should be seen on the roads in different paint finishes, wheel choices - and importantly - when its wearing its number plates, before judgement on looks alone runs the entire narrative.

Much has already been said in the automotive media prior to its launch, with some fearing this marks the end of the road for Jaguar, but caution should be deployed as Jaguar looks to bring back renewed interest in the brand as it did back in 1975. Afterall, with a 6-digit starting price, it’s very much the XJ-S of the new era.

New Era

Brits should be proud that the Type 01 has been designed, developed and built in the UK on the all-new Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA), a dedicated platform enabling an entirely new approach to design, proportions and onboard experience.

Jaguar says “[it’s] a luxury four‑door GT; Type 01 embodies Jaguar's renewed vision of modern luxury, combining dramatic design, craftsmanship and innovation to create an unmistakable presence and emotional connection.”

Its name symbolizes Jaguar’s lineage and its all‑electric future as "Type" is often found in its predecessors, with "0" signifying zero tailpipe emissions and "1" indicates the first of a new generation of cars.

Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar sums up the Type 01; “From its dramatic design to its captivating drive, Type 01 distils the essence of Jaguar into a car for a new era. Jaguars should be objects of desire and culturally relevant – that’s their natural habitat and where Jaguar is returning. Type 01 is the foundation of the brand, one that makes no compromise between design and engineering in our quest to reinvent Jaguar for the 21st century.”

Grand Tourer

Traditionally, a Grand Tourer is a 2-door coupe, with strong performance, that’s refined and comfortable with a slightly softer suspension set up vs a race inspired supercar, for example.
However, in this new era, GT or Grand Tourer, or Gran Coupe has been applied to four door cars, and even some SUV’s. So it’s no mistake that Jaguar has taken advantage of the modern definition and has given the Type 01 four doors, which breaks away from the 2-door Type 00 concept.

And the Type 01 is not left wanting for power as it packs an almighty 1,030 PS and 1,365 Nm of torque mated to Jaguar’s signature driving characteristics, so expect an exquisite ride, and supreme comfort along with the ultimate experience in silent waftability, mimicking the silky, smoothness of Jaguar’s V12’s from a bygone era.

Weight distribution is 50:50 and its tri‑motor set up and Intelligent Torque Vectoring puts the power precisely where it’s needed through all four wheels, surging it forward from 0‑62 mph in just 3.2 seconds.

Battery, Charging and Range

The Type 01 receives a huge 118 kWh battery that sits on 850v architecture that translates to very fast DC rapid charging. 200 miles of range can be added in as little as 13 minutes at a 350 kW charger.

Jaguar anticipates an EPA range of up to 400 miles from the more realistic America standard test cycle with European WLTP testing indicating up to 450 miles of range. And Jaguar states the Type 01 can “complete up to 99.7 per cent of all journeys without interruption” according to its own research.

Interior

The exterior has received a lot of attention and commentary with opinions divided, and the same is said about the interior, too. Jaguar has redefined what luxury means in their cars. Gone are the shiny trinkets, bejewelled dials, knurled switches and swathes of wood and chrome. In its place is simplicity and modernism complementing the exteriors almost brutalism design.

Instead, a central spine runs the length of the cabin which has been designed to create individual spaces for each occupant. Brass‑inspired elements replace chrome and wood along the spine.

The Driver Display is a 24‑inch single glass OLED screen and places control directly ahead of the driver, with the new Jaguar Infotainment system being designed to be intuitive to navigate.

As a break from the German premium manufacturers, the Type 01 does not have a passenger screen, but is does feature a smartphone‑style (portrait), centrally mounted seven‑inch display that puts the key controls within easy reach of the driver.

The Immersive audio system creates a wall of sound using a full‑width, full‑range, automotive‑first Panoramic Soundbar with Sensory Audio seats.

Conclusion

Whether it’s looks appeal, or don’t, Jaguar’s new reset will win over new admirers and disappoint others. From its brutalist design, and lack of traditional luxury elements that normally wows customers into a Bentley, Jaguar has drawn a line in the sand, defining it’s past as the old ways whilst it carves out its new destiny and redefines luxury on its own terms.

Only time can tell if this bold reinvention will be successful, or not. But in a world where the generic SUV/Crossover in various shades of white, grey or black dominate our roads, cars like the Jaguar Type 01 should offer a brief respite from that ocean of blandness.

Jaguar has done this before when it launched the XJ-S just over 51 years ago, and half a century later it has well and truly hit the reset button again, gambling with a divisive design language. It places the focus squarely on the company giving it much needed attention, despite not all of it being positive.

But what this boils down to is, has Jaguar found the secret sauce for their new flagship car to appeal to the affluent who - after all - might want to stand out from the crowd of generic SUV’s?

Availability

Orders are expected to open in early 2027, with first client deliveries anticipated in the second half of the year.

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more. You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb

History repeats with the Jaguar Type 01, but that might be a good thing