Jaguar’s rebrand has sparked a wave of conversation, and much of it hasn’t been favourable.
A truly iconic classic car brand with a rich British heritage, Jaguar’s pivot towards an ultra-luxury electric future has left many critics questioning whether the company still understands its own identity.
The rebrand has sparked plenty of controversy. In this article, we look at how the car community and critics are reacting to Jaguar’s new sense of direction.
Public criticism: Will Jaguar lose its way?
A key criticism of Jaguar’s rebrand is its perceived disconnection from the brand’s heritage.
Before we get into comments from critics, Google search data shows that searches for “Jaguar” have been steadily declining over recent years, dropping 13% since 2020.
This decline may have influenced Jaguar’s strategy to reignite conversation about the brand, as evidenced by the highest search volumes in the past 20 years since recording began.”
Jaguar made its name by producing a series of eye-catching sports cars, from the XK to the E-Type – both of which still popular and desirable among classic car enthusiasts. For now, at least.
Many commentators have described the new fully electric approach as “tone-deaf” to Jaguar’s history, abandoning its image as a brand for “English gentlemen”.
The new wordmark, which blends upper and lowercase letters, has been described as “weird” and “cheap” by critics on PistonHeads.
The sentiment that Jaguar is abandoning its Britishness resonates strongly among car enthusiasts. On forum sites Reddit and PistonHeads, commenters expressed disappointment in the redirection of the brand.
Rather than embracing its heritage, Jaguar seems to be chasing trends – something that critics argue is out of step with what made the brand desirable in the first place. One Reddit user even suggested Jaguar should have “doubled down on its heritage and history” instead of trying to emulate fashion-forward brands.
Many feel that the new Jaguar rebrand will only push people further towards classic Jaguar models. This seems to imply that classic Jaguars, rather than the new line up, will become the cars that collectors and enthusiasts desire. Good news for owners of classic Jags.
The move towards an ultra-luxury electric vehicle line up is seen by many as a significant gamble for Jaguar. Critics questioned whether there’s sufficient demand for such a niche product.
PistonHeads users were sceptical about the brand’s ability to compete with well-established luxury names like Bentley, given Jaguar’s lack of brand equity in the ultra-luxury space.
Interestingly, some feel Jaguar would have been better served by capitalising on its traditional strengths, creating powerful vehicles that evoke classic luxury. Commenters pointed out that Jaguar could still be successful by appealing to a high-end market’s desire for the “analog experience” such as by producing V12-powered saloons that embrace classic luxury instead of going all-electric.
