Second time lucky? Jaguar is setting the stage for a dramatic reinvention aimed at the higher end of the luxury market. Ahead of the reveal of its first battery-powered model of its reinvented era, planned for the beginning of December, the brand has presented the new visual identity that goes along with its rebirth.
The British automaker, long associated with sleek and elegant competitor cars to the German armada, has changed its scope. Starting in 2026, it aims to rival Rolls-Royce and Bentley with a trio of ultra-exclusive EVs.
Jaguar unveiled its revamped brand image at a media event in Gaydon, England, introducing updated logos and new code styles to accompany the change. Lifting the current marketing identity to new heights would have been too cumbersome and complex. CEO Adrian Mardell called it nothing more than a “complete reset.”
Rewriting Jaguar’s legacy
The new look is anchored by what Jaguar has called “symbols of change.” This includes a reimagined “Leaper” logo—a nod to the pouncing Jaguar mascot that once adorned the marque’s classic cars—now rendered in angular, modernist lines.
A circular badge, combining the letters ‘J’ and ‘R’ in a brass finish, will also feature prominently in the new branding, alongside a minimalist typeface and a bold color palette.
According to Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern, the design overhaul is intended to embody “exuberance, modernism, and compelling creativity.” “We are creating Jaguar for the future,” McGovern said, emphasizing a return to the values that made the brand iconic while ensuring relevance for today’s market.
A grand tourer, not an SUV
These changes will debut on a concept vehicle unveiled during Miami Art Week on 2 December. This model will preview Jaguar’s first new EV—a four-door grand tourer designed to evoke traditional luxury proportions rather than the aerodynamic, cab-forward shapes now standard in the electric car market.
The company released pictures of a camouflaged testing prototype. It will be the first new model since the i-Pace in 2018. Interestingly, the brand’s reinvention begins not with an SUV – a format dominating EV sales.
Jaguar’s transformation extends beyond aesthetics. The company plans to market its vehicles to a niche audience of affluent, design-savvy buyers, who Jaguar describes as “cash rich, time poor.”
Prices for the new EVs will be roughly double those of outgoing models, positioning Jaguar firmly in the six-figure luxury segment. Instead of dealerships, sales will be facilitated through brand stores, beginning in metropoles like Paris.
Can Jaguar eclipse Maybach?
But the new strategy is hazardous. Mercedes’s previous attempt, which went to great lengths to relive the Maybach name to woo ultra-luxury customers, failed to make a breakthrough and was winded down to an equipment level.
Jaguar bets on the disruption of the energy transition to receive recognition for its new breed of luxury. However, the slow adoption of electric drivelines in the upper market instead points in the direction of wealthy customers clinging to powerful combustion engines longer than average—since they can afford them. For example, Bentley postponed its zero-emission target by five years to 2035.
Jaguar doesn’t assemble any car models except for the F-Pace and has suspended sales in most countries, including its home country.
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