Oh Jaguar … Why!

It’s been 24 hours since I am the rest of the world witnessed the new JaGuar teaser/hype video, and the dust has yet to settle, and probably for all the wrong reasons.

There is that old saying that all news is good news, but I am not so sure this will prove to be the case here.

Jaguar’s rebrand has shaken the automotive world, but not necessarily in a good way.

The unveiling of a new brand identity, hot on the heels of a teaser for Jaguar’s upcoming electric four-door GT, has raised eyebrows and fueled confusion globally.

And there have global headlines and articles all saying the same things: “What on Earth is Jaguar Doing?”, “Why Change the Logo?”, and “Why Doesn’t the New Ad Show Any Cars?”. And whilst I can appreciate the approach It’s hard not to feel a sense of that the brand was not necessarily the problem at Jaguar.

The New Identity – And the Questions it Raises

Let’s start with the facts: Jaguar’s new slogan is “Copy Nothing,” which apparently is a tribute to founder Sir William Lyons according to Jaguar, it’s all part of something called “Exuberant Modernism”—an approach that, they claim, involves bold design, original thinking, and fearless creativity.

And that fearless creativity has been translated (initially because we haven’t seen the new design language of the vehicles yet) into a strange new wordmark featuring a capital ‘G’ in “jaGuar” to keep the typography…. “neat.”

The iconic leaping cat logo, a beloved symbol of Jaguar’s heritage, has been retired. In its place is a strange, J on J logo which to my eyes is more like a local restaurant then a prestige vehicle manufacturer.

Additionally, Jaguar has introduced a “Makers Mark,” a monogram that will now act as the official seal of completed work… now to be fair British car companies love to sign stuff off, often with the signature of the guy that so badly made your motor or installed the last piece of fake wood.

Their colour choices—bright yellow, red, and blue—are another bold statement apparently with CEO Gerry McGovern explaining that “Jaguar has its roots in originality,” – “Sir William Lyons, our founder, believed that ‘A Jaguar should be a copy of nothing.’

Buut I must concede I am lost and  from where I’m sitting, this feels less like a bold leap forward and more like an identity crisis.

“Go Woke, Go Broke” – Is Jaguar Heading Down a Dangerous Path?

There’s a saying: “Go woke, go broke,” and this might be a case in point. Jaguar’s commitment to a fully electric future seems, at best, risky. We’re talking about a company with a legacy of creating stunning internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, suddenly turning its back on that heritage.

The EV market is a gamble for Western manufacturers, and it’s hard to ignore the giant shadow China casts. China has thrown its entire weight behind electric vehicles and is likely to dominate the space. Western manufacturers, with far less industrial might behind them, seem to be playing a losing game by going all-in on electric. Even worse, the resale values of electric cars have been plummeting—a warning sign that maybe, just maybe, the world isn’t quite ready for this revolution. Even Lotus, another iconic Britich (Cough) brand, has begun to backtrack on its pure EV strategy, with parent Geely announcing they will be opting for a hybrid approach instead. It’s a wise move, and it’s hard not to wonder why Jaguar didn’t consider the same.

Can a New Logo Fix the Real Problems?

Then there’s the elephant in the room—Jaguar’s historical Achilles’ heel: reliability. For all their style and grace, Jaguars have long suffered from poor dependability. Their legacy was built on performance and beauty, yet the brand’s inability to consistently deliver a dependable car has haunted them for decades.

How is an all-electric lineup supposed to fix that? If anything, it risks making the brand’s appeal even narrower, reducing them to a niche player. And as for the new logo—let’s be honest, it’s a head-scratcher. It’s reminiscent of a failed tech gadget logo from the early 2000s—a comparison many have already made to the ill-fated Microsoft Zune. It’s hard to see how this new identity will reignite passion for Jaguar among car enthusiasts.

The End of Jaguar’s Heritage?

For years, I’ve loved Jaguars—because of their history, not in spite of it. They were performance icons that later evolved into elegant, practical vehicles while retaining a connection to their racing roots. Then came the push for more practical cars, which diluted the brand’s identity. This new rebrand seems to have abandoned any pretense of continuity with Jaguar’s storied past.

It’s clear that they’re targeting a different market now, but I’m not convinced they’re solving the deeper problem. A sleek new logo and a flashy slogan might get attention, but will it bring back the spirit that made Jaguar special?

Hopes Pinned on a Vision

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Jaguar’s gamble will pay off when they unveil their new Design Vision Concept at Miami Art Week on December 2—a model they promise will embody what it means to “Copy Nothing.” Perhaps the new lineup will be stunning enough to convert skeptics…even me!

But for now, the future of Jaguar looks uncertain. I can’t help but wonder if, decades from now, we’ll be looking at these electric Jaguars as relics—beautiful but flawed, and look at this rebrand as a last ditch attempt to not deal with the real issue

Let’s hope the next generation of Jaguars is more than just art pieces in some future museum. For the moment, though, my skepticism remains.