As the shift to electric cars becomes more prevalent, some car brands are radically reinventing themselves - but none are doing it as dramatically as British firm Jaguar.
Jaguar is in the midst of a huge rebrand, which will fully launch in 2026. Its revitalisation begins with the arrival of an exciting new grand tourer, based on the Type 00 Concept revealed last year.
Jaguar’s rebrand has been met with excitement from some, but also a degree of apprehension. The good news is that its upcoming car, which boasts three electric motors and over 1000bhp, shows real promise as it nears the end of its extensive testing phase.
Move Electric’s sister publication, Autocar, received an invitation to experience the new grand tourer, with an extraordinary passenger ride. Here's what happened...
Jaguar’s concept car was still heavily disguised inside and out, wearing a black and white exterior wrap. Despite this, Jaguar says the car is very close dynamically to the production version due for sale in 2026.
It’s important to highlight just how significant this car is. While a passenger ride offers a chance to sample an important new prototype, it also gives a significant indication of the character of Jaguar’s next generation of cars - and if the company is heading in the right direction.
Autocar was accompanied by Matt Becker, Jaguar’s chief of vehicle development. Becker, who has previously held important positions at Lotus and Aston Martin.
The passenger ride lasted around 20 minutes at Jaguar’s Gaydon test centre, on an extensive network of test tracks including a smooth high-speed bowl, to narrow, tight and imperfect roads mirroring British tarmac.
The concept measures 5.4 metres long, but sits very low to the ground. Its most dominant feature is its long nose, which is considered by Jaguar’s designers to be a contemporary aesthetic cue.
The car features a notably long dash-to-axle distance, resulting in significant space between the door opening and the front wheel arch. Its lengthy wheelbase is a key factor necessitating rear-wheel steering, which serves to reduce the turning circle and also improves stability at high speeds.
A highly rigid skateboard chassis underpins the body, housing a long, thin, underbody battery. This large battery is expected to have a capacity of around 120kWh, translating to a practical range exceeding 400 miles.
Jaguar has equipped the car with three electric motors. One is positioned at the front, while the other two are found on each rear wheel. Power stands at around 1000bhp.
The car gets independent air suspension all around, with high-end technology designed for maximum comfort. The driver can change settings to adjust for comfort or performance, too. Ultra-powerful disc brakes fit inside the car's standard 23in wheels, though much of the normal retardation is by regeneration.
Clambering into the car, the low roof and dash-to-axle distance take some getting used to. Clever battery packaging means there's absolutely no impression that you're sitting on a flat floor, a common EV problem.
Despite the low roofline, headroom is adequate. Although much of the interior is concealed beneath black fabric trim, there was a sight of quality, light-coloured trim and a steering wheel featuring column levers that strongly recall the original concept.
The car glides silently away, heading toward the test track with only the faintest hum. Its immediate quietness and the total lack of floor-level vibration, even on the rough-cast surface, is startling; the level of isolation is truly eerie.
A few yards further on, a series of concrete plates meet awkwardly in a way that's tailor-made to generate horrible head toss in ordinary cars. In this Jaguar, we ride it beautifully.
Becker reckons it's the combined effect of an extremely rigid chassis, a widely variable-rate suspension and our low seating. At first glance, this Jaguar exudes the sophistication of the finest cars on the market today.
The Jaguar's impressive performance is immediately evident on the track. Acceleration is forceful, accompanied by a slight nose lift and a silent sensation of immense, elastic propulsion towards the horizon. While some body roll occurs, it is managed with elegance and control.
The relentless thrust continues; even at 241 km/h (150 mph), the car feels completely stable. Despite the 'bin bag' disguise causing some extra wind noise, for which Becker apologises, holding a conversation at this speed remains surprisingly easy.
The Gaydon track, reminiscent of a smaller Le Mans with its long straights and fast corners, is shared by other users today. Becker showcases the Jaguar's phenomenal cornering grip by easily passing a wide-tyred Defender on its outside, which appears to be severely leaning.
The straight-line acceleration is breathtaking. Despite its estimated 2.5-tonne weight, the 1000bhp output strongly suggests a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time in the 3.5-second range.
The effortless manner in which it surges past 160km/h (100mph) leads to the suspicion of a Porsche Taycan-style two-speed gearbox in the powertrain, a detail Jaguar remains tight-lipped about. Becker simply states that "Power in reserve" is a core Jaguar brand value.
Taking on some higher-speed, rougher terrain—tracks previously managed by a Range Rover—the vehicle's performance is a profound shock. The quietness, the suppleness of its bump absorption, and the immaculate body control easily eclipse JLR's finest SUV, setting standards that are simply outside of our prior experience.
Of course, it will be necessary to drive more, in finished cars and in lots of other environments, to draw a firm conclusion. But it seems, after 20 minutes, that Jaguar has produced something very special here.
Driving back, the car's ability to tackle the seemingly uncomfortable concrete plates without fuss suddenly clarifies Jaguar's objective.
This vehicle is clearly designed to be a car people simply want to drive, regardless of its motive power, purely for the driving experience it offers. As Jaguar boss Rawdon Glover has stated to Autocar, the firm aims to build "hugely desirable, aspirational cars."
The magazine's initial dynamic experience strongly suggests they are well on their way to achieving that goal.
