How Jaguar lost its way - long before that controversial advert

"Jaguar has no desire to be loved by everyone," said Gary McGovern as he walked across the stage on a slightly chilly evening in Miami last week. It was a bold statement from Jaguar Land Rover's creative director, but it sums up the aura surrounding the relaunch of one of the UK's most famous brands.

On November 18, a short teaser ad was released that set social media ablaze. Lasting just 30 seconds, it showed models in bizarre and brightly colored outfits but did not feature a car.

 The New York Post described it as “the latest example of corporate virtue signaling that is both silly and evocative.” Elon Musk took a dig at the X, asking Jaguar’s official account: “Do you sell cars?”

 Then came the actual launch at the Miami Art Fair. Mr. McGovern stood on stage next to two cars, resplendent in shades of “Miami Pink” and “London Blue.” Both were examples of Jaguar’s new Type 00 – a concept car that would never go on sale, but was meant to showcase the brand’s plans for the future. Angular, aggressive, with a massive bonnet and more than a hint of the Batmobile, the new design has polarized opinion. “Even Gen Z hates the new ‘wicked’ Jaguar!” The Daily Mail declared. "Mark my words, Jaguar will be destroyed," Reform Party leader Nigel Farage predicted in X.

 But former Top Gear presenter James May told the BBC that the ad being so widely talked about “has to be a bit of a result for Jaguar, right?” Jaguar’s managing director Rodon Glover also hit back, insisting the company needed to be “bold and disruptive” to get its message across. But some insiders argue that Jaguar’s problems run deeper than a five-minute frenzy on social media. Even before the furor over the ad, “the brand was on a steady path to nowhere,” argues Matthias Schmidt, founder of industry intelligence firm Schmidt Automotive Research. “The traditional Jaguar population was slowly thinning out through natural attrition and customers jumping ship to other brands.”

 So, the publicity the ad and launch have drawn seems to have been welcomed within the business. As Gerry McGovern quipped from the stage: “We’ve got your attention Delighted." He added, the controversy always surrounds British creativity when it's at its best. Behind all the noise, what's happening at Jaguar is quite simple. It's being relaunched as an all-electric brand as part of a major restructuring at JLR, instigated by its parent company, Indian conglomerate Tata. Jaguar's current models, including the I-Pace, E-Pace and F-Type, are no longer sold in the UK. Instead, the first of a new generation of cars will hit the road in 2026.

 This shift to battery power is also expected to see the new models cost upwards of £100,000. The reason for all this is twofold. Firstly, Jaguar is struggling to sell enough cars or make enough money. Secondly, JLR needs to build more electric cars to satisfy regulators, who are working to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel models.