JAGUAR TYPE 01: NEW YORK TO LONDON
words by FELICITY CARTER
Jaguar’s new electric grand tourer made its debut in New York last week, with Florence Pugh named as the brand’s ambassador. Its newly opened Knightsbridge flagship takes the same design ideas into a London setting, including Café Eighty-One by Michael O’Hare.
all images courtesy of JAGUAR
Almost two years after Jaguar’s November 2024 rebrand, Type 01 gives the company’s new direction a production model. Designed, engineered and built in Britain, the all-electric four-door grand tourer retains the long bonnet and low roofline that's associated with earlier Jaguars, including the E-type and XJS, while offering a markedly different exterior and cabin.
“Copy Nothing”, the instruction that accompanied the rebrand, drew on founder Sir William Lyons’ belief that “a Jaguar should be a copy of nothing” and with the Type 01, that thinking has produced a car with broad shoulders, standard 23-inch wheels and a solid tailgate without a rear window; a camera-fed display provides the view behind.
Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover says, “From its dramatic design to its captivating drive, Type 01 distils the essence of Jaguar into a car for a new era. Jaguars should be objects of desire and culturally relevant – that’s their natural habitat and where Jaguar is returning. Type 01 is the foundation of the brand, one that makes no compromise between design and engineering in our quest to reinvent Jaguar for the 21st century.”
Rear lights remain hidden until illuminated, the spoiler deploys when required and flush door handles sit within the bodywork, capable of pushing through 4mm of sheet ice. The headlights measure just 84mm high, making them the slimmest Jaguar has fitted; inside, a central spine with brass-effect aluminium detailing divides the cabin into four individual spaces. Wool-blend Kvadrat fabric accompanies a choice of leather or non-leather upholstery, with heated and cooled seats front and rear and a hot-stone massage effect for those sitting up front. A 24-inch OLED screen displays driving information and entertainment, and there are smaller touchscreens to provide access to frequently used controls. Jaguar’s chief materiality designer Mary Crisp explains, “Materials define how you feel and luxury is not always about more. Colours set the atmosphere, rich textures provide the depth and the brass-inspired finishers create the character. We have taken a tactile and architectural approach to the Type 01 interior.”
As for power, the performance figures are substantial: three motors deliver up to 1,030PS, with all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering and a quoted 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds. Jaguar expects a range of up to 450 miles under WLTP testing; compatible 350kW rapid charging can add up to 200 miles in as little as 13 minutes, depending on conditions, battery temperature and the charger used.
Last week’s premiere at STORIED in New York’s West Chelsea introduced the car alongside Florence Pugh, newly announced as Jaguar’s ambassador. Sienna Spiro performed, chef Roze Traoré came up with the menu and Jaguar racing driver António Félix da Costa drove Type 01 into the venue after a run on closed roads.
Meanwhile, the London's Knightsbridge flagship, which is set over two floors, with travertine stone, tactile textiles and warm brass accents reflects the swish materials used in Type 01. An entrance installation traces the evolution of the Jaguar Leaper and downstairs, the Design Vault allows clients to explore finishes and personalise their vehicles. Here, artist residencies, installations, talks and workshops are planned throughout the year.
Café Eighty-One, developed with Michelin-starred chef Michael O’Hare, is a part of the address with its signature afternoon tea complete with a sculptural petit gâteau inspired by the oloid — a geometric form that also influenced elements of Type 01. O’Hare describes his approach to cooking for Jaguar, “From the beginning, the ambition was to create something genuinely original. The menu takes familiar British rituals and looks at them differently, creating moments of surprise while remaining welcoming and enjoyable. That’s a philosophy I share with Jaguar.”
Type 01 orders are expected to open in early 2027, with prices starting at €165,000 and first deliveries anticipated in the second half of the year.