Grace, Space, Pace. That’s been a long-held Jaguar maxim, clearly no more the case, though, at least not that first part. Jaguar’s new Type 01 ditches grace for a design that’s very much in your face, or, styled with exuberant modernism, as the brand more eloquently puts it.

Yes, exuberant it most certainly is; the sheer size and presence of the car are unapologetically bold, and we knew this would be the case when we saw the Type 00 concept. At the time, Jaguar said it would greatly influence the actual production car. Love it or hate it, you have to applaud Jaguar for keeping a majority of the concept’s far-out ideas to the point where a lot of time was spent engineering the new Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA) to make the design possible. 

Strike a chord

The front is dominated by Jaguar’s new ‘strikethrough’ design element, which gives the bluff nose some character. Unlike most EVs that have a blanked-off front, the strikethrough simulates a grille, retaining some of the visual character of a conventional car. There is, of course, cooling required, and this is handled by active shutters lower down, which open and close depending on cooling requirements.

The four ‘line’ daytime running lights are another distinctive element and could become a signature for future Jaguars. The headlights, meanwhile, are the slimmest ever fitted to a Jaguar. 

Despite its almost upright front end, the Type 01 is the most aerodynamic Jaguar yet, with a drag coefficient of just 0.23. This has been achieved through extensive aerodynamic work, including active aero elements and clean, uninterrupted body surfaces. The traditional leaping Jaguar mascot is absent from the bonnet, but fear not, it’s not entirely gone, surfacing on a brass-like panel on the front fenders, which also highlights what Jaguar calls the ‘luxury gap’ — the distance between the front axle and the A-pillar. This massive length gives the car its distinctive bonnet-forward proportions and a very regal stance; there is also a functional purpose.

The Type 01 has a split battery pack, comprising five separate modules: one positioned ahead of the A-pillar – in this gap – necessitating a re-engineered front crash structure; then there are three modules behind the A-pillar, a gap around the B-pillar area and then the final module near the C-pillar. Typically, EVs use a single battery pack contained between the A and C pillar line; however, the low roof meant Jaguar needed that gap to create a footwell for rear passengers. 

The long 3.2-metre wheelbase and low 1,400mm overall height give the Type 01 its dramatic slammed-down stance, a hallmark of the concept. In fact, the massive 23-inch wheels make up more than half the height of the entire car. Charging ports are provided on both sides, making it convenient to plug in regardless of which side the charging station is on.

One of the most interesting elements of the Type 01’s is what Jaguar calls the ‘impossible panel’. This is essentially the rear fender panel that extends all the way to the A-pillar at the top and has an extremely deep draw forming massive shoulders over the rear wheels. Jaguar says computer simulations initially suggested that the required depth could not be created with a single piece of aluminium, but it worked with the tooling and made it a reality. The resulting panel features a sharp crease that rises from the window line and creates a striking visual effect, which stands out nicely in the silver finish of the car we see here.

The rear is another striking area and will be the one with the most polarised views. The strikethrough design continues, but it pretty much dominates the entire width of the car; even the taillights are hidden within. When the car is switched off, the lights are invisible, leaving just the grille-like surface, and it does look excessively lined, though unique.

Then there’s the complete absence of a rear windscreen. Jaguar says a conventional rear windscreen would offer very limited visibility with a short vertical height, given the car’s long sloping roofline, so it opted for a clean monolithic panel while a camera feeds a digital rear-view mirror. There’s also a rear spoiler that can be deployed; there are three positions in all, adjusting according to speed to aid aerodynamic efficiency and stability. Beneath the tailgate is 450 litres of boot space in a relatively shallow bay, with some additional storage beneath a panel. 

Give and take

The Type 01’s concept car design and proportions do come with some compromises, and that’s immediately apparent stepping into the rear. You have to move around a protruding rear panel and sink into the seats. Once there, the space is cosy or claustrophobic depending on how you see small spaces. The trouble is the low roof is very close to your head, and the window panes are extremely small; there’s a glass roof, but it only does so much to alleviate the lack of cabin volume. Furthermore, you sit behind the pillar, so you get some privacy, but not an open view outside. 

The seats are comfy enough, and at the rear the split battery arrangement reduces the knees-up seating position; while it isn’t comfortable like a conventional car, the arrangement makes a meaningful difference. 

At the front too, the low roof means a low-set driving position; the windscreen is shallow in height, and headroom is just about sufficient for taller occupants. Also, the rear-view mirror – or display, more accurately – is positioned at the base of the windscreen rather than atop. The front seats feature heating, cooling and massage functions.

The cabin is divided into four distinct zones by a prominent central spine that houses storage spaces and a rear touchscreen controller. The dashboard carries the strikethrough pattern from the bonnet outside, and the doors carry prominent brass-finished panels. The absence of physical buttons is disappointing; thankfully, the central touchscreen, which handles climate control, is positioned in a manner that allows the driver to rest a hand on the central spine to make operations a bit easier.

There’s a single large 24-inch display combining the instrument cluster and central infotainment screen; driver-focused information is to the right, and functions accessible to the front passenger are on the left. 

Number crunching 

Underneath its dramatic styling, the Type 01 packs in some serious performance hardware and is the latest to join the 1,000hp+ club. Power comes from a three-motor setup, two at the rear and one at the front. Combined, these produce a massive 1,030hp and 1,365Nm of torque, and despite it weighing in at about 2.7 tonnes, the Type 01 does the 0 to 100kph sprint in 3.2 seconds. This isn’t the 2-second territory that others of this high horsepower club claim, but it’s still extremely quick for what is essentially a four-door GT. Jaguar has often talked of ‘power in reserve’ and highlights its strong 100kph to 180kph of 4.0 seconds as evidence. 

Feeding this power is the split module battery; it utilises NMC chemistry and has a 120kWh capacity (118kWh usable) and promises a WLTP range of up to 720km. Jaguar says thanks to the 850-volt architecture, on a 350kW DC charger you can add 321km of range in 13 minutes and 10-80 per cent in around 22 minutes with the split pack set-up to maximise 400-volt chargers. The Type 01 also features twin AC charging ports, one on each side, so it’s easy to charge no matter how you park. 

The powertrain has drive modes, torque vectoring and ride is courtesy of switchable air springs and twin-valve active dampers. Rear-wheel steering keeps a tight 11.5m wall-to-wall turning circle diameter. 

Shock! And awe?

The Type 01 is unlike Jaguars of the past, which were the target. Jaguar sales were drying up, and it needs to bring in new customers, and that’s where this entirely new design direction comes in. It has traces of its heritage but, on the whole, is unique, and there’s no denying it’s striking to look at with its wild concept car looks. This, however, means interior space is at a premium, and there are ingress and egress challenges. Making amends in some way is the minimal and classy interior styling and, of course, a powertrain with all the right numbers and ingredients that promises a thrilling drive experience.

Asking prices for all this will be going up, not to the levels of a Rolls or Bentley but above what the brand’s previous flagships like the XJ were at. Expect prices to start at £120,000 in international markets where deliveries are scheduled to begin by mid-2027. India will follow a few months on with prices around the Rs 2 crore mark, give or take. 

Sitting between Mercedes and BMWs at the lower end and Rolls and Bentleys above, the Type 01 has found a gap and a differentiation in its style and appeal too. But can Jaguar transform from elegance and heritage to exuberant modernism? It’s a big leap for sure, and one that the company needs the big cat to make.