Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you, they say. Well, the sun certainly shone on the JLR Classic Works on Thursday, 10th April, as the Type 00 concept car made its UK debut with Jaguar hoping that the shadows of last year’s furore were well and truly behind them.
Besides the journalist’s preview back in November that Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine attended, this was the first unveiling of the groundbreaking concept car in the manufacturer’s home country, and Jaguar chose to perform it with a gathering of Jaguar royalty in what they called a “Friends of the Brand” event.
Around one hundred guests, many steeped in Jaguar history, gathered outside the facility in Prologis Park to enjoy the last of the evening sunshine before taking their seats for the UK public debut of Jaguar’s Type 00 concept car.
It was an apt setting to launch it here, where JLR produces its continuation classics and services its existing customers’ historic vehicles. One of the criticisms of Jaguar in recent months has been the allegation that it was turning its back on existing customers and their heritage. The fact that an E-type and XJ220 flanked the presentation stage was part of the messaging to comfort their existing fan base and to make them very much welcome on this exciting new journey with the brand. The use of phrases such as ‘a brand with heritage, not a heritage brand’ and the emotive video presentation of JLR CEO Adrian Mardell looking wistfully at the Jaguars of the 1960s further hammered home the point that all from the past were welcome and considered in this new dawn for the brand.
The evening began with greetings, canapés, and drinks before the guests took their seats for the opening address by Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine columnist and Head of Global PR for Jaguar, Ken McConomy. Following this was an impassioned speech from Jaguar MD, Rawdon Glover, who guided the guests through the journey, reasoning, and creative process that led the team to this point. Throughout his speech, Rawdon Glover emphasised how important their heritage has been in informing, but not limiting, their creativity with the new range of cars, expressing that Jaguar wanted to bring the ‘friends of the brand’ assembled along on the journey with them. Rawdon Glover has had many media addresses over the past few months, but none quite like this one. He was nervous with anticipation and openly admitted it, knowing that this room was filled with the world’s Jaguar experts and that they would be his toughest audience yet. His visible anxiety about how this tough crowd would receive the unveiling proves, above all doubt, that the accusations of abandoning their fan base were completely unfounded.
The final video presented was Gerry McGovern’s introduction to the design concept; finally, the screens were rolled back, revealing Type 00 looking resplendent in its new colour of French Ultramarine.
The VIPs, Jaguar alumni, and specialist media then spent the rest of the evening experiencing the car in each other’s company. They compared initial impressions, finally got a look inside, and, incredibly, were able to ask the design team and the boss, Rawdon Glover himself, questions on the design as the entire senior team shared wine and circulated amongst the guests all evening.
Many traditional Jaguar fans and custodians of the brand’s history entered the room very cynical about what was on offer. Almost all left with a better understanding of why Jaguar had taken such bold steps. After seeing the car in person, everyone agreed that it definitely has presence and curb appeal, returning Jaguar to the ‘stop and stare’ league of cars. The anticipation of seeing the production models is now higher than ever, and the excitement is palpable – especially now that Jaguar’s traditional fan base is arguably more a part of the family than they have been for a very long time.
