Credit: JaguarJaguar's imposing GT saloon delivers 1,000bhpProduction car sticks close to the divisive conceptJaguar says it is a "copy of nothing" but luxury EV sales are stagnantJaguar has finally taken the wraps off a production version of its highly divisive Type 00 electric GT saloon, the first new electric vehicle from the British marque since its groundbreaking I-Pace back in 2018.After hitting the headlines following a sweeping rebrand in 2024, Jaguar has come under fire from all corners of the automotive world (and beyond), being accused of everything from alienating its traditional customers to going "woke", as commentators became bitterly divided over the subject.Jaguar says its radical Type 01, the name given to the production model, is a "copy of nothing" and the all-aluminum four-door GT saloon stays true to the early concepts, with its "exuberant proportions", low roofline, long bonnet, sleek silhouette and dramatic presence ensuring passers-by are forced to look twice as it silently glides by.Underneath the bold shell, Jaguar has opted for an 850-volt electrical architecture, which provides a 400-mile EPA range (sustained highway speed range of up to 320 miles) and the ability to add 200 miles in 13 minutes using 350kW charging outlets.There's also a tri-motor layout that delivers around 1,000bhp when combined, resulting in a 0-62mph sprint in 3.2 seconds, as well as an impressive four-second drag from 62-112mph.JaguarThe interior has remained suitably unique, with a single piece of glass making up the 24-inch OLED screen in front of the driver, a long central spine that separates the two + two seating layout and brass-inspired elements that adhere to Jaguar's "exuberant modernist" creative philosophy.Despite carrying over most of the concept's wilder elements into the production car, including a lack of rear windscreen, the internet is still torn.The BBC reported that some in the luxury car consultancy business have called it an "unmitigated catastrophe", while former Head of Audi's Concept Design Studio, Steve Lewis, told AR Online that the Type 01 lacks consistency and "just seems unfinished".Analysis: Luxury EVs are a hard sellCredit: JaguarWhile the most recent sales figures suggest that electric vehicle popularity is on the rise globally, the bulk of these numbers (discounting the mid-priced Tesla Model Y) are coming from smaller, affordable models from Chinese brands like Geely and BYD.Granted, high-end luxury vehicles, like the Type-01 from Jaguar, are never designed to be mass market propositions, but the sales figures for similarly-priced electric vehicles make for grim reading.Porsche Taycan deliveries, for example, were down 22% in the first half of this year, while Audi has experienced a similar decline in its e-tron GT model.There have been reports that the Rolls-Royce Spectre has also seen a downturn in interest from its ultra-wealthy client base, despite strong interest after launch. BMW's equally monolithic i7 offers a more mixed picture, with some markets growing and others contracting.Residual values still remain an issue in the EV sector, with luxury vehicles experiencing a particularly steep decline in value on the used market, which has been enough to ward many customers away.As much as I want Jaguar's Type-01 to be a success (and I personally think it looks great), it is difficult to see how this model alone can save a company that has been lost at sea for years.The luxury vehicle market is tiny and throwing electrification into the mix only shrinks it even more.But Jaguar will undoubtedly reveal more cars that will ride on its new electric platform, including more "conventional" SUVs, and the Type 01 is exactly the sort of halo model that the British marque needs to keep generating those headlines and stoking interest in its new direction.Let's just hope it sells enough to ensure the company can make it to the next phase, otherwise we could witness another British carmaker in decline.
