Honestly, if you haven’t seen the new Jaguar car advert, you’ve probably at least heard the screaming about it on X or caught a confused headline in your feed. It’s a lot. Most people hate it. A few marketing "futurists" claim it’s a stroke of genius. But if you actually sit down and watch the 30-second clip titled "Copy Nothing," one thing hits you immediately.
There are no cars. None.
Instead, we get a group of androgynous models wearing high-fashion, primary-colored outfits that look like they were stolen from a 1980s Devo music video. They’re standing in elevators, painting on walls, and looking generally "exuberant"—which happens to be Jaguar’s favorite new word. The internet reaction was a total bloodbath. Elon Musk famously chimed in with a dry "Do you sell cars?" and honestly, it’s a fair question.
The "Copy Nothing" Controversy Explained
Jaguar is in the middle of a massive identity crisis, but they’d call it a "reimagining." They’ve basically nuked their entire existing lineup. No more F-Pace. No more XF. They even stopped selling new cars in the UK for a while just to create a "firebreak" between the old brand and the new one.
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The new Jaguar car advert wasn’t just a bad commercial; it was a manifesto. The company is trying to pivot from being a "gentleman’s express" brand to a high-end luxury boutique, competing with the likes of Bentley and Porsche rather than BMW or Audi. The slogan "Copy Nothing" is actually a callback to the brand's founder, Sir William Lyons. He used to say a Jaguar should be a "copy of nothing."
But there’s a massive gap between a 1961 E-Type—which Enzo Ferrari called the most beautiful car in the world—and a bunch of models in pastel jumpsuits. Critics like former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert have called the move "unbelievable," specifically pointing out the decision to ditch the iconic "Growler" face logo for a geometric monogram that looks like it belongs on a handbag.
What’s Actually Happening with the Vehicles?
While the new Jaguar car advert skipped the hardware, the company did eventually show its hand at Miami Art Week. They unveiled the Type 00. It’s a concept car, not something you can buy tomorrow, and it’s… polarizing.
- The Design: It’s massive, bluff, and incredibly long. There’s no rear window. Seriously.
- The Colors: They showed two versions: "Miami Pink" and "London Blue."
- The Vibe: It looks like a slab of futuristic marble.
Rawdon Glover, Jaguar’s Managing Director, has been doing the rounds trying to explain this. He’s basically admitted that they know they’re going to lose a huge chunk of their old customer base. They’re okay with that. They’re chasing "cash-rich, time-poor" Gen Z and Millennial buyers who care more about "Exuberant Modernism" than they do about 0-60 times or heritage racing green paint.
It’s a huge gamble. Jaguar’s sales have been sliding for years—down from 179,000 units in 2017 to somewhere around 43,000 recently. They’re moving from a mass-market luxury strategy to a "boutique" model. They plan to sell fewer cars but at much higher prices, likely starting north of £100,000.
The Reality of the 2026 Launch
Don't expect to see these on the road for a while. The first production model, a four-door GT, isn't slated for delivery until late 2025 or early 2026. This is the part that makes the new Jaguar car advert feel so weird. They’ve spent millions of dollars generating "buzz" and "conversation" for a product that doesn't exist yet.
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The technical specs we do have are actually pretty impressive, assuming they hit their targets:
- Platform: They’re using the new JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture).
- Range: They’re claiming up to 478 miles (770 km) on the WLTP cycle.
- Power: Glover says it will be the most powerful Jaguar ever made.
But specs don't sell $130,000 cars alone. Emotion does. The old emotion was "British spy/villain in a cool leather jacket." The new emotion is "Avant-garde artist at a gallery opening."
Why the Backlash Matters
The "woke" accusations are flying thick and fast, mostly because the ad leans so heavily into gender-neutral fashion and diverse casting without a single tailpipe in sight. But the business problem is deeper than culture war politics.
When you’re a heritage brand, your history is your "moat." It’s the thing that stops a startup from China or Silicon Valley from just eating your lunch. By "deleting ordinary" (their words), Jaguar might have accidentally deleted the very reason people liked them in the first place.
Managing Director Rawdon Glover argues that "great design does polarize." He’s not wrong. The original E-Type was a shock to the system in its day. The difference is that the E-Type was undeniably a car. The new Jaguar car advert is a lifestyle brand looking for a purpose.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re actually thinking about buying one of these "new era" Jags, or if you’re just a confused fan, here’s what you need to know:
- Don't look for a dealership yet: Most existing Jaguar showrooms are being renovated or closed to fit the new high-fashion "boutique" aesthetic.
- Wait for the production reveal: The Type 00 is just a "design vision." The real car that hits the road in 2026 will have to meet safety regulations, which usually means adding things like, you know, mirrors and windows.
- Check the used market: If the "Copy Nothing" vibe makes you cringe, now is actually a great time to look at used F-Types or XJs. As the brand pivots, the classic "cat" era cars are becoming instant collectibles.
The truth is, Jaguar had to do something. They were dying a slow death by being "the other British car brand." Whether this neon-drenched rebrand is a stroke of genius or the world's most expensive "oops" remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: you won't mistake a Jaguar for a BMW anymore. And for the team in Coventry, that’s probably mission accomplished.