Jaguar's rebranding sparks debate, with the Type 00 Concept facing criticism while a modified pickup variant gains praise for its design.

British luxury automaker Jaguar has revealed its Type 00 concept car, the first glimpse of a new electric vehicle following a controversial rebrand that has divided opinion on social media.

But for some car enthusiasts, the Type 00 (named after the company’s aim for zero emissions) still came as a bit of a shock. Jaguar is, after all, a well established premium brand, associated with sleek curves, racing and James Bond movies.

Jaguar has defended its new “Barbie pink” car, saying that it “won’t be loved by everyone” because it is “fearlessly creative”.

Carmakers are signaling their move from combustion to electric vehicles with new logos that are lighter, rounder, and more lowercase. The tantrums thrown across social media over the past few weeks in reaction to Jaguar’s redesign have once again revealed a fundamental contradiction underlying contemporary branding.

Jaguar's recent ad campaign, featuring bold visuals and no cars, faced backlash for perceived "woke" branding and is being compared to past rebranding controversies like Bud Light’s.