Jaguar has done everything it can to make us hate it in recent months. With strange logos, advertising campaigns that look like a fashion show for aliens, and a promise not to "copy anything." But before we write off this British icon as a victim of its own marketing, let's pause. Underneath all that "woke" glitz, there's a monster. A three-engine monster that will tear up the asphalt faster than the Internet can tear up the nerves of purists. It's the Jaguar Type 00.
Let's be honest. When you hear the words "electric GT," you probably roll your eyes. Another heavy refrigerator on wheels? Maybe. But Jaguar, which is currently in the process of a complete transformation (or suicide, depending on who you ask), has hit the road with its new model, internally dubbed the “X900” or conceptually the Jaguar Type 00.
It's not that they made a car. They made a statement. And that statement has over 1,000 horsepower (745 kW). Yes, you read that right. This is no longer a car for gentlemen in tweeds driving to tea parties. This is a car for someone who wants to outrun their own past.
Brute force and physical absurdities
Heart Jaguar Type 00 (or rather, three pacemakers) are three electric motors. One in the front, two in the back. That means we're dealing with serious all-wheel drive, but thankfully it's set to favor the rear. Engineers are talking about a 30:70 torque split, which translates to this thing actually turning and not just sliding straight like a drunk tanker.
Although there are no official acceleration figures yet, the math doesn't lie. With this power, the car will likely hit 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in less than three seconds. Top speed? Test drivers reported with a smile that they easily reached 257 km/h (160 mph), while the cabin was as quiet as you'd find in a library at midnight.
Weight: The Elephant in the Room (Literally)
And now for the problem that everyone ignores. Weight. Jaguar is aiming for a weight of under 2,750 kilograms (6,062 lbs). Let me repeat that: two tons and seven hundred and fifty kilograms. This is not a car, this is a small moon. If you crashed this into a house, the house would probably lose.
But Jaguar claims they've distributed the weight 50:50, which is an engineering marvel comparable to my running a marathon. The Jaguar Type 00 sits on huge, standard 23-inch wheels, which are essential to visually balance this enormous body, over 5 meters (196.8 inches) long.
“This is not a car for narrow European streets. This is a car you park on your property, not in a parking space.”
Anxiety-relieving reach
Since it's an electrician, the key question is: "How far can I go before I become a pedestrian?" Jaguar promises a battery pack with a capacity of around 120 kWh. That's huge. Enough for 644 kilometers (400 miles) of range according to the WLTP cycle. Realistic? Let's say you can easily get from Ljubljana to Munich without stopping and asking for electricity.
Charging will be lightning fast, thanks to an 800-volt architecture (which we expect, although Jaguar remains secretive). But the real trick is in the shape. The car's long nose, which by all accounts should house a V12 engine, is just there... for show. For aerodynamics. For prestige. And, let's face it, it looks fantastic, even though it's completely unnecessary.
Ride: Like riding a cloud on steroids
Top Gear and other lucky people who have already driven the prototype report air suspension and dual-valve shock absorbers that work similarly to those found in a Range Rover. This means the car will swallow up potholes as if they didn't exist.
Even more important: four-wheel steering. The rear wheels can turn up to 6 degrees. At low speeds in the opposite direction of the front wheels (so you can turn this ship), and at high speeds in the same direction (for stability). This is the only way to keep a 5-meter car from acting like a bus.
Conclusion: All or Nothing Move
Jaguar is playing the riskiest game in its history with this model. Director Rawdon Glover admitted that they expect only 15 % buyers to be old customers. The other 85 %s? These will be new people. People who are not buying tradition, but buying the future. And these people have money. The price will start at 120,000 $ (approx. €130,000), which puts Jaguar in the ring with Porsche and Bentley.
Will they succeed? If we look only at the numbers – 1000 horses, 700 km range, futuristic design – they have the trump cards in their hands. But if we look at the emotions … Jaguar has always been a “criminal” car, a car with character, with the smell of petrol and leather. This new, silent giant is different. It is sterile, but brutally efficient. It is like an iPhone on wheels – everyone will complain about the price and the lack of a headphone jack (read: exhaust), but in the end everyone will want to have it.
Is this still a Jaguar? I don't know. But it's a damn impressive machine. And in a world where all cars have become the same, maybe that kind of madness is exactly what we need.
