From 'woke' ridicule to real car - new electric Jaguar unveiled

From 'woke' ridicule to real car - new electric Jaguar unveiled JLR coiled down the accumulation of its aged Jaguar models during 2024 and 2025. The “woke” controversy, which perhaps made the leadership briefly uncomfortable, at least kept the Jaguar name in the national consciousness at a time when the brand was selling very few cars. “It brought Jaguar from the back pages to the front pages, given that it was dying in a crowded global market,” says Schmidt. “Everyone is now talking about what would have been a different, boring product.” The GT is slated to become the first of three upcoming electric designs from Jaguar. Since the lawsuit in Miami two years ago, McGovern has left the company, JLR has severed ties with the agency behind the contentious rebranding campaign, and the firm has appointed a new chief executive. Nevertheless, the future of Jaguar itself remains uncertain. “I think it truly is a last roll of the dice,” says automotive writer Steve Fowler. “JLR has struggled to generate substantial profit with Jaguar in the past, and that’s what it’s all about.” The pressing question is whether enough buyers can be persuaded to spend £130,000 on a relatively distinctive upmarket electric car in a marketplace where alternatives from Porsche, Mercedes‑AMG or fast‑growing Chinese marques such as Denza are readily available. “Forget the controversy, the culture wars and the pink‑concept car,” says Ginny Buckley of the electric‑car website Electrifying.com. “What really matters is whether Jaguar has built something good enough to justify discarding everything it previously stood for.” She believes the car is capable enough to silence critics, but concedes “the next challenge will be getting people to buy it.” Steve Fowler concurs. “The car is capable enough to do it,” he says. “Whether the Jaguar brand is capable enough remains to be seen.”