New-look Jaguar's biggest challenge could be its name

The new Jaguar has begun in earnest with the launch of a new logo and branding, accompanied by a launch video that looks like something created during a task on The Apprentice where the product is so far removed from what it’s trying to show that you wonder what’s being advertised in the first place. Cars, maybe.

It’s a rare day indeed when Elon Musk speaks for most of us, but his retort of “do you sell cars?” to the video posted on his X platform summarised what many were thinking (even if Musk might have had his own reasons for highlighting it).

Yet delve into the other comments about the video and the issue with rebooting a brand with very different positioning while it still exists in its current state is laid bare.

For all the witty retorts from the social media team back to Musk (“meet us for a cuppa”) or to others asking where the cars are in all this (“we’re setting the stage”, “soon you’ll see things our way”, “think of this as a declaration of intent”), you don’t have to get too far into the comments before the question Elon asked is answered: Jaguar does sell cars still, it has current owners with cars that are still very new, and while the company might want to ignore its present in the way it’s trying to position itself publicly, Jaguar still means and is something very different in the wider public consciousness.

And it’s a company that has not had a good time of it in recent years because JLR has been besieged by quality issues and an ongoing parts supply.

Copy nothing. #Jaguar pic.twitter.com/BfVhc3l09B

— Jaguar (@Jaguar) November 19, 2024

One reply to Jaguar’s video read: “2 year old F Type, just back from its third warranty repair, and returned with a large scratch on the door and damage to the side skirt. They need to improve build quality and dealer / service network before I’d consider buying another one."

Jaguar's reply: “Hi please let me know if we can be of any assistance. If you send us a private message with your VIN, email address, telephone number and local retailer, we'll look into this for you. Thanks.”

“What’s happening to your parts. My car has been in a JLR dealer for 3 months and still no sign of part. I have a 5 year old jag that I have been unable to drive for 4 months. The repair should have taken a day to fix.” Ouch.

“I am sorry to learn of your part delay. Please send us a private message with your VIN, contact details, part information and the name of your retailer. Thanks, Tom - Jaguar”. Tough day for Tom.

They go on. “You are let down by your dealer servicing. Liverpool Jaguar, do not answer the phone, do not call back…..! They are hopeless. Why would I buy another Jaguar, with service like this!”

Tom again: “I am sorry to learn of your experience. Please send us a private message with further information, your VIN and contact details. Thanks, Tom - Jaguar.”

They really do go on, and on, and on. Tom’s replies eventually give way to some by Tracy, others by Matt, Ellie and Maria too. One complaint is in Spanish, admirably so is the reply.

It’s actually quite uncomfortable reading how many people have problems with their cars, so numerous are the complaints, and you wonder what lengths they’ve had to go to get them sorted.

But replying is customer service, and it’s no criticism of Jaguar. It clearly has its problems in its current outgoing guise, and it’s these kinds of problems that make the company want to snap out of its malaise and into something very different indeed.

It’s worth recognising this is just phase one of the rebrand: in a few weeks Jaguar will show off a new concept car to showcase its future as a luxury EV brand and that should give a better indication of what the future is. At least it should stop questions such as Musk's.

Yet relaunching the company doesn’t make the problems highlighted by its social post go away. And a potential new customer, someone who is looking to “create exuberant”, “live vivid” or “delete ordinary” won’t get too far down the comments before they wonder whether a new Jaguar is for them.

Such is the issue with such a bold relaunch using exactly the same name. Time will pass, it may heel, probably will in fact, but so much is left behind that you wonder if it would have been better to come up with a completely new name for Jaguar at the same time.

If everything else is so different, why keep perhaps the most important thing the same, when what you're leaving behind is clearly so troubled and far removed from what you want it to be? We’ll know more once the concept is revealed and as the rebranding unfolds over the coming year, but the biggest hurdle for the new Jaguar to overcome looks increasingly likely to be the Jaguar name itself.