At the end of 2024, Jaguar shocked the car world with their latest concept which would change Jaguar’s design portfolio forever, and it certainly made its mark on the British brand. Since the Jaguar Type 00s launch, Jaguar has lost most of its legendary reputation from general backlash to the car, the ‘woke’ advertising which did not show the car at all, and alienating their current customer base. The design of the car was certainly unique, however it seems to have inspired many a manufacturer to launch similar concepts, which could be the future of automotive design.
I had the ‘pleasure’ to see the Jaguar Type 00 on Jaguar’s stand at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed on their stand and truth be told I am split on it. Had Jaguar not launched the car in such a way that, firstly, did not show the car at all and at the same time alienate the customer base Jaguar, it would be looked at in a fairer light. The car itself is interesting to look at. If it were not on the Jaguar stand, truthfully I would not know it was a Jaguar, yet there is something quite cool about it, the long sweeping lines of the bodywork, the sci-fi cabin and the curvatious rear end which would not look out of place on the set of Blade Runner. It is the sweeping lines and especially the rear end that garners my attention however as manufacturers such as Bentley, Mercedes, Audi and even Toyota seem to have been inspired by this design.
Bentley launched the EXP15 Concept a few weeks ago, said to be inspired by the ‘blue train’, a legendary Bentley Speed Six which successfully raced the French blue express train from Cannes to Calais. Truth of the matter is, it looks nothing like it. The large and fat BMW-esque grill and the high riding chassis reminiscent of the original Bentayga concept make it not Bentley’s greatest look, especially with the beauty of their current range. Similar to the Jaguar, it features the long sweeping rear end, but we can thank Bentley for the fact it is only a concept….for now.
Bentley EXP15 Concept
When Audi announced they were dropping their TT sports car, the world was saddened. Whether you like it or not, the TT was an excellent car for Audi in the small sports car market, and without it, we may not have seen the Audi R8 make production. They have launched a concept, known as the Audi Concept C which is a vision of the future of the TT platform and they have confirmed it will enter production. Design wise, it does look very Audi TT with the front end being inspired by the legendary Auto Union Type C racing car with the inverted Audi logo between the panels. The rear quarter of the car, once again, is similar to the Jag, with the smooth curves but with three intakes inspired by the R8. This Audi will make production in some guise or another, but this could be the future of cars as we know it.
Audi Concept C
Even Mercedes are getting involved in this trend and their entry, the Vision Iconic, is the most similar to the Jaguar we have seen. If you were to take the Mercedes badging off, paint it satin blue, you would not be able to tell it isn’t the Type 00. The Vision Iconic would be the villain’s car in this sci-fi world, with the menacing grill and long length inspired by the 600 Grosser, famed for being the dictator’s go-to. However, there seems to be some inspiration from the one-off Maybach Exelero with the sweeping lines and curvy rear end. The Mercedes is a clear cut case though that Jaguar were onto something with their design, especially with the rear end of the car and the long bonnet which is almost half the length of the car instead. Mercedes have been the manufacturer though to say that their design is art-deco, reviving the designs from the 1940s and 1950s.
Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic
Even Toyota are having a crack at this style of design, although theirs is technically a one-off. The Century has always been the Rolls-Royce of the Japanese market for Toyota, some even being fitted with V12s, and with a new one on the way, they’re building a very orange, coupe version. The publicity campaign for this car is very similar to the way Jaguar launched the 00, with bright colours and arty images, and once again, the rear quarter looks the same. Long, sweeping angles, a large front grille and a longer bonnet than the rest of the car. Now while this car is a one-off, the fact that even Toyota are using this design, could be proof that is was the launch of the Type 00 that was the problem, not the car itself.
Toyota Century
So were Jaguar hard done by with the launch and backlash to their Type 00? Maybe, maybe not. The market for these long bonnet, round rear end coupes has not yet been fully established, but it does seem that it has inspired a lot of art-deco inspired coupe concepts which could serve as a glimpse into the future of car design. Just think though, in the 1940s and 50s, when cars such as the Bugatti Type 57, Talbot-Lago Teardrop Coupe and even the original Rolls-Royce Phantom launched, the ideals were the same. Long bonnet, rounded rear end and razor sharp edges, is art-deco back?
