- A lightly disguised Type 01 prototype is now being tested in public.
- Key features include the lack of a traditional grille and a radical interior.
- Jaguar hopes to steal sales away from Bentley and Rolls with this model.
Few places telegraph a target buyer quite like Monte Carlo in race week. That is presumably the calculation behind Jaguar parking a fresh Type 01 prototype in the Principality just before this weekend’s Formula E Monaco E-Prix, giving onlookers another preview of the all-electric flagship before its global reveal in September. The crowd that summers in Monaco is the crowd Jaguar wants.
Read: Jaguar’s Type Name Is Back, And It’s Wearing Four Doors And Over 1,000 HP
The development of Jaguar’s new electric sedan has been hugely controversial, and many car enthusiasts still can’t forgive the brand for its infamous 2024 marketing campaign and rebrand. However, if you set the marketing aside, the new EV has the potential to carve out a small but important niche in the industry, targeting those who would normally buy a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce.
This camouflaged prototype is finished in red, white, and beige and features the car’s official name, Type 01, on the roof. The skin-tight wrap doesn’t really provide us with any design details that we haven’t already seen, but there’s no denying this thing is a head-turner, and not just because of the color.
The One And Only Jaguar
Just like the Type 00 concept that inspired it, the Jaguar Type 01 will lack a traditional grille and feature slim daytime running lights and LED headlights. Despite being an EV, it features a long hood, which will hopefully accommodate a generous frunk. It also uses pop-out door handles. There’s also no visible rear window, and a small trunk opening.
The brutish exterior aesthetic will continue into the cabin. Recent images have shown that the Type 01 will include a steering wheel with thick horizontal spokes housing a slew of important controls and buttons. It will also include a large wraparound infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster.
In terms of power, the electric Type 01 is expected to use a 120 kWh battery pack. This battery will drive three electric motors that together produce over 1,000 hp and 959 lb-ft (1,300 Nm) of torque.
