Reinvention, Not Tinkering: What Jaguar’s Bold Big Bang Move Can Teach AEC Firm Leaders
Image courtesy of Jaguar
A BIG BANG MOMENT
Most brands tiptoe into change. Jaguar slammed on the brakes, spun the wheel, and floored the accelerator in an entirely new direction.
In late 2024, Jaguar did the unthinkable: it halted the production and sale of its entire lineup—with the exception of its F-Pace SUV—in order to prepare for a full relaunch in 2026 as an all-electric, ultra-luxury brand.¹ It wasn’t a model refresh, or even a new platform.
It was a complete reinvention:
All-electric engineering — no combustion engines, no “growl.”
New exteriors and interiors — a radical design language.
Double the price point — moving Jaguar from premium competitor to ultra-luxury icon.
IF EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR IS DIFFERENT, IS IT STILL A JAGUAR?
The answer is yes—because the reinvention wasn’t built from scratch. It was built by going back to Jaguar’s past and tapping into its DNA.
As Managing Director Rawdon Glover explained in an interview with Uncensored CMO, to distill what makes a Jaguar, the engineering and design teams literally drove every classic Jaguar they had in their collection—the E-Type, F-Type, XJC, D-Type. They studied not just speed and handling, but the ritual of ownership: getting in and out, the feel of the seats, the way power is held in reserve until released. From that essence, they built an EV driving experience that was unmistakably Jaguar: engaging, dynamic, soulful.²
Even the luxury price point echoes Jaguar’s past: historically, the brand was strongest when selling fewer vehicles at elevated price points. The reset deliberately returns Jaguar to that “natural habitat.” As Glover noted, “That gives us the best chance to build a profitable, sustainable brand for another 90 years.”²
Not all of Jaguar’s brand totems were preserved, however. The “Growler”—the snarling badge symbolizing the satisfying roar of the car’s combustion engine—was retired. EVs don’t growl.
But another totem did survive: the “Leaper,” Jaguar’s iconic leaping bonnet cat, reimagined in a sleeker form, repositioned to leap forward, and reserved for carefully chosen placements. It now functions both as a hallmark of authenticity and as a symbol of Jaguar’s future outlook.³
WHY GO ALL-OUT RADICAL? BECAUSE THE WORLD CHANGED
Jaguar didn’t leap for drama’s sake. The world around it demanded it:
Demographic shifts: Jaguar’s customer base was aging. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce’s Spectre EV lowered its average buyer age to 35. Global wealth is getting younger, with billions in intergenerational transfers set to accelerate.⁴
Fierce competition: The German premium segment was dominated by scale, procurement efficiency, and razor-thin margins. Jaguar couldn’t win there. Asian entrants were surging.
Technological disruption: EVs, autonomous driving, digitization—all demanded a reset, not a retrofit.
Eroding revenues: Jaguar sales had declined sharply over the last decade, forcing a rethink.⁵ ⁶
As Glover told Uncensored CMO, “All of those things together made it clear: tweaking around the edges wasn’t enough. We needed a complete reset.”²
WHY IS JAGUAR’S REINVENTION RELEVANT FOR AEC FIRM LEADERS?
Of course, architecture, engineering, and construction firms can’t afford to simply stop taking projects while they retool. Jaguar had Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery to keep the lights on. But the parallels are unmistakable:
Demographic shifts: Boomers are retiring. Succession is underway. A new generation of buyers—many with diverse, immigrant backgrounds—are now making decisions.
Fierce competition: Consolidation, globalization, and new entrants are reshaping the field. Brokerages are selling design. Contractors are becoming lead consultants. The middle ground is crowded.
Technological disruption: AI, digital twins, robotics, industrialized construction, and prefabrication are redefining delivery models.
Revenue pressure: Core markets like condos, education, and office towers are in flux, putting stress on traditional fee streams.
Just as Jaguar discovered, incrementalism won’t cut it.
Image courtesy of Jaguar
Image courtesy of Jaguar
LESSONS FOR THE BUSINESS OF DESIGN
Radical times call for radical moves
AEC leaders must reassess their markets: where revenue is eroding, where opportunities are growing, and whether diversification is urgent. If too much of your pipeline is tied to vulnerable sectors, now is the time to explore new ones.Demographic shifts require new strategies
Younger clients aren’t your old professional acquaintances. They’re global, diverse, and digitally fluent. Is your BD strategy speaking to this new buyer? Is your succession plan robust?Technology isn’t optional—it’s foundational
Jaguar rebuilt its architecture for electric. AEC firms need to explore new processes, materials, and AI tools to optimize productivity, delivery, and client management.The power of BRAND
Jaguar retired some icons but amplified others. AEC firms must clarify what their brand truly stands for — and know which “totems” to shed and which to elevate. That’s how you create a powerful brand that frames reinvention as continuity, carrying your spirit and expertise forward even as your sectors, services, and markets evolve.The client experience IS the brand
Jaguar distilled its identity down to “the experience of driving.” In AEC, a central element of your brand is the client’s experience over a long, complex project lifecycle. A beautiful finished building won’t save you if the journey was chaotic. Client experience is the lasting memory—and the reason for referral or blacklisting.
REINVENT, DON’T TWEAK
Jaguar’s reset is a masterclass in courage and clarity. It is rooted in founder William Lyons’s dictum: a Jaguar should be “a copy of nothing.”⁷
AEC leaders are at a similar inflection point. Disruption is real. Competition is fierce. Demographics are shifting. Tweaks won’t be enough. Reinvention—of markets, models, brand, and experience—is the only way forward.
So ask yourself: if Jaguar can reset and relaunch as something entirely new yet still authentically Jaguar, what bold steps could your firm take to assess, adapt, and leap forward?
Image courtesy Jaguar
Image courtesy of Jaguar
Endnotes
Autocar. (2023, April 19). Jaguar to axe all models except F-Pace in 2025 relaunch. Autocar. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/jaguar-axe-all-models-except-f-pace-2025-relaunch
Evans, J. (Host). (2023, December 12). Jaguar relaunch: Genius move or marketing madness? With Rawdon Glover, Jaguar MD [Audio podcast episode]. In Uncensored CMO. Wave. https://pod.wave.co/podcast/uncensored-cmo/jaguar-relaunch-genius-move-or-marketing-madness-with-rawdon-glover-jaguar-md-9b106d90
Car and Driver. (2024, March 4). Jaguar reveals new logos in preparation for brand relaunch. Car and Driver. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a62939000/jaguar-new-logos-brand-relaunch
The Branding Journal. (2024, November 15). Jaguar rebrand: How the luxury automaker embraced “Exuberant Modernism”. The Branding Journal. https://www.thebrandingjournal.com/2024/11/jaguar-rebrand
BBC News. (2021, June 30). Jaguar Land Rover losses widen as semiconductor shortage hits. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57662684
The Guardian. (2022, March 11). Jaguar Land Rover blames chip shortage as losses mount. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/11/jaguar-land-rover-blames-chip-shortage-as-losses-mount
Jaguar USA. (2025). Copy Nothing. Jaguar. https://www.jaguarusa.com/copy-nothing/index.html
