Jaguar Type 01

50,000 sign-ups, zero deposits: what Jaguar’s big number really says

What happened. Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover says more than 50,000 people worldwide have registered interest in the new Type 01, the four-door electric grand tourer that debuted in New York on October 6. Roughly 80% of them are new to the brand. That is exactly the crowd Jaguar said it was chasing when it scrapped its old lineup and its old logo.

The car. Three motors, about 1,015 hp and roughly 1,007 lb-ft of torque. An 850-volt system feeds a 118-kWh battery, good for an estimated 400 miles on the US test cycle. Jaguar claims a fast charge can add 200 miles in about 13 minutes. It is built in the UK at Solihull, and the US price starts around $130,000. Orders open in 2027, with first deliveries in the second half of that year.

The catch. These are “keep me informed” sign-ups. You needed an email address and a few details. No deposit, no build slot, no money. Think of it as 50,000 people following a band on social media, not 50,000 people buying concert tickets. Industry rule of thumb says only a fraction of that kind of interest ever turns into a purchase.

Why it matters to you. If you loved the old XE or XF, the message is blunt: that Jaguar is gone. The brand is leaving the $45,000 sports-sedan fight for a six-figure luxury niche, the same price neighbourhood as a Porsche Taycan or a well-optioned Mercedes-AMG. For most buyers, a Jaguar just went from “stretch” to “dream.”

Who wins. Jaguar’s leadership, for now. The rebrand was mocked as a culture-war own goal, and the brand has had almost nothing new to sell while it waited for this car. A big, mostly new audience is the best evidence yet that the shock tactic got attention from people who were never going to buy a Jaguar before.

Who loses. Loyal owners and dealers who built a business on more affordable cars. And the people who drove the reboot have not all stayed to see it land: former design chief Gerry McGovern has left, and CEO Adrian Mardell stepped down after 35 years at the company. Former Tata Motors finance chief P.B. Balaji now runs the show, and his first job is turning curiosity into cash.

What happens next. The real test arrives in 2027, when Jaguar asks for deposits. If even one in ten of these 50,000 converts, that is 5,000 cars at $130,000-plus, which is real money for a niche brand. If the number collapses once a credit card is involved, the critics get their told-you-so. Either way, it is the most interesting bet any legacy carmaker is making right now.

Stellantis

Jeep stalls, Europe saves Stellantis’s quarter

Stellantis shipped about 1.3 million vehicles in the third quarter, down 1%. A summer production shutdown cut North American shipments 12% to 357,000, with the Grand Cherokee and Compass each down 25,000 units. Europe was the bright spot, up 10% to 588,000 on EV demand, including about 44,000 cars from Chinese partner Leapmotor. Middle East and Africa fell 21%. CEO Antonio Filosa also ruled out splitting up the group’s 14 brands. Full results land October 28.

New Metal

Zenos E10 returns with 380 hp and a manual

British lightweight specialist Zenos has revived the E10. The top rZ uses a 2.0-litre turbo four making 380 hp, sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual. Claimed weight is just 790 kg (1,742 lb), about 200 kg less than a base Mazda MX-5. That works out to roughly 480 hp per tonne, supercar territory. UK prices start at £115,900.

Prices

2027 Honda Civic adds a sweet-spot Sport-L trim

The 2027 Civic is reaching US dealers now, starting at $24,995 for the LX sedan before a $1,295 destination fee. The new Sport-L ($28,495) brings leather, heated power front seats and dual-zone climate, features that used to require a hybrid. The Sport Touring Hybrid also gets the Prelude’s S+ Shift mode, which fakes rev-matched downshifts for a sportier feel.