McLaren P1 Designer Criticizes Jaguar’s Bold Concept, Calls It “First-Year Student Work”

While Frank Stephenson may not carry the same instant name recognition as contemporary design heavyweights like Chris Bangle, Henrik Fisker, Adrian van Hooydonk, or Ian Callum, his impact on modern automotive design is undeniable. Over his career, he has shaped some of the most important models for top-tier brands including Alfa Romeo, BMW, Fiat, Ferrari, Ford, Lancia, Maserati, Mini, and McLaren. True to his name, Stephenson is never shy about offering a frank assessment of other designers’ creations.

Writing for Top Gear magazine, Stephenson turned his attention to the Jaguar Type 00 concept. His critique wasn’t exactly gentle—at one point, he compared the design to something a first-year student might sketch.

“Flat and Unrefined”

Stephenson’s design résumé is impressive on its own, but his profile has skyrocketed since 2020 thanks to his self-titled YouTube channel. There, he’s become known for pulling no punches—and his take on the Jaguar Type 00 is no exception. Calling the concept “forgettable from nearly every angle,” Stephenson criticizes its flat, featureless body panels, arguing that the design lacks any real points of visual interest.

“The overall design lacks cohesion and seems unfinished. That’s a recurring theme – unfinished surfaces. Many panels appear flat and unrefined, like early stage clay work. There’s no sense of surface entertainment – nothing sculptural or dynamic to catch the light or hold visual interest.”

– Frank Stephenson

According to Stephenson, the Type 00 “feels like a concept that wasn’t fully thought through before it reached the prototype stage,” pointing to several bold but unresolved ideas. He then takes aim at its proportions, which he describes as awkward and contrived. Despite following the classic sports car recipe of a long hood and short rear deck, Stephenson argues the execution looks forced. Even the oversized wheels—on trend in today’s market—strike him as giving the car a “toylike” appearance.

Jaguar Has a Lot of Work to Do

“The car severely misses the Jaguar villainy,” offers perhaps Stephenson’s most cutting observation. Historically, Jaguar has always carried a sense of roguish charm in its designs—most notably in the legendary E-Type, which the Type 00 seems to clumsily echo in its proportions. While that may be his sharpest point, the harshest critique comes when he declares the concept “feels unautomotive.”

“It lacks refinement, intent, and emotion,” Stephenson adds. “There’s a ‘Cybertruck effect’ at play: the pursuit of boldness without enough attention to proportion, purpose, or execution.” His comment echoes concerns shared by some designers at the time of the Cybertruck’s launch, who worried that its success could encourage executives to chase boldness at the expense of thoughtful design.

Interestingly, the Jaguar Type 00’s exterior is credited to Gerry McGovern. When he became Director of Advanced Design for Land Rover in 2004, he remarked, “Land Rover fascinates me more than any other carmaker because it has its roots in pure design as opposed to styling.” Notably, McGovern is also the mind behind the redesigned Land Rover Defender and the current-generation Range Rover.

So far, Jaguar’s rebranding and its “Copy Nothing” campaign have struggled to win favor, drawing reactions ranging from skepticism to outright disdain. Yet incoming CEO P.B. Balaji remains optimistic, stating, “We have put our plans together, the cars are being revealed, they’re getting exciting response from the customers on the ground. Therefore, that’s what the strategy is.”