Elon Musk has ripped into British carmaker Jaguar after the company’s bizarre new promotional video prompted ridicule online.
The manufacturer is undergoing a major rebrand and revealed its new logo on Tuesday morning in a cryptic advert. Jaguar is set to launch three new electric cars in 2026 as it relaunches to being an electric-only brand.
But the bold new commercial sparked a pile on when it was posted to X, with viewers noting that one important element of most car adverts was conspicuously absent – any actual reference to cars.
The video shows a group of models modelling bright and flamboyant clothing across a series of equally vibrant sets.
It begins with the performers walking out into a surreal Mars-like pink landscape, as the words “create exuberant” appear on screen.
Other baffling phrases follow, including “live vivid”, “delete ordinary”, “break moulds”, as one character holds up a sledgehammer, and another paints over the screen.
At the end of the video the models gather together once more before reversing off-screen, revealing the name of the campaign “copy nothing”.
Musk, whose EV company Tesla will be competing with Jaguar, was among the bemused viewers online, posting on his X platform: “Do you sell cars?”
Jaguar responded on the platform, saying: “Yes. We’d love to show you. Join us for a cuppa in Miami on 2nd December? Warmest regards, Jaguar.”
The date is apparently in reference to the company’s anticipated unveiling of a concept car showcasing its bold new design language at Miami Art Week.
Andrew Neil, the former chairman of The Spectator magazine, was equally unimpressed, commenting: “What are you selling? Daft clothes? Do you no longer sell cars? You must already sniff the smell of disaster with this “campaign”.
Another person wrote: “This is surely a joke,” to which Jaguar responded “a pivotal moment”, among a series of defiant replies.
When a further user asked,” What the actual hell is this?” with a crying laughing emoji, Jaguar’s X account replied simply “The Future”.
Jaguar has been approached for comment.