EV Concept Jaguar 0-Type Made in Image of Two Iconic Jags, Vision GT SV and 1954 D-type

The future is something that no one can foresee, but some people out there are hard at work trying to make it happen. One designer, Bumsoo Kim of Busan, South Korea, has recently unveiled a futuristic Le Mans vehicle dubbed the Jaguar 0-Type.

Now, about Mr. Kim, there isn’t much to go on. Currently, this future EV concept is the only work he shows on Behance. But being the first work from the designer, this project should stand as an example of his abilities, and whether we should keep this gentleman in our sights.

The first thing to note about this EV is that, even though it’s set in the future, Kim decided to incorporate classic Jaguar Le Mans styling, and in the process built upon a highly regarded Jaguar vehicle, the 1954 D-Type. This vehicle stood as such an example of Jaguar capability for so many years, that the manufacturer even undertook a project where they hand-built another 25 cars, completing the initial grouping of 100 pieces that were planned back in 1955.

As for the Jaguar 0-Type, this concept has nothing to do with the actual brand except that it stands as a testament to Kim’s love of this company. With this in mind, the front of the 0-Type sports a very futuristic look and feel, while the rear is a twist on the classic D-type layout, in the process, looking for a way to blend the two timeframes. In doing so, Mr. Kim also used design cues from the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo SV virtual electric supercar. Yes, the same one that Jaguar will be making a real-world design study out of and that’s to appear in the next Gran Turismo game.

The front of the vehicle sports a very sharp and low design, one seen before in other futuristic vehicle designs and concepts. Even some real supercars showcase a similar design. But the one place I've seen this sort of low hood, high wheel wells, and those over-the-wheel fins, are Roborace cars. However, the pleasure of possibly driving something like this is still left to be enjoyed by an actual driver, if this concept ever takes off and becomes a real vehicle.

The rear of the car, too, has a bit of Roborace in its blood. The deformed body that surrounds the rear wheels bring a slight AI feel, but considering that the D-Type and Vision styling are also present, the lifted and bulbous center and iconic fin, are all in place, albeit, a bit warped and combining future design ideology.

Earlier I mentioned that the 0-Type is meant to be an electrically powered vehicle. While that may be true, Mr. Kim has taken absolutely no care in showing the world which components may be available, or even where they may be mounted. The only real attention is given to the wheels of the 0-Type, but nothing electrical.

But one note made on the designer’s idea board says that he is removing the engine compartment. When a vehicle ends up being electric by design, with no engine compartment, chances are that the motor or motors are mounted directly into the wheels.

In this world of conceptual vehicle art, there are many that try to come up with the next ground-breaking design, and what I'm seeing is that a lot of designers are coming up with very similar ideas. This is a double-edged sword to say the least. On one hand, we can see a trend, and one that can possibly reveal future designs, but secondly, the chances that this particular design is the one that Jaguar will have in mind in years to come, are quite low.