Jaguar's Knightsbridge flagship puts a restaurant before its only Type 01

Jaguar's redesigned Knightsbridge flagship is the only place on earth where the public can see the newly unveiled Type 01 electric car — and most of its ground floor is a restaurant.

The British car brand overhauled its central London store to match the aesthetic of the Type 01, the first car in what Jaguar calls a new era for the marque. The brief, evidently, was to kill the traditional showroom.

"[We wanted] to create a physical expression of the new Jaguar," said Nick Rolls, senior manager of Jaguar Land Rover's spatial brand design team, which handled the overhaul.

"Rather than a traditional showroom, we wanted to design a destination where architecture, culture, hospitality and craftsmanship come together – and London felt like a natural home for that vision," he continued.

"The space has been purpose-designed from the ground up to embody the brand's new identity – it gave us the opportunity to truly rethink what a Jaguar destination could be outside traditional conventions."

What fills the space instead of cars?

The showroom has room for two cars. One is currently the Type 01, parked in its exclusive public habitat. The rest of the ground floor belongs to Café Eighty-One, a restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Michael O'Hare, finished in rich red fabric.

Upholstered benches run around the space, and a series of booths lines the front facade. So the layout reads more brasserie than dealership. Deliberately, one assumes.

"Food is one of the most universal forms of connection," said Rolls. "We wanted Café Eighty-One to be a welcoming space where people could spend time, meet friends or discover something new."

"It's designed to be a destination in its own right, helping make Jaguar at Knightsbridge part of London's cultural and hospitality landscape," he continued.

Why all the red?

The red wasn't arbitrary. Rolls said the colour nods to the brick architecture of central London.

"Jaguar's design philosophy is exuberant modernism, so colour plays an important role in creating emotion, atmosphere and a sense of occasion," he said.

"The rich reds within Café Eighty-One were inspired by London's iconic red-brick architecture, which is so prevalent throughout Knightsbridge and the surrounding neighbourhoods," he continued. "It was a way of connecting the interior to its setting while creating a warm, vibrant environment that feels distinctly London."

Elsewhere, the materials and colours were chosen to echo the interiors of the Type 01 itself.

"The relationship is deliberate," said Rolls. "The interiors share the same emphasis on materiality, craftsmanship and bold, contemporary form that defines Type 01."

"Materials such as travertine, tactile textiles and warm brass reference the vehicle's interior, while the use of sculptural shapes, carefully composed lighting and strong geometric forms reflects the same creative philosophy behind the car," he continued.

Below ground, the tone shifts. A lower level holds private spaces for sales, meetings and customisation discussions, including a room called the Design Vault, finished entirely in rich navy blues.

Can a café explain a rebrand?

Rolls hopes the revamped space helps visitors grasp the scale of the brand's current rethink.

"I hope people leave with a deeper understanding of Jaguar," he concluded. "Every element of the destination has been designed to reflect craftsmanship, creativity and bold design. We want people to feel a genuine connection to the brand and to see Jaguar through a new lens."

The showroom follows the launch of the Type 01, Jaguar's second electric car, earlier this year. It's the production version of the much-discussed Type 00 concept car, which drew attention when unveiled in 2024 after a rebrand the company described as a "complete reset". Knightsbridge is now where that reset has somewhere to sit down.

By Amara Osei