Ian Callum article and Jaguar feature

Jaguar, the quintessential British luxury nameplate has been enjoying a rebirth for some time. Ford Motor Company took over Jaguar in 1989, improving quality and reliability and ushering in a new modern design language with the 2007 introduction of the new XK coupe. Though Jaguar was sold to India’s Tata Motors in 2008, Ford left Jaguar in great hands with technologies already developed and product planning firmly in place along with a brilliant design chief at the helm, Ian Callum. Taking a glance at the new XJ sedan tells enough of the new passion and craftsmanship infused into Sir William Lyons’ legendary company. “I always felt Jaguar really needed to be a modern car company….We have [had] a lot of retro stuff in the past, a lot of heritage and now it’s time to move on,” Ian told me as we perused over his work on the XF sedan. Affable and down to earth, Ian has his thumb on the pulse of the next generation of luxury car buyers. “I want young people to like this car...because that’s the future customer,” he remarked. His design ideas reflect modern philosophy that has resonated in the marketplace, “If I had my way I’d have 21-inch wheels.…I’m sure some of your friends would pick 21-inch wheels….The bigger the better.” Though management made him settle for the 20-inch wheel option, he was able to get other ideas through. “The grille [has] got a lot of sparkle to it,” he told me in regard to the chrome wire mesh that adorns the nose of the XF along with a new Jaguar symbol. Most notable, however, is his work on the interior, especially the innovative gear shifting knob and the motorized vents. “I wanted something that will be fun when you get into the car….It really feels like a theatrical event when [you] get into the car….Is it necessary? No. Is it fun? (Yes.) And that is what it’s all about,” Callum expressed. The new energy and approach is evident in Jaguar’s breathtaking products. “I think it’s (XF) the best proportioned car in its class…a full five-seater,” Callum commented. The final iteration of the XF surprisingly retained a lot of the concept C-XF that debuted in Detroit two years ago. My query of this fact prompted Ian to reveal a secret,“[It is an] actual fact. When we did the C-FX concept, this car was done….The concept is derived from this car.” In theory, concept cars provide the template to create the design language for products to come. “The thing about concept cars is that designers want to express themselves….It gets us to the next level of creating,” opined Ian. Before Ford sold Jaguar, the XJ was already in the works and a previous conversation with Ford Global Design Chief, J. Mays, reiterated the process. This is captured by the XJ’s stunning looks which are based on the “maturing” of the XF’s design language in which a stretching of its lines produced a brilliant ultra luxury sedan. With an extended-range version of the XJ planned and a new E-Type coupe rumored, Ian and his design team are sure to amaze the public for years to come, bringing a profitable renaissance to Jaguar. www.jaguar.com