“It’s true some people in my position get misty-eyed and protective, and reluctant to move things forward. But we’re not going to be like that.” The welcome words of Jaguar design director Julian Thomson, almost a year into the job after succeeding Ian Callum.
Callum’s impressive era moved Jaguar’s design into the future, with critically acclaimed designs including the original Jaguar XF, the Jaguar XJ, and, most radical of all, the Jaguar I-Pace. Seemingly unbreakable rules were broken by Callum, and the results were fantastic.
But however good Callum’s cars are to look at - and to drive - the commercial success has never followed over any sustained period of time. Jaguar has remained a relative minnow on the world stage; Tesla sold more than double the amount of cars Jaguar did last year. However good Callum’s work, Jaguar still hasn’t shaken it’s ‘old man’ image.
Now, in his interview with Steve Cropley, Thomson promises a new design reinvention at Jaguar. There will be cars created with female buyers and more youthful appeal (“I guess everyone wants young cars, even if they’re 60,” says Thomson), and plenty more rules will be broken, not least with Thomson open to the prospect of creating smaller Jaguars.
Due to the three-year or so lead times of new cars, it’ll be a couple of years yet before we see a beginning-to-end design from Thomson. It’ll be some day when it comes.
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Pace, grace and space
A Jaguar needs to be beautiful, and the current ones (F Type excepted) aren't. It seems to me Ian Callum was very good at sports cars but couldn't do saloons or SUV's. The only interesting looking recent Jaguar saloon was the XJ and that was more than 10 years ago. Let's remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and hope the new electric XJ is a beauty even if it's divisive in the process - there's nothing to be gained from an inoffensive design which is everyone's fourth or fifth favourite.
In terms of exterior design,
In terms of exterior design, I find Callum's approach of throwing away the traditional image of Jaguar largely successful (the exceptions being the current XF and the F Pace)
But it's his interior design that is always bland and uninviting. This is where he got rid of traditional Jaguar references and replaced them with - nothing.
Arguably, two seater sports
Arguably, two seater sports cars are easy to design, They have limited requirements, carry two people, look good, go fast, which is why it is so easy to differentiate the designs from each other.Four door saloons are much harder to differentiate because they need to fulfil so many conflicting needs. That's why Callums' XF of 2008 was so outstanding, it was the best looking saloon in the class and clearly a Jaguar.SUV's are even harder to differentiate because of the staid two box formula. Again Callums'I-Pace set the standard for good looks.
Arguably of these two outstanding designs only the XF was a sales success, that may be due to electric/range phobia or maybe price, but it is hard to see a new design direction bettering these outstanding cars.
Since Jaguar are arguably now in as poor a position as it was in 2007, that is not a promising place to take over as chief designer. Especially as he is talking affordability and youth/female appeal, which have not been Jaguar strangths since the 60's.
I wish him good luck as i think he will need it.