Ian Callum is leaving Jaguar
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: California
Ian Callum is leaving Jaguar
Jaguar's director of design Ian Callum is officially stepping down. Callum has been with the company for over 20 years, leading numerous important and legendary designs. To name a few, Callum is responsible for recent cars like the Jaguar F-Type, XF and I-Pace. He also designed the C-X75, which was a concept hypercar that Jaguar absolutely should have made.
"I have had an incredible career at Jaguar," Callum says. "One of my biggest highlights was creating XF because it represented the beginning of a new era moving Jaguar from tradition to contemporary design — it was a significant turning point in our story."
Callum also says he isn't done designing cars — he's even going to continue to act as a consultant for Jaguar after his departure. It's unclear what his main project will be after he leaves in July, but he's left the door open for himself. "I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do. Given the strength of both our products and the design team I feel that now is the right time to move on, both personally and professionally, and explore other design projects," Callum says.
In addition to slick sports cars and sultry sedans, Callum is also responsible for leading Jaguar into the era of SUVs and crossovers. He headed up the design for the F-Pace and E-Pace. We found both of those to be some of the better looking crossovers on sale today, so props to Callum for finding and implementing the Jaguar style in the inherently unstylish crossover format. Callum has designed plenty of great cars outside of Jaguar, too. A few examples include the Aston MartinDB7, DB9, Vanquish and Ford Escort Cosworth.
"I have had an incredible career at Jaguar," Callum says. "One of my biggest highlights was creating XF because it represented the beginning of a new era moving Jaguar from tradition to contemporary design — it was a significant turning point in our story."
Callum also says he isn't done designing cars — he's even going to continue to act as a consultant for Jaguar after his departure. It's unclear what his main project will be after he leaves in July, but he's left the door open for himself. "I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do. Given the strength of both our products and the design team I feel that now is the right time to move on, both personally and professionally, and explore other design projects," Callum says.
In addition to slick sports cars and sultry sedans, Callum is also responsible for leading Jaguar into the era of SUVs and crossovers. He headed up the design for the F-Pace and E-Pace. We found both of those to be some of the better looking crossovers on sale today, so props to Callum for finding and implementing the Jaguar style in the inherently unstylish crossover format. Callum has designed plenty of great cars outside of Jaguar, too. A few examples include the Aston MartinDB7, DB9, Vanquish and Ford Escort Cosworth.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,181
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From: New York
If i were Mr. Toyoda - i would hire this guy to be head of Lexus design ASAP!
Lexus needs to go back to “Luxury and Elegance” design language. The Predator grille styling is almost a decade old.
Ian Callum could do wonders for the brand to go back being a true Luxury nameplate.
Lexus needs to go back to “Luxury and Elegance” design language. The Predator grille styling is almost a decade old.
Ian Callum could do wonders for the brand to go back being a true Luxury nameplate.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,223
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If i were Mr. Toyoda - i would hire this guy to be head of Lexus design ASAP!
Lexus needs to go back to “Luxury and Elegance” design language. The Predator grille styling is almost a decade old.
Ian Callum could do wonders for the brand to go back being a true Luxury nameplate.
Lexus needs to go back to “Luxury and Elegance” design language. The Predator grille styling is almost a decade old.
Ian Callum could do wonders for the brand to go back being a true Luxury nameplate.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,181
Likes: 244
From: New York
Jaguar cars and SUVs are some of the best styling there currently exists.
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
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Lead Lap
Joined: May 2010
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From: San Diego, CA
Jaguar cars and SUVs are some of the best styling there currently exists.
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
Lexus in many ways is the polar opposite. Reliable, truly well built cars from a hugely scalable and hugely competent manufacturer, but in some cases (obviously not all) perhaps a little anodyne and bland. Jaguar would be better if it had the other Lexus strengths, the converse is likely also equally true.
Callum is a superb designer who will do great work wherever he goes. A Callum designed Lexus which had what continues to make Lexus great with the design flourish of a Callum car would be a car I'd be interested in. Put another way, if the F Type were a Lexus and not a Jag, chances are it would have sold in far greater numbers because it would have been a better car than the one Jag was able to build. And I say that as someone who bought an F Type and an XJ!
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,223
Likes: 265
Jaguar cars and SUVs are some of the best styling there currently exists.
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
Current XJ, Ftype, Fpace are top in their class in styling.
Jag’s problem is interior quality, perceived reliability, poor technology and high prices.
50 yrs from now Ftype SVR and XJ R will be classics at a Concours d’Elegance show. What will Lexus have?
Tata is likely looking for someone new to inject some life into the brand.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Lexus in many ways is the polar opposite. Reliable, truly well built cars from a hugely scalable and hugely competent manufacturer, but in some cases (obviously not all) perhaps a little anodyne and bland. Jaguar would be better if it had the other Lexus strengths, the converse is likely also equally true.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jun 5, 2019 at 06:28 AM.
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,517
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From: San Francisco, CA
Ian is truly an artist, and I hope he will continue to design cars, even if for another company. My favorite of his at Jag is also the XF. I still think its still a really good looking car, even if the side profile at the time was a copy of the GS 
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,992
Likes: 246
From: California
I agree. I'll be one of the few who say no big loss with Callum leaving. The brand hasn't had anything standout in quite some time and their designs are shadowed by mostly everything else. Just because one man loyally stood behind a brand, and that brand has a long history, does not make a designer successful. People here and abroad are getting caught up in nostalgia and emotion, which does not sell cars nor make a profit.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,181
Likes: 244
From: New York
Some of you are confusing what a designer can do compared to management, bean counters, engineers etc.
The one strength of Jaguar cars has been beautiful styling.
They do have many weaknesses and the most recent generation XF, XE, Fpace had horrendous interiors. You can see and feel the cost cutting. They also focused way too much on performance and wanted to move away from their traditional luxury reputation similar to what Cadillac, Lexus all have done. They kind of lost their way, now they are going EV route....
RangeRover has done really well in comparison with great quality interiors and stayed true to their heritage with being the most capable luxury SUVs. Less of a focus on Sport.
Lexus is missing timeless design. They really need new design language for new gen cars. LC was a great step but hasn’t translated to other new models like LS500.
The one strength of Jaguar cars has been beautiful styling.
They do have many weaknesses and the most recent generation XF, XE, Fpace had horrendous interiors. You can see and feel the cost cutting. They also focused way too much on performance and wanted to move away from their traditional luxury reputation similar to what Cadillac, Lexus all have done. They kind of lost their way, now they are going EV route....
RangeRover has done really well in comparison with great quality interiors and stayed true to their heritage with being the most capable luxury SUVs. Less of a focus on Sport.
Lexus is missing timeless design. They really need new design language for new gen cars. LC was a great step but hasn’t translated to other new models like LS500.
Jag has said massive luxury updates to interiors coming this year so they know they missed the marque (sic).
Callum does fabulous exterior design. Either interiors not his thing or his hands were tied tightly on what he could do. Aston Martin doesn't have great interior either.
Callum does fabulous exterior design. Either interiors not his thing or his hands were tied tightly on what he could do. Aston Martin doesn't have great interior either.