Jaguar’s future design direction as an electric-only luxury brand will be “shocking”, according to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) design chief Gerry McGovern.
McGovern, JLR’s new chief creative officer, is at the heart of the operation to galvanise Jaguar, following CEO Thierry Bolloré’s Reimagine plan outlining the drastic shifts Jaguar will make between now and 2025.
It will become an electric-only brand. It won’t make SUVs. It will create a bespoke electric car platform for its own exclusive use. It won’t launch the electric XJ replacement, writing off some £300 million spent on its development.
Promoted from his previous role as Land Rover design director and appointed to the board by Bolloré in January, McGovern believes desirability is the key to reviving the troubled brand.
He should know: McGovern’s first concept design at Land Rover was the LRX, revealed at the Detroit motor show in 2008. It inspired the Range Rover Evoque, which went on to become the most successful car in the company’s history.
Since then, McGovern has spearheaded the design of the Range Rover Sport, Velar, Discovery Sport and the Defender. His impact on the next generation of Jaguars will be crucial.
Speaking exclusively to Steve Cropley in this week’s issue of Autocar magazine, McGovern says: “Jaguar designs will be compelling and jaw-dropping. One word I like is exuberant. Even shocking, but in a good way. Our new cars will resonate with customers on a visceral level. You will look at one and think there’s nothing else like it.”
In McGovern’s in-depth exclusive, he outlines:
- Why Jaguar’s decision to chase Audi and BMW was wrong
- Why its future cars won’t fit into normal segments
- If the new-look Jaguar will still be able to call itself a sports car maker
“In my book,” he says, “the only thing that has to look traditional about a Jaguar is the badge. I really don’t think anything else matters.”
The full interview can be found in the latest issue of Autocar magazine, on sale from tomorrow, Wednesday 7 April 2021.
Read more
Designer Gerry McGovern appointed to Jaguar Land Rover board
Jaguar to become all-electric brand from 2025
Electric Jaguar XJ scrapped as part of brand reinvention plan
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I just rushed out and bought the magazine with great expectation only to be dismayed by 4 pages (one page of McGovern wearing that black turtle neck top (like Steve Jobs but there the comparison ends) and purple velvet jacket (from the 1970s), one page of Jaguar car photos (better), and only about 1.5 pages of text. Lots of stuff from McGovern saying he didn't really want his new role but his new boss kind of insisted. Then its all about looking forward not backwards, Ian Callum did a bad job (or was that Ralf Speth), then McGovern swallows a thesaurus saying he will 'edit' the new designs to make sure they are shocking, exuberant (in a good way), exceptional desirability, visceral. His key quote is "Jaguars will be absolutely modern and relevant where their desirability will be created through sophistication of proportion, surface and form, not embelishment and lots of extraneous lines". WTF?
But you know what - if he can inject the 'want' factor back into Jaguar, which let's face it has not been there for what, 50 years (?), it will be a triumph.
If McGovern can give Julian Thomson and team the freedom to do something truly revolutionary it may just happen.
You wonder sometimes just how dumb these people can be. Now they are saying no SUVs either? You mean eliminate the only market segment that is keeping multiple car manufacturers alive? Porsche sells SUVs so they can continue to sell sports cars and stay afloat. Sedans are a dying market segment. EVs are a trivially small segment and will be in many major markets for a long time. I was going to get an FPace. Now I wont since support for it will disappear once Jaguar is bankrupt in 5 years with no cars to sell that anyone actually wants. And to literally throw away the XJ-EV on the eve of release is insanity.
Surely this is a joke or a plot by the French to destroy a rival. Nothing else makes sense.