Ian Callum, undoubtedly one of the most evocative, modern automotive designers, just shared his saga with the rest of the world.
The Brit currently working at Jaguar has started the journey that made him one of the most representative personalities in the automotive industry out of pure passion. Now, if you’re an aspiring designer looking for assertion, or you’re just passionate about cars and aesthetics, you should totally listen to what he has to say.
His first major “gig” in the industry was at Ford, where he grew and developed his talent. He started out sketching small interior parts, mostly steering wheels,Fiestas and Mondeos. After a while, he contributed to rally icons, such as the Ford RS200 and Escort RS Cosworth, and then become Design Manager at the Ghia Design Studio in Turin.
Before joining Jaguar, Callum got a job as chief designer and general manager at TWR, a period during which he was partially responsible for the Aston Martin DB7, while he also designed the Vanquish. He also worked on projects for other TWR clients, such as Volvo, Mazda and HSV – even the Nissan R390 Le Mans racer.
In 1999, when the company was owned by Ford, Callum was appointed design director at Jaguar and oversaw both Jaguar’s and Aston Martin’s design department. We won’t spoil the video for you, but the man’s vision and philosophy will give you an insight on his work and probably have a new appreciation for Jaguar’s automobiles. In case you aren’t already impressed by the C-X75, C-X16, F-Pace, F-Type and XJ, that is.