The cat is in the Tatas' bag. Jaguar, an iconic car brand is a coveted possession for any lover of wheels - but it’s a brand, which has been through many a rough ride. CNN-IBN, in association with National Geographic channel, presents Driving Dreams - a documentary, which takes us inside one of the world's great automakers as it fights to put a new generation of luxury consumer behind the wheel of its cars.
New Delhi: The man behind the Jaguar is Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design.
Callum's had Jaguar in his blood since he was young. The 13-year-old Ian submitted his sketches of Jaguars, trying to land a job at his favourite car company.
“You've got to remember, this is back in, you know, 1967-68. And, obviously, I had a feeling of what I think a Jaguar should be like and the idea of a large limousine Jag was obviously very appealing. But you can see the grill evolving there. It had twin headlamps, you know, which was quite cool for these days," Callum said.
For Callum it starts with an idea, a line, a pencil and a piece of paper. The design team is now creating a car which would be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show. It's a study of what Jaguar's future design language is going to look like.
"My whole notion of cars is very intuitive. I know what people like. I know what I like, I know what turns me on. And, generally, what I find, what turns me on about a motor car, is what turns most people on, whether they be 17 or 57," Callum said.
The next step in the design process is sculptural – from colour concepts to a three-dimensional clay model. Designers are constantly adjusting their original dreams as there has to be room for mechanics.
“A sports car is about stance. It's about confidence. It's not fat, it's minimalist. It's stretching the skin over the muscle. The way the car looks in terms of its shape portrays confidence and beauty,” Callum explained.
The X11 concept car is in its final virtual stage. It is nine months since Adam Hatton started his initial sketches of the X11 concept. Their new super-charged XKR sports car is about to be revealed to more than 3,000 international journalists. Jaguar and its Chief Designer, Ian Callum, would need to get this one right.
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