Former Jaguar design boss Julian Thomson has been announced as director of a new GM Advanced Design Europe studio to be opened in the Midlands at the end of this year.
He has been working under the radar on a feasibility study of the project since January and officially joined in July.
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Great news for GM - Julian Thomson's talent is undoubted.
Created the original Lotus Elise, but he also did the Land Rover LRX concept and every single Range Rover since has copied its look. From the Evoke through to the current Range Rover. That's how talented a designer Thomson is, and not forgetting his work in the last even updates of Jaguar cars before Bollore killed them all off.
The sad part is how the worst automotive CEO Thierry Bollore has killed off all of Jaguar's models. Destroying the Jaguar car company in the process. Cancelled the new XJ citing that the platform was too old, only to release it as the new Range Rover!
Did enough damage to Jaguar that Thomson left. That's how bad he is when one of the best car designers walks out the door...
manicm,
all reports about the design of the next XJ described it as "stunning".
I worked at Jaguar Design for years. JT worked in the Jaguar Advanced Design Studio. No where near any Range Rover designs (Gaydon, Warwickshire)
He only "overlooked"early Jaguar pre concept projects.
All the actual design input came from his skilled designers below him. He was a "figure head" Designer
He then inherited Jaguar Design when Ian Callum retired.
Then he was "sideways" moved after a couple of years when they relialised his skill level.