umhlanga Car Review
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Words Richard Webb
Richard Webb chats with Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer in Paris on the day of the Discovery Sport launch.
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he Land Rover brand is being transformed at a rapid rate as its three-pillar strategy creates a family of Range Rover (luxury), Discovery (leisure) and Defender (dual purpose) models. The brand makes much of the ‘British DNA’ of their car. But what exactly is ‘Britishness?’ It’s not about Union Jacks or Wellington boots, so what does it mean for a brand like Land Rover? “It’s about visual rightness and robustness. In the past, the Britishness had come out in our quirkiness, but now it’s a sense of fun, and it’s more about the way we do things. We design in Britishness and we don’t even know we are doing it. For me, the Britishness took its lead in the art and design perspective of the sixties. You have a massive portfolio of heritage in your product line up, but you have resisted the temptation to go ‘retro’. Why is that? “I go back to the 60’s. I call myself a designer, rather than a car designer. If
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you look at the classic modernists of the thirties they were not looking back. They created things that were truly original. The irony is that these things are still being manufactured now. Ray Eames’s Chair, for example has been refined over the years, as production techniques have improved. Under your watch at Jaguar Land Rover, there’s an abundance of new ideas, concepts and derivatives, more than you could actually build right now. Is it simply a case of not having enough cash to build all these vehicles? Or is it more complex than that? “It is more complex than that. At JLR generally we are building the cars we show. Like the LRX, which became the Evoque, and the Discovery Vision, which showcased the Sport that we launched here in Paris today.” How difficult is it to design cars with incredible off-road ability and functionality, yet offer a premium luxury product? “Designing a car like this is becoming more difficult, but it’s self imposed. The fact that
the car does incredible things off road is a great assurance for our customers. I have a Rolex dive watch, but I don’t dive every morning - but the fact I can is part of its charm. We have always had this incredible off road ability. But we need to be confident, and realise we are more than being about off road capability because not everyone uses it. I’ve asked BMW Group Head of Design, Adrian van Hooydonk, and Ford Design boss, Moray Cameron which car they most admire. Both said Land Rover. How would you respond to this? “That’s a great compliment. Designing a vehicle is a very collaborative process, with engineers working together in harmony to produce desirable vehicles. Obviously, car design is my principle discipline, but I am fascinated by design in all its forms.