29th
January
2008
Today's Financial Times carries an interview with Jaguar head of design Ian Callum that leads on the fact that he's nice and relaxed about the prospect of the firm's ownership transferring from Ford to Tata. No great surprise there. Even if he felt differently, which I doubt, he's hardly likely to voice those doubts publicly.
However, buried near the bottom of the article in the pink 'un is this little gem:
'He disclosed that, in spite of Jaguar management denials at the time, the X-Type small Jaguar – sales of which have fallen far below expectations – was essentially designed in Detroit and presented as close to a fait accompli to reluctant designers and engineers at Jaguar’s Whitley design centre, near the Midlands city of Coventry.'
That car is about as unloved by its parents as a car can be. I almost feel sorry for it.
If it had been a roaring success though, I expect everyone would want to bask in its glow and claim a bit of credit.
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