JLR has reportedly fired design boss Gerry McGovern, the man behind the Type 00 | Top Gear

 

Well, the Type 00 was very successful in gaining attention. Just maybe not favorable attention.

 

Well if that's true, then that is a BIG deal. He has shaped Land Rover design for the past two decades. Arguably, LR wouldn't be what it is today if it wasn't for him. Everything that was designed since the first generation Evoque was led by him, as well as he helped out with LR3 and L322 design. He also was the lead designer for the original Freelander.

However, with the dumpster fire that is the Type-00 (the first Jaguar he was in charge of) I wouldn't be surprised by his dismissal. What is interesting, is that it took a year for him to be fired. Nobody likes the Type-00. The Ian Callum era of Jaguar design will always be the best. The F-Type, X351 XJ, and the F-Pace are some of the best looking mainstream luxury cars ever made. Jaguar was in a bad place already, but now they've shot themselves in the foot.

It is also worth noting that JLR's new CEO, P.B. Balaji, Tata Group's former CFO is a notorious bean-counter who is known for quickly shutting things down due to cost. If Jaguar isn't successful with this rebrand, I would not be surprised whatsoever if Tata looks to sell Jaguar to the Chinese or whoever else might want it.

 

WOW that’s big news. He was effectively the most powerful guy in the company, so I’m told.

 

The new CEO (an ex CFO elsewhere in Tata) and being a tight **** been counter, I believe is friends with a local designer looking for his next gig. And he is a helluva lot lighter on payroll too. win-win.

 

That may have been part of the problem. He comes over as an arrogant ***** who self publicises and thinks it is all about him. The new management have been working with him for a long time before they took over and if McG rubbed them up the wrong way, as his reputation for being difficult to work with seems to indicate, then despite his arrogance, his days were numbered even if he thought he was indispensable. He allegedly got very little support from his in-house design team who had to work with him and even less because he bypassed them and hired a rather underwhelming external design agency for the Jaguar project, which along with the design, the advertising agency made a complete hash of things. The fact that he was allegedly marched out of the premises unceremoniously rather than handing over in an orderly fashion, says a whole lot about the mood of his actual bosses and the possible documents he might have taken to a rival given the opportunity.

 

Several publications are confirming his firing. Not one reported as to why he got fired. I guess time will tell. I feel like one of the Chinese car manufacturers will grab him before too long.

 

Don't know if he was behind the elimination of the Green Oval, but I hope it makes a return going forward.
I don't know about you guys, but I've always proudly said I drive a Land Rover when asked.
I rarely, if ever, identified the model.
The '25 Defenders look naked without the Oval badge.

 

In 2023 I was at the German "Abenteuer und Allrad", the largest overlanding show in Europe. Porsche was at the show for the first time ever (at an off-road show!!!) displaying their 911 Dakar amongst other vehicles while Land Rover has always had a huge show area (like nearly 15% of the entire show) for an off-road track and display area. Coincidentally, both Porsche and Land Rover were founded in 1948. Porsche was celebrating their 75th by really highlighting the brand: its beginnings, its development, the present day and Porsche's ties to rallying and off-road. Land Rover, meanwhile, put on the most idiotic display of how to kill a brand - a really valuable brand (despite real and perceived reliability issues). There was not a single green oval. No Land Rover branding anywhere. The only "brand" they highlighted was "Defender". F-ing ridiculous. Easily one of the most disgustingly stupid displays on how to throw a storied brand away.

This is what has been going through the British press. I can easily imagine that it's true. I have heard so many things about GM and how, in the absence of a strong CEO he was running the show. One does have to acknowledge his successes, but the direction JLR was going with both brands (the real brands, not the house-of-brands BS) is not sustainable. Just as Porsche has capitalized on the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" adage, LR has lived off the combination of rugged, Camel Trophy vehicles and refined luxury. Without the off-road heritage, LR is just one of many SUV manufacturers. Not to mention the storied history of Jag - turned into a Cruella de Ville cartoon car manufacturer.

 

We agree on every level.