Jaguar sticks with its rebrand and electric luxury car future after abrupt exit of design chief
- READ MORE: JLR design chief Gerry McGovern exits - man behind Jaguar rebrand leaves before cars arrive
Jaguar's parent company says it has no plans to perform a dramatic U-turn on its controversial rebrand as an exclusive luxury electric car maker following the departure of its long-serving and influential design chief this week.
Gerry McGovern, a driving force of Jaguar's polarising relaunch campaign and who also penned its 'Barbie pink' Type 00 electric concept, exited the company on Monday.
The reason for his parting after a 21-year stint has yet to be disclosed, however, it comes less than a fortnight into new chief executive PB Balaji's tenure at the helm of JLR.
Speculation has been rife that the departure of McGovern - who is also a board member - could trigger a softening of the 'new Jaguar' branding, which was revealed last year alongside a divisive ad campaign featuring models in striking clothing... but no cars. It was heavily criticised by the likes of Donald Trump as 'woke' and a 'total disaster'.
Professor David Bailey, an industrial expert at the Birmingham Business School, says McGovern's 'abrupt removal' is 'much more than a routine management reshuffle' and could be 'a clear sign that JLR's bold experiment in transformation is wobbling under commercial and cultural pressure'.
But a spokesperson for the car company told This is Money and Daily Mail its plans for the 'launch of the reimagined Jaguar are progressing'.
JLR continues to refuse to disclose any further information about McGovern's departure.
JLR has responded to claims it could perform a U-turn on its controversial rebrand as an exclusive luxury electric car maker following the departure of design chief Gerry McGovern
Gerry McGovern, one of the biggest influencers of Jaguar's recent polarising relaunch campaign
McGovern, who also penned Jaguar's 'Barbie pink' Type 00 electric concept (pictured), exited the company on Monday after a 21-year career at the British car firm
The spokesperson told us: 'This week, our design vision car, Type 00, appeared in London alongside a beautiful 1935 SS Jaguar to celebrate 90 years of the brand.
'Next year, we will launch the first reimagined Jaguar, taking Jaguar back to its luxury roots and sporting heritage.
'Jaguar has always been bold and original, but never ordinary.'
The statement will look to diffuse some of the growing rumours around its future direction following McGovern's exit.
Professor Bailey this week wrote in his blog that the departing design chief has been 'no background executive' at the British car maker and had become 'the most influential and visionary creative force inside JLR'.
He wrote: 'He shaped everything from the rebirth of the Defender to the modern Range Rover line-up and, most recently, Jaguar's radical reinvention as a fully electric luxury brand.'
The news of McGovern's seemingly unscheduled exit caps a tumultuous 12 months for JLR.
In the last year the British car maker has battled the ongoing backlash from the Jaguar rebrand, faced sales concerns in one of its biggest markets following punishing US tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, and suffered a devastating cyber attack that forced a five-week closure of its factories worldwide and its entire global operation.
While production has now returned to normal, the company said last month that it had posted losses of £485million for the three months to September 30, compared to a profit of £398million a year earlier.
This was due to costs of £196million related to the cyber attack and costs relating to job cuts.
Sales for the three months fell more than £1billion, by 24 per cent, to £4.9billion.
As of last month, JLR is now under new leadership following the retirement of former boss Adrian Mardell, with Balaji parachuted into the top seat from Indian owner Tata Motors to settle the brand.
However, Bailey believes PB Balaji's appointment is a sign that JLR's owner is 'looking to exert more control' over Jaguar's future direction.
Professor David Bailey is Department of Management Professor of Business Economics at the University of Birmingham
He said McGovern's 'transformational' rebrand had aimed to 'disconnect Jaguar from nostalgia and reposition it as bold, avant-garde and culturally forward looking' - but it instead triggered a 'hostile' public backlash.
'Even with controversy swirling, McGovern‘s position might have remained secure had leadership at the very top stayed constant,' Bailey continued.
He said McGovern became the 'focal point' when the new boss arrived, having been the 'public and internal champion of Jaguar's radical new direction'.
Bailey, though, believes McGovern's departure will not see Jaguar abandon its electrification plans: 'That path is set,' he said.
But he expects it to lead to the new hierarchy 'softening the extremes of Jaguar’s new image'.
Professor Bailey believes PB Balaji's appointment - arriving from Tata Motors to replace the retiring Adrian Mardell at the end of November - is a sign that JLR's owner is 'looking to exert more control' over Jaguar's future direction
McGovern last year defended Jaguar's rebrand campaign and the unveiling of the Type 00 electric concept, stating: ‘Jaguar has no desire to be loved by everybody, it has already stirred emotions and it will continue to’
In August, shortly after the announcement that he would become JLR's new chief executive, Balaji defended Jaguar's bold rebrand and electric strategy.
He said: 'We have put our plans together, the cars are being revealed, they're getting exciting response from the customers on the ground. Therefore, that's what the strategy is.'
The unveiling of Jaguar’s first new electric model had originally been due for the end of this year.
However, this has been delayed. JLR has told This is Money it will now debut around summer 2026, with first deliveries arriving the following year.
The premium electric coupe will cost in excess of £100,000 and draw plenty of design influence from McGovern's Type 00 concept, which on social media has been likened to Lady Penelope's FAB1 Rolls-Royce from Thunderbirds and the Panthermobile from Pink Panther but impressed many of those who've seen it in the flesh, including its UK public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the summer.
Professor David Bailey, an industrial expert at the Birmingham Business School, says McGovern's 'abrupt removal' is 'much more than a routine management reshuffle'
Jaguar's polarising rebrand including ditching its traditional 'Big Cat' logo (left) in favour of more contemporary badges (right)
JLR told Daily Mail: 'Our plans for Jaguar and launch of the fully electric production car remain unchanged' in the wake of McGovern's departure
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McGovern has played some role in shaping almost every JLR vehicle over the last two decades, most notably the recent - and hugely successful - reinvention of the Defender as well as bolstering Range Rover's prominence as the luxury SUV to have.
In 2020 he was appointed chief creative officer and a member of the board.
When commenting on the response to Jaguar's rebrand last year, McGovern said 'Jaguar has no desire to be loved by everybody, it has already stirred emotions and it will continue to.'
And in reference to his dramatic Type 00 concept, he said: 'Some may love it now. Some may love it later. And some may never love it. And that's OK. Because that's what fearless creativity does. This is the original essence of Jaguar.'
He noted: 'Controversy has always surrounded British creativity when it has been at its best'.
Citing music legend David Bowie, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and architect Sir Richard Rogers among his own 'creative heroes', he said: 'They were British trailblazers who challenged convention and had no desire to copy the norm.
'In the same way, when Jaguar was at its best, it threw away the rule book and created the E-Type and the XJS. These were objects of desire.'
Highlighting how Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons said his cars should be 'a copy of nothing', McGovern said: 'Type 00 is the first physical manifestation of the new Jaguar brand that is influenced by the desire to recapture the essence of Jaguar's original creative conviction. This is a taste of things to come.'
He added: 'For me it has been an honour to lead the creative reimagining of this great British brand.'
This is Money and Daily Mail has approached JLR for more information regarding McGovern's exit.
A spokesperson for the car manufacturer declined to comment.
