LONDON -- Jaguar's former head of design, Ian Callum, has set up a company focusing on styling projects inside and outside of the automotive world.
"I wanted to get back to the essence of creativity; the challenge of producing something wonderful and personal," Callum said in a statement.
Callum, 64, said he had 15 years left of designing in him.
Callum left Jaguar on July 1 after 20 years leading design at the British brand. He has been credited with modernizing Jaguar's retro image. Among his Jaguar designs are the F-Type, F-Pace and electric I-Pace.
"I don't want to work in corporate OEM land any more, I want to do stuff that I can control the building and making of rather than just designing for others," Callum told UK website PistonHeads.
Callum told the website he would be keen to "redo" some of his designs and work on other iconic cars to improve them. In 2014, Callum redesigned the Jaguar Mk2 sports sedan from the 1960s as a personal project by lowering it, giving it bigger wheels and restyling the interior. He also owns a hot rod based on a 1932 Ford coupe.
Callum told PistonHeads he was keen that the new company is not just seen as a 'chop shop' for retro cars. "I want to be looking forward, that's where design should always be," he said, adding that the company would also be seeking work outside automotive, including lifestyle and travel.
Callum's company is called CALLUM and is based in Warwick, central England. It will operate with a staff of 18.
Callum will be joined at the company by three former Jaguar Land Rover executives:
- David Fairbairn moves from his former position as Jaguar Land Rover's head of bespoke and special commissions to become program director. His work at JLR included the Lightweight E-type recreation project.
- Program director Adam Donfrancesco moves from his job as engineering manager for JLR's bespoke and special commissions. Prior to that he was vehicle engineering manager at Aston Martin.
- Commercial director Tom Bird moves from a position as commercial manager at JLR.
Details of the first project will be revealed in "the coming weeks" and it will be a car, Callum told Top Gear magazine.
Before joining Jaguar, Callum worked at Aston Martin where he was responsible for cars such as the Aston Martin Vanquish, Vantage and DB9.