Many of Europe’s largest automakers already have design centers located in the U.S. and China, with BMW being the most recent to announce a new studio, the BMW Designworks in Shanghai, while rivals Mercedes-Benz and Audi have also opened new design centers in Beijing recently.
Now the design director for Jaguar, Ian Callum, has revealed that Jaguar Land Rover will be following its rivals by opening its own new design centers outside of its home market.
Speaking with Automotive News Europe (subscription required), Callum said Jaguar Land Rover plans to establish new design centers in the U.S. and China to better understand local tastes in those markets. The UK is still Jaguar’s biggest market, though the U.S. is a close second and China is following closely in third.
Callum stressed that the design of Jaguar Land Rover models would remain quintessentially British, though certain details would be designed to suit the tastes of consumers in the key markets.