Long-time Jaguar Land Rover Designer leaves with immediate effect

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern – the man responsible for the controversial rebrand of Jaguar – has been sacked, according to multiple reports. Making this one of the most significant restructures at the British marque in a long time.

Sources say that the decision to fire McGovern was made by new JLR CEO, P.B. Balaji, who before was Chief Financial Officer for JLR parent company Tata Motors, and takes over from Adrian Mardell, who is retiring after three years in the role. According to Autocar India, McGovern was “escorted out of the office” at JLR’s Design Studio in Gaydon, Warwickshire. There have been no comments made by JLR, nor Tata about McGovern’s dismissal as of yet.

P.B. Balaji, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (Jaguar Media)

McGovern’s time at JLR stretches all the way back to the early 2000s, as he first joined Land Rover as Director of Advanced Design in 2004, and then joined the company’s Executive Committee in 2008. When Jaguar Land Rover merged in 2013, he also joined their Executive Committee too. Eventually in 2021, he became Chief Creative Officer – a role that made him a board member and a main figure in JLR’s ‘Reimagine” transformation strategy, which intended to reposition JLR for the switch to Electric Vehicles (EVs).

The advertising campaign of Jaguar’s rebrand (Jaguar Media)

Some of McGovern’s best work at JLR include the 2008 LRX Concept, which eventually became the Range Rover Evoque, one of the companies best selling cars. He also designed the Range Rover Velar and the latest generation Land Rover Defender.

As well as the not-so-well received Jaguar rebrand, he was also the lead designer of the Jaguar Type 00 Concept, a car that is the face of the Jaguar rebrand and is also facing its own significant backlash thanks to its polarising design and not having any resemblance of Jaguar’s of the past.

The controversial Jaguar Type 00 Concept (Jaguar Media)

Automotive Industry Economics Expert, David Bailey, described the departure of McGovern as “The symbolic end of an era”. Bailey explained that McGovern was not just another executive – but the central creative force behind the modern identity that JLR now has today.

Bailey also said that “the bold experiment in transformation is wobbling under commercial and cultural pressure” – which suggests that McGovern’s exit may indicate doubts inside JLR about the direction of Jaguar’s rebrand as well as the strategy of making fully electric, limited run models to compete with the likes of other high-end brands such as Bentley.

The new Jaguar logo (Jaguar Media)

In short: The departure of Gerry McGovern marks a huge turning point for Jaguar Land Rover - whether his exit signals the end of Jaguar’s bold rebrand – remains to be seen.

Focusing On The Future - A Hatchback Icon Bows Out

Ford has closed the curtain on its Focus, bringing an end to nearly three decades of one of Britain’s most recognisable and beloved cars.

The Focus was first introduced in 1998 as a replacement to the Escort and quickly became a big hit. It was known for its sharp, engaging handling, practicality and its affordable price. For millions of drivers, it became the go-to family hatchback. It went through four generations over its 27-year run, and throughout all those generations it was consistently one of the best-selling cars in Britain.

The Original Mark 1 Focus

Ford’s decision to end the Focus’s production is due to the company’s plans to shake up their European line-up. In the last 5 years, the traditional family hatchback has been losing ground to the very popular Crossover/SUV segment, as well as tightening emission regulations and rising development costs that is forcing all manufacturers to focus on producing more electric cars. Ford are one of those many manufacturers to prioritise EVs and higher-profit models. This trend of cutting legacy models with newer models that make more money has already been seen under Ford, who completely ditched the Fiesta hatchback in favour of focusing on the Puma crossover, which is now seen as the Fiesta’s replacement.

Enthusiasts in particular will feel this loss the most. The high-performance versions of the Focus - the ST and more importantly the RS - helped cement Ford’s reputation for affordable performance, something they have been doing for over 50 years. The Mark 1 Focus RS has already shot up in value in recent years, and with production now ending, it’s very possible that more of the high-performance models will go up in value in due course.

The Three Generations of the Focus RS

For many people, especially in the UK, this news will feel like the end of an era. The Focus wasn’t just a practical, affordable choice; it was a sentimental part in a lot of people’s lives. It served as a first car for countless young drivers, a favourite amongst driving instructors and a reliable family workhorse. One former Mk 1 Focus owner told me that the car was “reliable, fun to drive and surprisingly quick for what it was”. He said the only reason he parted with it was because he wanted something less common. He also said “I remember pulling into a petrol station and seeing three or four other Focuses there. I just don’t like having the same car as everyone else – otherwise I’d have kept it”. This really says a lot about how popular the Focus was, and how it had completely taken over the UK roads.

All Four Generations Of The Focus

Automotive Journalist Andrew Noakes also spoke to CovFeed. He said that while end of the Focus name itself is not very significant – “badges come and go over time”, he noted – its discontinuation is important for what it represents. He explained that the decision reflects a clear shift in priorities for Ford, echoing the company’s decision to axe the Fiesta from its model range in 2023. He added “The motor industry follows its customers and produces what they want - and at the moment that’s SUVs rather than conventional hatchbacks”.

With the Focus now gone, the world loses not just a best-seller, but a familiar companion. It was the car that so many generations grew up with, learned to drive in, or trusted without question. As the automotive industry moves towards an electric future, it’s uncertain whether there will be an EV version of the Focus coming at all. However, if this is the end of the line, the Focus will always be a reminder of how a good a simple, well-engineered hatchback could be – and why so many drivers loved it.