RE: Jaguar Mk2 by Ian Callum

RE: Jaguar Mk2 by Ian Callum

Friday 29th August 2014

Jaguar Mk2 by Ian Callum

PH meets up with Ian Callum as he presents his personally configured and modernised Mk2 Jag



Ian Callum has spent his entire working life designing cars for other people but for once it's his day off. So where do we find the straight-talking Scot? We find him about to unveil yet another one of his automotive creations, but one that's been 50 years in the making. The Mark 2 By Callum might sound like Jag's chief designer is launching his own range of cologne, but it's actually a tribute to a true Jaguar great.

Callum poses with his latest (and oldest) Jag
Callum poses with his latest (and oldest) Jag
For such a glitzy sounding premise a low-key unveiling on an industrial estate in Shropshire is a thud back down to earth, Callum arriving solo in his F-Type to reveal the fruits of this totally extra curricular project. But hidden among the faceless concrete warehouses is Classic Motor Cars' (CMC) new home. CMC is the Jaguar restorer Callum chose to collaborate with and it doesn't take long to realise why. From early XKs, E-Types, to lots of Mk2s and even something that even suspiciously looks like a real D-Type, the spotlessly clean facility is pretty much close to big cat heaven.

Moments before the drapes are pulled off we catch up with Callum to find out what it's all about.

"When I grew up it seemed that all my mate's fathers had Mk2 Jaguars. We had Vauxhalls, so I grew up always wanting one and started drawing them when I was nine years old," he says.

Callum's intention was to clean up the Mk2
Callum's intention was to clean up the Mk2
Despite a relaxed atmosphere that feels more club meet than car launch, the normally unflappable Callum doesn't seem himself. Where normally he exudes confidence he's now using phrases like "it might not be to everyone's tastes" and, hopefully, "purists will be able to at least appreciate it."

With the drapes off, the amassed owners and car collectors circle the Mark 2 like a pack of vultures. They all seem pleasantly surprised at Callum's restraint, his mods focusing on improving the existing lines and features rather than stripping the car of its bodywork and starting again. What is clear is he given the Mk2 a more muscular stance - perhaps reflecting Callum's love of hot rods.

Biggest exterior change is the Mk2's familiar chrome coachwork because Callum always felt it was the product of the marketing men and not Sir William Lyons' original design. Also removed are the Mk2's 'girder' chrome bumpers, replaced by composite items. Callum, at great expense, had to splash out on the development and tooling to create them and says his love for the clean, stripped-back look came from watching saloon car racing as a child.

Interior colour certainly isn't shy
Interior colour certainly isn't shy
"I used to love watching Minis, Galaxies and Mk2s battle it out. I loved the clean look the racing cars would have when everything that added weight would be ditched- except the Jag, that is. The Mk2 bumpers stayed because there was nothing behind them once removed." This frustration helped him become the designer he is, as his earliest sketches involved simply chopping off the chrome bumpers.

Crucial to the success of the Mark 2 is blending new modern thinking to the design. Note the huge motorsport brake ducts embedded in the front bumper and the cooling vents slashed into the wings behind the wheels. Both are real and work to cool the brakes and the new 4.3-litre straight-six. There was a temptation to use a modern V8, but a bored-out Jaguar XK was kept for authenticity. Breathing through two SU carbs rather than Webers, Callum's focus was real-word driveability and low down torque rather than performance.

The typical designer's obsession with filling wheelarches with the biggest possible rims at least accommodated proper brakes, though luckily for Callum's spine the wheels remain modest by modern standards at 17 inches. They run 205-section front and 225 rear tyres. All-new wider aluminium wings were also fabricated to house the wider wheels.

Ultimate test - what will the purists make of it?
Ultimate test - what will the purists make of it?
Biggest change is the adoption of a whole new independent rear suspension with outboard disc brakes. A cheap fix would have been pinching the old S-Type's rear, but it was decided that solution would add too much weight.

Biggest gasps from some of the VIP Jaguar owners were reserved for the interior. "I could have gone for a more traditional, darker red colour," says Callum. "But I thought, what the hell, it's my car and went with bright red." The classy dark wood meanwhile was pinched from the XFR, while an aftermarket electric power steering was added along with a five- rather than four-speed 'box for quieter cruising.

So far all the work has been done without Jaguar's help, although that might change when Callum lends what he's calling his Mk2-R to Jaguar chassis guru - and mate - Mike Cross. Expect retuned dampers, springs and the call for Callum to reinstate smaller wheels to fall on deaf ears.

So what's the plan for the Mark 2 By Callum?

"The whole car has been created to be driven, daily, and that's what I intend to do," he says, before adding, "OK, maybe not when it rains."

Callum's chuffed - more to come in this vein?
Callum's chuffed - more to come in this vein?
The modified Mk2 will join his modest collection that includes a recently bought TR6, a 1932 Ford Model T hot rod, a 56 Chevy, plus a late 90s widebody Mini Cooper. "Hope it will be more reliable," he jokes, referencing the 'work in progress' state of many of them.

On the eve of the launch of the all-new Jaguar XE, Callum has been working almost constantly, putting in seven-day weeks for months. The Mk2 project was originally supposed to be done in nine months but took two years as Callum was simply too busy to send over the CAD work for the engineers. Asking if it was useful working in his evening and spare weekend time designing the Mk2 Callum's eyes light up.

"Of course it was, I like to wind my friends up at BMW when I tell them that it was the Mk2 that was the original sports saloon, not some 5 Series. The XE has been created to be the modern Mk2. The XE captures the spirit of the Mk2." Says Callum proudly, and back on message.

And what of the collaboration with CMC? It seems a suspicious amount of work for just one car and as 60-year old Callum nears retirement could it be the start of some Singer-like plan for juicing up old Jags?

"I would love to do this after Jaguar and I have a great idea for an E-Type," he says before pausing reflectively. "Although I'd probably start with an XJ-C coupe, or a MkX..."

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

myhandle

Original Poster:

1,182 posts

173 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
As a huge Vanquish fan and hence fan of Ian Callum's design work, I have to say this doesn't look that well resolved. The rear bumper reminds me of the later FX4 taxis with plastic bumpers, and possibly the later MGBs - these cars are clearly designed for chrome bumpers and do not look as good without them : http://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/how-j...

Edited by myhandle on Friday 29th August 14:21


Edited by myhandle on Friday 29th August 14:22


Edited by myhandle on Friday 29th August 14:23

Bash Brannigan

211 posts

186 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Personally I think that adding spoilers, however nicely integrated, makes classic cars look like kits. The beauty of Singers to me is that they are at least inspired by cars that actually existed - albeit on the race track. Nice idea, and a great personal project for a very accomplished designer, but I just can't say that I understand the reasoning if they tried to make it as available as a Singer...which is not terribly, given that they cost so much and take so long to make.


SeiW500

247 posts

167 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I love the MK2 Jag but this does nothing for me it's just not bold enough to make it worth while!

Frimley111R

15,537 posts

233 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I like it, looks cool smile

JDMDrifter

4,039 posts

164 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
This is rude, i want this and an eagle low drag gt. Perfect 2 car garage cloud9

urquattroGus

1,845 posts

189 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I thought Callum couldn't get it wrong, love his designs.

What was he smoking when he commissioned this. Horrible front spoiler for example.

VladD

7,853 posts

264 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Lovely. I'll have mine in storm blue with a matching XJ12 Coupe.

Edited by VladD on Friday 29th August 14:38

DanS

1,137 posts

283 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I think he should have asked Eagle to do it, design included.

EricE

1,945 posts

128 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
So basically he lowered the suspension, put oversized wheels on it and added an aftermarket radio with a huge flip-out screen and a bunch of leds. Nice, very tasteful.

rpguk

4,458 posts

283 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I'm really unsure. I look at the picture and my mind flips between loving it and hating it. Every 5 seconds or so.

e600

1,315 posts

151 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
I didn't think I would see a poor design from the man that provided me my Vanquish, I was wrong.

This design is not bold enough, there is certainley more to be done to a standard MK2 to improve its looks, performance and driving experience.

Beacham do it better, go south young man go south.

405dogvan

5,326 posts

264 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
If his intention was really to "clean it up" he failed MASSIVELY

If his intention was to make it beefier, musclier and generally a bit "not sure if..." then he knocked-it-out-of-all-the-parks...

I cannot imagine any purist would like it - I don't dislike it but it's a bit - well - yeah...

Looket

688 posts

120 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Awful. I'm far from a purist, but really? I like aspects of it, but the bad bits really ruin it.

thatguy11

640 posts

122 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
With a more subtle interior colour this would be a great looking thing. That red is hideous, at least in a Mk2 Jag

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
As the ex-owner of a similarly bodied Daimler V8 250, it's a no from me.

Seems pointless - one of the most iconic shapes ever, so why mess with it? Agree that there are tasteful mechanically modified versions around (eg Beacham) which enable the cars to be driven in a manner more in keeping with today's culture but I think it should stop there.

velocitas

225 posts

158 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Not a huge fan of the new ducts or the extended arches but at least he built something to his tastes. In terms of jags the Eagle Speedster remains the most beautiful retro-modern-classic effort.

If I did it myself I'd start with Steed's Broadsheet XJC from the Avengers:





mikebradford

2,483 posts

144 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Overall i like it
But the bumpers are a definate let down, and suprising considering his expertise.
Also the intakes within the bumpers look like something some 17yr old would do.
Such a shame, as a few tweaks could take this in the direction of a very select club. Singer , Eagle etc.
And as hinted at a no doubt very viable business , especially with his name fronting it.

Edited by mikebradford on Friday 29th August 15:19

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
redcard

Not good.

Clearly a bad day at the office.

Switch

3,455 posts

174 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all


cloud9

Erwin1978

97 posts

145 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Do not like it as well, it still seems fussy. By being too beefy it has lost elegance, now it just looks flatulent. For the same money I'd buy a Vanquish and convert it to a manual...swoon...