Although the odds seemed stacked against Land Rover’s survival thanks to increasing fuel prices and a generally anti-SUV stance from many buyers, the British icon has positively flourished. Adding more to parent company Tata’s bottom line than luxury carmaker Jaguar, Land Rover is perhaps the darling of the high-end car industry across the globe.
Land Rover’s premium Range Rover has evolved into a brand of its own now that the smaller Evoque has rounded out a trio of luxury-oriented SUVs. While not as obviously capable off road as its predecessors, Evoque charts new territory for the brand by excelling on paved surfaces.
We’ll soon be interviewing Land Rover’s chief designer, Gerry McGovern, and while much of our conversation will undoubtedly center around the new Evoque and the DC100 concept cars that foreshadow the iconic Defender’s replacement, we’ll have the opportunity to ask him just about anything.
An artist in his own right, McGovern got his start in industrial design before moving to Chrysler’s European offices. After bouncing between several European brands, McGovern was picked up by Ford to rejuvenate the stagnant Lincoln-Mercury division in 1999. With Land Rover under Ford’s umbrella, McGovern made the transition back to his native United Kingdom in 2004, where he says the off road brand “suits me more than any other car maker because it has its roots in pure design as opposed to styling.”
We’re asking Leftlane readers to submit questions they’d like us to ask during the interview. Leave your suggestions in the comment box below and a couple of them will be selected.
Giveaway!
Visit our Facebook page for a chance to win a Range Rover Evoque mini notepad by Moleskine!
All you have to do is follow the instructions listed on our page (look for the post about this contest) and you’ll be automatically entered to win. We will select a winner from those who play our Facebook contest. Good luck!
