Moray Callum
Encyclopedia
Moray Callum is an automobile
designer from Dumfries
in Scotland
, currently design director for Ford
's North American brands' passenger cars. He is the younger brother of Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum
.
in Edinburgh
before becoming disillusioned with the prospect of calculating the size of waste pipes of seven-story buildings for the rest of his life. He changed disciplines and graduated in industrial design
and followed the well-trodden car designer path of continuing his studies at the Royal College of Art
in London
, graduating with a Masters degree in transportation design.
before joining PSA Peugeot Citroën
contributing to the design of passenger and commercial vehicles. In 1988/1989, Callum joined Ghia as a consultant designer where he contributed to the 1989 Ghia Via concept and the Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale
. He also participated in Ghia's design consultancy to Jaguar.
, Michigan
on North American vehicles. He worked on various notable North American projects including the facelift of the 2000 Ford Taurus
, whose front grille design has been mischievously cited by some critics as the inspiration for his brother’s 2006 Jaguar XK
design, as opposed to the Jaguar E-Type
which inspired both. He also did work on the Ford Windstar
, Mercury Villager
, Super Duty pickup trucks
, Ford Excursion
, and the Ford EX concept.
worldwide design, where his team included Tsutomu "Tom" Matano, the legendary designer of the Mazda MX-5
. Callum was tasked with revitalising the Mazda range, which by the late 1990s was regarded as bland, and in this respect Callum has largely been viewed as successful with the creation of a consistent brand look that featured 'crisp black interiors and red-lighted instruments' and exteriors with 'edgy shapes that were emotional and almost biological – part flame, part flower, expressive of the sporting image the company sought'. He oversaw the daunting 2005 redesign of the iconic MX-5 and worked on almost every other vehicle in Mazda’s passenger car range including the 2002 Mazda2
, 2004 Mazda3
, 2006 Mazda5
, and 2002 Mazda6
. He was also responsible for leading the design of Mazda’s new sporty crossovers, the 2007 CX-7
and CX-9
which were previewed by the 2005 Mazda MX-Crossport concept. He was also instrumental in the production of the Washu (Detroit 2003), Ibuki (Tokyo 2003), and Kabura
(Detroit 2006) concept car
s.
back to Ford as Design Director for Ford’s North American brands passenger cars where he reported to Peter Horbury
from May 2006. This move, along with Horbury’s appointment as Executive Design Director for Ford North American brands, was part of Ford’s attempt to consolidate its ‘Red, White & Bold’ design strategy in an attempt to breathe fresh design into its expanding car line-up in North America. Callum was replaced at Mazda by Laurens van den Acker
whilst his predecessor Patrick Schiavone
was appointed designer of North American SUVs and pick-ups at Ford.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
designer from Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, currently design director for Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's North American brands' passenger cars. He is the younger brother of Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum
Ian Callum
Ian Callum is a British car designer who currently serves as Design Director for Jaguar and is older brother to fellow car designer Moray Callum. He is married, has two sons and currently resides in Oxfordshire, England.-Early years:...
.
Early years
The young Callum initially intended to become a vet, though by university age Callum elected to study architecture at Napier UniversityNapier University
Edinburgh Napier is one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland with over 17,000 students, including nearly 5,000 international students, from more than 100 nations worldwide.-History:...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
before becoming disillusioned with the prospect of calculating the size of waste pipes of seven-story buildings for the rest of his life. He changed disciplines and graduated in industrial design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
and followed the well-trodden car designer path of continuing his studies at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, graduating with a Masters degree in transportation design.
Early career
Upon graduation, Callum's car design career began in 1982 where he worked for ChryslerChrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
before joining PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
contributing to the design of passenger and commercial vehicles. In 1988/1989, Callum joined Ghia as a consultant designer where he contributed to the 1989 Ghia Via concept and the Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale
Aston Martin Lagonda
The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door saloon built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 were produced. The name was derived from the Lagonda marque that Aston Martin had purchased in 1947...
. He also participated in Ghia's design consultancy to Jaguar.
Ford
In 1995 Callum was hired by Ford, for whom he had worked on numerous projects at Ghia, to work in DearbornDearborn
-Places:In the United States, all named after Henry Dearborn :* Dearborn, Michigan* Dearborn, Missouri* Dearborn County, Indiana* Fort Dearborn * Fort Dearborn , in present-day Odiorne State Park...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
on North American vehicles. He worked on various notable North American projects including the facelift of the 2000 Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
, whose front grille design has been mischievously cited by some critics as the inspiration for his brother’s 2006 Jaguar XK
Jaguar XK
The Jaguar XK series is a series of grand tourer cars produced by British car maker Jaguar since 1996. The series was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show on 5 March 1996. The first generation of the series, the XK8, replaced the XJS, and was available as a coupé and convertible...
design, as opposed to the Jaguar E-Type
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...
which inspired both. He also did work on the Ford Windstar
Ford Windstar
The Ford Windstar is a minivan that was produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company from the 1995 to 2003 model years. This front-wheel drive minivan was the second minivan designed by the company, serving as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Aerostar minivan. The two were sold concurrently...
, Mercury Villager
Mercury Villager
The Mercury Villager was a minivan, marketed by Ford from model years 1993-2002. A rebadged variant of the Nissan Quest, the Villager was a product of a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Nissan and was built at Ford's Ohio Assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio.The Villager was unrelated to...
, Super Duty pickup trucks
Ford F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
, Ford Excursion
Ford Excursion
The Ford Excursion is a full-size sport utility vehicle that was produced by the Ford Motor Company between model years 2000 and 2005 . Based on the Super Duty pickup truck platform, it served as Ford's largest SUV in its lineup during the tenure of its production and mainly competed against the...
, and the Ford EX concept.
Mazda
On September 7, 2001, Callum was promoted to lead MazdaMazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
worldwide design, where his team included Tsutomu "Tom" Matano, the legendary designer of the Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5
The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show...
. Callum was tasked with revitalising the Mazda range, which by the late 1990s was regarded as bland, and in this respect Callum has largely been viewed as successful with the creation of a consistent brand look that featured 'crisp black interiors and red-lighted instruments' and exteriors with 'edgy shapes that were emotional and almost biological – part flame, part flower, expressive of the sporting image the company sought'. He oversaw the daunting 2005 redesign of the iconic MX-5 and worked on almost every other vehicle in Mazda’s passenger car range including the 2002 Mazda2
Mazda Demio
The Mazda Demio is a subcompact car manufactured by Mazda introduced in 1996, now in its third generation, marketed globally also as the Mazda2 — and previously marketed under nameplates including Mazda 121, Mazda Metro and Ford Festiva Mini Wagon.The third generation Demio earned the 2008...
, 2004 Mazda3
Mazda Axela
The Mazda3 is a compact car manufactured in Japan by the Mazda Motor Corporation. It was introduced for the 2004 model year, replacing the Mazda Familia...
, 2006 Mazda5
Mazda Premacy
The Mazda Premacy is a compact MPV built by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 1999 and now in its second generation .The first generation Premacy was built in Japan and exported to Europe and Asia...
, and 2002 Mazda6
Mazda Atenza
The Mazda6 or Mazda 6 is a mid-size car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Mazda since 2002...
. He was also responsible for leading the design of Mazda’s new sporty crossovers, the 2007 CX-7
Mazda CX-7
The CX-7 is a mid-size crossover SUV model from Mazda, the production version of the MX-Crossport concept car. The CX-7 is built in Hiroshima, Japan, starting in early 2006. The CX-7 was shown publicly for the first time at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show in January. Production officially began on...
and CX-9
Mazda CX-9
The Mazda CX-9 is a full-size crossover SUV manufactured by Mazda at their Ujina 1 plant in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.The CX-9 is built on the Ford CD3 Platform shared with the Ford Edge, and it uses the same 3.7L V6 engine used in the Ford lineup. Although outwardly similar, the CX-9 and Mazda...
which were previewed by the 2005 Mazda MX-Crossport concept. He was also instrumental in the production of the Washu (Detroit 2003), Ibuki (Tokyo 2003), and Kabura
Mazda Kabura
The Mazda Kabura is a concept car shown by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda in 2006.-Concept overview:The Kabura, introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, is a sport compact which shows styling themes and technologies which could appear in future production models...
(Detroit 2006) concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
s.
Return to Ford
Having overseen Mazda’s successful reinvention as a dynamic and sporty brand, Callum was moved by J MaysJ Mays
J Mays, born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, U.S., is Group Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company. His name is simply "J", named after his grandfather, S J Mays.-Background:...
back to Ford as Design Director for Ford’s North American brands passenger cars where he reported to Peter Horbury
Peter Horbury
Peter D. Horbury is a British car designer who is currently Vice President, Design of Volvo. He is probably best known for his design work for Volvo, but has worked in a variety of roles in the automotive industry, including as Executive Design Director, Americas for Ford between 2004 and 2009...
from May 2006. This move, along with Horbury’s appointment as Executive Design Director for Ford North American brands, was part of Ford’s attempt to consolidate its ‘Red, White & Bold’ design strategy in an attempt to breathe fresh design into its expanding car line-up in North America. Callum was replaced at Mazda by Laurens van den Acker
Laurens van den Acker
Laurens van den Acker is an automobile designer from the Netherlands.-Biography:Van den Acker studied at the Delft University of Technology, where he obtained a Master of Engineering at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.-Career:He began his career in 1990 as a designer at Design System...
whilst his predecessor Patrick Schiavone
Patrick Schiavone
Patrick Schiavone is currently Vice President, Design, North America Region for Whirlpool Corporation. Patrick was formerly an automobile designer, in charge of trucks for North America at Ford Motor Company...
was appointed designer of North American SUVs and pick-ups at Ford.