Jaguar's Director of Design Ian Callum has been honoured with a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) distinction, the highest accolade a designer can receive in the UK. 

The award is given in recognition of designers who have 'achieved sustained excellence in aesthetic and efficient design for industry' and is presented by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce).

Commenting on the award Ian Callum said: "To gain such recognition from fellow members of the design community is an enormous privilege for me, particularly from a faculty that is not directly involved in the car business.  This distinction is a testament to the value of car design and the role that car designers play in the motoring industry.

"Design is a major driving force in the creation of the history of modern motoring and it is an honour for me, and my fellow artists and designers in the industry to have this acknowledged."

Presenting the diploma at the RSA on Thursday, November 30, Gerry Acher CBE LVO, RSA chairman, said: "As the man responsible for the stunning appearance of the new XK sports car, members of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry felt that Ian Callum's contribution towards the new direction of Jaguar cars should be recognised."

Ian Callum joined Jaguar in 1999 and helped in launching the X-TYPE Estate, the new XJ saloon, S-TYPE refresh and headed the design team towards the R-Coupe, RD-6, the Advanced Lightweight Coupe and other advanced design concept cars.
 
His most recent design is the new XK sports car. Design features such as the distinctive oval grille opening, prominent bonnet power-bulge and practicality-enhancing rear Liftback all echo the classic E-type.  Details like the sweeping front and rear light shapes and powerful stance have catapulted Jaguar sports car design firmly into the 21st century.

This is not the first time Ian has been recognised by the RSA; in 1975 he received first prize for the Annual RSA college bursary for Industrial Design, and he also received a "commendation" for Furniture Design the following year.

This is the second award for Ian Callum this year.  He recently received the Jim Clark Memorial Award, given by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW) to a Scot or Scots who have achieved excellence in the field of motoring.

• The distinction 'Royal Designer for Industry' was established by the RSA in 1936 to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers.
• Their work is diverse; ranging from fashion to engineering, theatre to product design, graphics to environmental design but they do share a consciousness of quality and standard, coherence and precision and that special quality of visual awareness defined by Sir Francis Meynell RDI as 'The Seeing Eye'.
• New RDIs are elected annually and the Faculty continues to support initiatives to further excellence in design.
• Only 200 designers may hold the distinction RDI at any time; there are now 114 RDIs.  It is regarded as the highest honour to be obtained in the United Kingdom in the field of Industrial Design.
• The Royal Designers form a unique collective of outstanding designers, from fields as disparate as engineering, furniture, fashion and textiles, graphics, theatre, and film design.  Current Royal Designers include James Dyson, Vivienne Westwood, Ron Arad, Lord Foster, John Pawson, and Thomas Heatherwick.