Rolls-Royce has paid tribute to its former design director, Ian Cameron, after the 74-year-old retired British executive was tragically killed in a violent attack at his home in Bavaria on Friday night. German police are currently searching for the assailant, believed to be a lone individual who attacked and stabbed Cameron when he answered the door of his residence in Herrsching, Upper Bavaria. No arrests have been made yet.
In an official statement, Rolls-Royce honored Cameron’s substantial contributions to the company: “Ian played a significant role in shaping Rolls-Royce from when it was first acquired by BMW Group and moved to its home at Goodwood, West Sussex. During Ian’s tenure, he led the design team for all Phantom family and Ghost models, creating thoroughly contemporary motor cars that remained sympathetic to the marque’s design heritage. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this very difficult time.”
Cameron’s illustrious career began with stints at Pininfarina, where he worked on projects including the Lancia Monte Carlo, followed by a tenure at European truck and van maker Iveco. In 1992, he joined BMW as an exterior design manager, contributing to the designs of the E46 3-Series and the Z8, among other projects. Cameron’s career reached new heights when BMW acquired the Rolls-Royce brand and he was chosen by BMW’s then design chief, Chris Bangle, to lead the team that would create the new Phantom.
As part of the creative process for Rolls-Royce, Cameron immersed his design team in a luxurious lifestyle, even establishing an office near Hyde Park in London, an area known for its high concentration of Rolls-Royce vehicles. The strategy paid off; the Phantom VII, launched in 2003, became a design icon and set the standard for all subsequent Rolls-Royce models.
In a 2005 interview at the Geneva Auto Show, Cameron reflected on the responsibility of designing for Rolls-Royce: “Certainly when we started the project there was a massive amount of awareness that we could easily fail and that if we did it would not happen again, that the marque would die. With all honesty, I have never, ever had the feeling since that BMW owns Rolls-Royce in the possessive sense. It is much more a feeling of custodianship. We’re not here to do whatever we want with the marque, we have to understand it and whenever possible move it on, to make sure that whatever happens is right for Rolls-Royce.”
Cameron retired from his role as design director in 2012 and officially left Rolls-Royce in 2013. He later ran his own consultancy business and worked with high-value classic cars. Reports from Germany indicate that cables to security cameras above Cameron’s garage had been cut, but no cars were taken, leaving the motive behind the attack unclear. Cameron’s wife, Verena Kloos, the former president of BMW’s Designworks studio in California, raised the alarm by running to a neighbor’s house. She was unharmed in the incident.
The design world mourns the loss of a visionary who left an indelible mark on one of the most prestigious automotive brands in history. The search for his assailant continues as the community remembers Ian Cameron’s legacy.
Credit: Road Track
