Ian Cameron (car designer)

Ian Cameron (26 March 1950 – 12 July 2024) was a British car designer, most notable for his time with Rolls Royce following its purchase by BMW.

Career

Cameron was born on 26 March 1950.^[1] He graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1975, and started his career with Pininfarina. In 1981 he moved to Iveco reaching the position of Chief Designer.^[2]

He moved to BMW in 1992 as Exterior Design Studio Manager, and in 1999 he was appointed director of design at Rolls-Royce. Cameron designed the Rolls-Royce’s winged silver lady statuette to disappear into the bonnet with a loud clunk if it was vandalised.^[1]

He retired in 2012 and after a period as Brand Ambassador for Rolls-Royce Heritage, he set up a design consultancy Ian Cameron Design Partners.

Significant designs

BMW 3 Series (E46), external design^[3]
BMW Z8, external design
Rolls Royce Phantom, design team lead^[4]
Rolls Royce Ghost, design team lead

Personal life and death

Cameron was married to Verena Kloos, formerly BMW’s Designworks studio president in California. They lived in Bavaria, Germany until his death. Cameron was murdered after being stabbed at his front door in Herrsching am Ammersee on 12 July 2024. He was 74.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b "Ian Cameron obituary: chief designer for Rolls-Royce". The Times. 18 July 2024. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
^ "Ian Cameron tragically killed in a robbery". Auto & Design. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
^ Cropley, Steve (15 July 2024). "Ian Cameron, Rolls' renaissance man, remembered". Autocar. Haymarket Media Group. ISSN 1355-8293. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
^ Duff, Mike (15 July 2024). "Former Rolls-Royce Design Boss Murdered in Germany". Road & Track. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
^ Odeen-Isbister, Sara (15 July 2024). "Former head designer at Rolls-Royce stabbed to death at his £3,000,000 mansion". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

[TimesObit-1] "Ian Cameron obituary: chief designer for Rolls-Royce". The Times. 18 July 2024. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 19 July 2024.

[2] "Ian Cameron tragically killed in a robbery". Auto & Design. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

[3] Cropley, Steve (15 July 2024). "Ian Cameron, Rolls' renaissance man, remembered". Autocar. Haymarket Media Group. ISSN 1355-8293. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

[4] Duff, Mike (15 July 2024). "Former Rolls-Royce Design Boss Murdered in Germany". Road & Track. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

[5] Odeen-Isbister, Sara (15 July 2024). "Former head designer at Rolls-Royce stabbed to death at his £3,000,000 mansion". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

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