Giles Taylor appointed Head of Exterior Design at Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce will be welcoming Giles taylor as its a new Head of Exterior Design in April this year.

Taylor, who has spent the last 10 years in British automotive design roles and headed up the design team who created the XK and XJ model series under the direction of Ian Callum at Jaguar, will fill the vacant position in the Rolls-Royce design team.

He will be based in West Sussex, UK, and report to Rolls‑Royce's Chief Designer, Ian Cameron.

"Giles has a deep knowledge of emotive brands in the luxury segment and a proven track record," Cameron said in a statement. "He will be a very valuable addition to the Rolls-Royce design team."

Since being taken over by parent company BMW in 1998 the Rolls-Royce design team has been responsible for the Phantom, Phantom Coupe and Drophead Coupe and the latest addition to the portfolio, the Ghost. The 100EX and 200EX concept cars previewed the Coupe and the Ghost, respectively. 

"Giles brings with him exceptional design skills and a comprehensive understanding of British values and heritage that are so crucial to Rolls-Royce," commented Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group design. "His appointment will further strengthen the extraordinary Rolls-Royce team headed by Ian Cameron."

Recently, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced record sales figures for 2010. With sustained demand for the Phantom and sales of the Ghost gaining additional momentum, the company benefitted from a sales growth of more than 170 percent over the previous year.

By Eric Gallina