Michael van der Sande, former managing director of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division, has taken a new role as MD of Lucid Europe.
He joins as the luxury electric car maker, headed up by former Tesla engineer Peter Rawlinson, begins its push into European markets. It's already operating in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland.
The American manufacturer currently produces the Air, a Mercedes-Benz EQS rival with the longest WLTP range of any EV, at 548 miles per charge in Range trim.
Autocar previously reported that the saloon is understood to be arriving in the UK later this year, pending development of a right-hand-drive model.
The Air will be followed by the new Lucid Gravity SUV, a high-performance seven-seater expected to use much of the saloon’s technology but with more practical packaging.
It's likely to receive a top-rung Dream Edition version, as did the Air, featuring a 1065bhp dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain and a 113kWh battery.
Given Rawlinson’s claim that the Gravity will be a “luxury performance SUV like none other”, it could also be offered with the tri-motor powertrain – thought to produce around 1600bhp – from the Air Sapphire (pictured below).
That should have the two models easily outdo their Tesla rivals, the Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid, the former of which is claimed to dispatch the 0-60mph sprint in 1.9sec.
Van der Sande’s extensive history marketing low-volume luxury and performance products should place him well to find success with Lucid in the coming years.
During his four-and-a-half years at JLR SVO, he oversaw the development and launches of several bespoke products, including the Jaguar C-Type Continuation, the Range Rover SV Autobiography and the Bowler Defender rally car.
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SVR division is now pointless, the last couple of products have just been paint jobs at an eye watering markup.
Thierry Bollore, the world's worst automotive CEO, has mismanaged JLR and is killing off Jaguar.
Replacing £30k cars with EVs that sit at £100k. Honestly, how many people can really afford a £100k car?
SVR should have been used to produce an M car or RS rival. It hasnt. An oportunity missed. Bollore's plans have no place for the SVR division, just another part of JLR he's killed off.
I'm surprised Autocar hasn't exposed what's happening to Jaguar and what effect it will have on their employees.