Interview with Andrew Collinson, VP of Design at JETOUR

During the spectacular launch of the JETOUR G700 at Bab Al Shams in Dubai, GearsMe sat down with Andrew Collinson, Vice President of Design at JETOUR, to talk about boxy SUVs, premium, the Middle East, and why the G700 might be the next “ trend car” after the T2.

Q: To start, can you introduce yourself and your role at JETOUR?

Andrew Collinson: My name is Andrew Collinson. I’m the Vice President of Design for JETOUR, responsible for all of our products and all the brands and series we have – X series, L series, T series, and now this fantastic new G series.

Q: The G700 launch in Dubai is a big moment, and JETOURhas become very visible in our region. The G700 has already won a 2025 award for most innovative design feature. How did you approach the boxy design, balancing ruggedness with refinement?

Collinson: Being here in the Middle East is amazing. You really feel how many of our cars are already on the road and how much people love them. Sometimes I get into a car to go to an event and the driver tells me how fantastic the product is without knowing I work for JETOUR –that’s overwhelming in a good way. With the G700, we wanted to build on that brand love and expectation. We always start with proportion. For a boxy off-roader, it’s not just “make it a box”. You need the right boxes. If the overall shape and stance are wrong, you’ll never communicate that it’s a great car – and certainly not that it’s a premium car. We looked at deserts, mountains, and the North Face shear of Mount Everest, which inspired the rear fender line. The balance was to create a car that is imposing, powerful and strong, but not aggressive.

Q: You previously worked on Land Rover designs. How does designing for JETOUR compare?

Collinson: The biggest difference is that JETOUR is new. We don’t have decades of legacy telling customers what to expect. That gives us freedom to create new design language, new proportions and new innovation. We built a new platform for the G700 – a fresh start. Our customers are different, and that’s good. Some future G models will lean more into premium, others into off-road aggression, but the G700 needed the perfect balance for a flagship.

Q: Inside the cabin, do you believe the G700 can stand out against established premium competitors?

Collinson: Yes, I really do. The G700 has Nappa leather throughout, Lexicon hi-fi, and a surround experience you’d love in your home. But we design experiences, not feature lists. The full-width “band screen” is placed high – we call it Eyes on the Horizon –because in the desert or mountains, you can’t look down. Important controls still have physical switches. And the premium materials are brought forward into the touch points so you immediately feel the quality. That’s how you stand out.

Q: What is your personal favorite design element on the G700?

Collinson: Number one is proportion – how the car sits on its wheels. Number two is the harmony of the body surfacing. A sculpted loop runs from the front fender over the body and back toward the rear. Crisp edges communicate high manufacturing quality.

Q: How does design collaborate with engineering on features like river crossing and oxygen systems?

Collinson: We work in a company that says, “Let’s do bold things.” Engineering a car that can float puts you in a different league. Then we discuss how to engineer, cost and integrate ideas. Some features won’t matter to everyone, but the ones who need them will love them. Nothing great is easy.

Q: Has the Middle East influenced the G700?

Collinson: Absolutely. The region has a huge passion for cars. We’re already working on market-specific touches that offer more personalization. Some are confidential, but exciting. We want people to be able to customize –but also love the factory stock car.

Q: Where do you see the G700 positioned in the market?

Collinson: Top of the premium and in the luxury market. It must be fully capable off-road, but also refined in materials and design. Once customers drive it, they will feel the step up from the T series. We compete against ourselves – constantly improving with feedback.

Q: Final cheeky question: The T2 became a trend car. Will the G700 replicate that success?

Collinson: Yes, I think so. The G700 has the same emotional connection, capability, value and design – but elevated. It’s rare for everything to come together in one vehicle. That was the success of the T2, and that’s what we’re emulating and pushing further with the G700.