Here’s your first look at the radical £80k Callum Skye’s interior

We’re still worryingly short on fun, lightweight EVs with a humorous side, but Callum wants to remedy that with its forthcoming Skye. As it edges closer to initial testing in 2025 ahead of production in 2026, we’ve now got fresh details (and images) of its compact 2+2 cabin which looks like it’s from a galaxy far, far away…

The one pictured is the ‘Dynamic’ spec - more tailored for on-road use as opposed to outright forestry. The first key takeaway is just how much light leaks in thanks to the relatively open design, with windows in unconventional places like the lower sections of the doors.

It also looks quite snug in there, right? There’s enough space for two people out back with the removable bench - we’ve tried - and an amply-sized luggage shelf for your Sith Lord figurine collection.

Bridge of Weir has helped collaborate on the materials too, so there’s lots of plush, sustainable leather and imitation metal. The dramatic lines are set off by a sleek ‘blade-like’ centre console, which then diverges into a geometric shape housing the infotainment screen and switchgear.

The whole thing is coated in a shade of ‘Vitamin C’ orange - clearly inspired by the global Sunny Delight shortage - with bright silver and gun metal grey accents dotted around sections like the door surrounds. Keep your gaze fixed and you’ll spot horizontal bar graphics which bisect the doors and run the length of the interior. Very dystopian.

Let’s get some more details from Callum’s head of design, Aleck Jones, kicking off with one of the obvious questions: just how customisable will it be? “We’ve been playing around with loads of accessories, it’s one of those cars that really will be complemented by roof racks and that sort of stuff. We’re also working on a doorless version.

“Another of our ambitions is also that the roof be removable. One of the issues with panoramic glass is weight, and the mid-section is not where you want weight. This car is meant to be about fun, so we think our customers will better appreciate being able to take it off and get that Meyer’s Manx or beach buggy vibe.”

How far can the tailoring go? “The idea is that clients will come and say what they want and we can work with them directly. If they like surfing, we’ll see what wheels and tyres, what racks and other bits they’ll need, and work with them. Inside, they may need somewhere to hose down their wetsuits too. This is the level of customisation we want to offer.”

It’s also refreshing to see a new car loaded with traditional buttons, and Jones agrees this is something we need more of. “People want buttons; they want physical switchgear because it’s more familiar and easier to use. We’ve put rotary dials into the prototype, and we want the final product to follow this. We spent a lot of time finding a mix between hybrid and analogue for the dials too, trying to go away from the idea of screens. It’s far too easy to load a car with screens and say ‘job done.’”

Lastly, what does he think will be the Skye’s main rivals? “When we went into this and we were talking about competitors, we realised it doesn’t really have one. On one end of the scale there’s the Ariel Nomad, which is fun off-road but is fairly pared back.

“On the other, there’s the Defender, and new ones tend to be extremely luxurious. Not the sort of thing you’d use off the road any more. A lot of our clients have Series I Defenders and they love the fact that they can throw a surfboard out on its tailgate and go to the beach, and that’s the sort of essence we’re trying to capture here.”

Fancy creating your own in Darth Callum spec? The ‘My Skye’ configurator is now live and ready for you to spend today’s lunch hour on. Or beyond… if you’re looking for a reason not to do any work.