2
NEWS
Hyundai to align i
Hyundai's design overlord Peter Schreyer says the company needs one design languageHyundai’s practice of applying different design languages to its European and US market models is about to end. That’s the verdict of Hyundai and Kia design poobar, Peter Schreyer.
Speaking to motoring.com.au at the North American International auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit this week, Chief Design Officer and Board member for both companies (and President of Kia), Schreyer stated he’d wielded the axed on Hyundai’s parallel design practice.
Future Hyundai models will align styling, he says.
“The world is, you know, getting smaller. So we are a global company. I don’t see a point to make, like, [an] American grille and a European grille on a car – I think it’s confusing. It’s weakening the [Hyundai] brand if you do that, in my opinion,” he told motoring.com.au.
To date Hyundai has largely employed a practice of applying different design to its “i” badged European-focused models and its US-aimed ‘named’ vehicles. This practice will be discontinued, says Schreyer.
“I don't think it’s necessary. I think what is necessary is that between Europe and America, there’s a difference in what the customers expect from a car...
“Europe is a five-door market. America is a sedan and SUV market. And this way, they are different. But I think both markets should still expect a Hyundai. I mean, BMW’s not, making different [versions of] cars for the European market or for the [rest of the world]…”
Schreyer was charged with overseeing the design direction of both Hyundai and Kia in early 2013. When motoring.com.au spoke to him at the Geneva motor show in March 2013 /news/2013/hyundai/no-luxury-brand-needed-schreyer-35491 he was just weeks into the job.
He stated at that time: “Kia is the snow crystal and Hyundai is the rain drop... The challenging thing is to separate the two as much as we can.”
Now, in early 2014, he is confident the brands have cemented their own design directions. Now Hyundai is also internally aligned, the next challenge, he says, is to separate the group’s product offerings.
“I think that both brands [Kia and Hyundai] have a very strong design direction already. For me, it’s also important to talk about the complete direction of the brand, and, of course, try to get some differentiation.
“One journalist said today, ‘At the moment it’s a bit blurred’ but I don’t agree. I think that the two companies are already quite defined [in their] direction now, and you only need to find the strong points where they are different, and really develop those strong points.”
Schreyer says the differentiation between future Kia and Hyundai products must be made at a level more substantial than styling.
“I think that we have a chance, at least in some segments, to put the cars more apart than [they are now]… Not so much from a design point of view, but from a product character.
“I will try to separate [the companies] a little better concerning [via] the products themselves,” he told motoring.com.au
“Of course there will always be parallel products – like brother and sister products. But, I think [this] is good too,” he opined.
“If someone’s thinking about if he rather buys a, I don't know, Sonata or an Optima, instead of thinking about a Toyota that’s fine, you know. No problem...”
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Share this article
Written byMike Sinclair
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayRelated articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.