Peter Schreyer Working On Hyundai Future Vehicle Design
Kia owe much of their recent success to the fresh new design their line-up was given when design legend Peter Schreyer made the move from VW to the Korean automaker back in 2006.
He is now turning his attention to Hyundai, and is hoping to give their vehicles a road presence that will be instantly recognizable, just like he did with the tiger nose grill while at Kia.
Schreyer took some time to talk to a reporter form the Automotive News whilst attending the Los Angeles Auto Show, and he had some interesting things to say.
Car Design Inspirations
When asked about sketching, Mr. Schreyer said that he looks beyond the designs of the cars he sees on the road while driving. He also takes in the architecture, whilst also paying attention to everything from industrial design to sports equipment.
The latter may seem like an odd thing to think about when designing cars, but he compared click mechanisms to the gear shifters on mountain bikes.
One of the most obvious questions that people have been asking has to do with the aforementioned tiger nose grille.
Hyundai Hexagonal Signature Grille
Schreyer was asked if the hexagonal grille that appears on the Hyundai Genesis would become the equivalent of the tiger nose for Hyundai.
He believes that there has to be a way to differentiate all the cars in the line-up so that they have their own personal style.
He spoke about the German brands like Mercedes, Audi, BMW, and Porsche, all of whom have developed their very own personal sense of style.
He is impressed that some of those brands have been able to evolve and develop their ideas over an incredibly long period of time. That’s what he hopes to build with Hyundai.
New Sonata Design
Schreyer also took a moment to address some of the criticism that has been hurled in the direction of the new Sonata design.
The previous version was considered to be somewhat daring, while the latest generation took on more of a conservative styling. There are those that believe the return to that conservative look ended up hurting the sales numbers of the vehicle.
He doesn’t really buy into the criticism, as he thinks the new car looks great when seen out on the street, which is where it belongs. He described an experience in Santa Monica, where he saw the Sonata pull into the hotel he was staying at.
He thought that the car had a clean looking design that helped it look great, which is exactly what Hyundai are trying to deliver to the customer.
Kia Soul Success
When the talk turned to his time at Kia, it inevitably went to the incredible success of the 2015 Kia Soul.
He was asked how the Soul maintained its sales success and hasn’t dropped off in the way that the PT Cruiser and VW New Beetle did when they were introduced.
While he attributed some of the success to luck, he also feels that there are just times when thinking outside the box pays off, which is what he believes happened with the Soul.
