How design heads see Hyundai's high-end future

NonePeter SchreyerAge: 62 Nationality: German Titles: President, Hyundai Motor Group's Chief Design Officer, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors Education: Degree in industrial design from Munich University of Applied Sciences; studied transportation design at the Royal College of Art, London Before Kia: Except for two years at Audi's U.S. design center in Simi Valley, Calif., spent 24 years in Germany, at Audi or Volkswagen Landmark styling achievement: The first Audi TT At Kia, notable for: His team introduced a common front shape with the "tiger nose" grille for Kia models. What ex-VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech said in 2012: "We should not have let him go." Chris ChapmanAge: 49 Title: Chief designer, Hyundai Design Center, Irvine, Calif. (since 2012) Education: Graduated in 1989 from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. (also grew up in Pasadena) First design job: Isuzu's design studio in Cerritos, Calif. First big splash: At Isuzu, did the XU-1 concept, a futuristic SUV with gull-wing doors that received wide acclaim at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1993. Automotive News declared at the time: “If slick concept sport-utilities were the stars of the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show, Isuzu Motors' gull-wing XU-1 was the slickest of them all.” BMW career: Joined BMW's DesignworksUSA in California in 1994; was appointed director of automotive design in 2002. Oversaw several advanced and production vehicles for the company, including X5, X3, Z4 and the first 1-series E87. Hyundai has pulled back the curtain on its upscale aspirations. The Korean auto-maker unveiled the Vision G Concept Coupe at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in August and showed the car again a few days later at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

How design heads see Hyundai's high-end future

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