Interview with Peter Schreyer, design boss Hyundai Kia Automotive Group
Bridging the Kia Kee and Stinger
He is a star among automotive designers: Peter Schreyer. Born in Upper Bavaria, he once drew the Golf IV and icons such as New Beetle and Audi TT for the Volkswagen Group. He has been shaping the design at Kia since 2006 and has won 18 Red Dot Awards. He has been design chief and president of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group since 2013. His 2007 concept study Kia Kee is currently the star of an exhibition in the oldest design museum in the world in Munich. Peter Schreyer describes the way from the Kee to the new Gran Turismo Kia Stinger and looks into the future for mein-auto-blog.
What concept studies reveal in hindsight
The connoisseur's insight immediately recognizes: The design of the Kia Kee study by 2007 contains much more than just what is typical of today's so-called "tiger nose". At that time, the Kee has caused a stir at the IAA. Peter Schreyer recalls: "This is the first time we have shown the tiger nose." Since then, this has been a style defining feature of the up-and-coming South Korean brand. According to Schreyer, she centers the car, is strong, variable and distinctive. Anyone who takes a closer look at the Kee today at its appearance in Munich's Pinakothek der Moderne will notice, among other things, the floating roof with an interrupted rear pillar - just like the current Hyundai i20 Coupé or the Opel Astra.
Kee does not sound like "Key"
Ten years after its spectacular debut in Frankfurt, the Kee 400 km continues to take center stage in Munich's Pinakothek der Moderne: the green-yellow coupé is currently the main attraction of the successful exhibition "Korean Design" in the oldest design museum in the world 1925 existing "New Collection". Director Dr. Angelika Nollert called Kee one "True icon". His name did not sound like "Key", because it was one of the "key works" of Peter Schreyer. This attracted an extremely large number of visitors - along with other exhibits on current Korean trends such as "K-pop" or "K-style". Pleasant surprise: After half-time, the exhibition folder was reissued. After the opening on 4. In March he was so out of print that "Korean Design" is now out of 18. June on 16. July was extended.
For the German car designer Peter Schreyer, a circle closes: Exactly ten years ago, Kee was "the forefather of our Kia design today". From the end of 2017, the Kia Stinger will enrich the class of four-door Gran Turismos. For the globally renowned automobile designer, he is just as much "the fulfillment of a dream" as the success of Kee in Munich: "Such a thing would have been unthinkable ten years ago - Kia in such a museum. Immediately it was clear that we would follow this invitation. It's a great thing to be there. "
Directions for today's Kia design
Kee, Stinger and Schreyer in the New Collection in Munich - a nice opportunity to look back on the past ten years and learn first-hand about the background of Korean automotive design. With the Kee, Peter Schreyer left a first clear fragrance brand for Kia in the world of automotive design. Before joining Kia as chief designer in 2006, Schreyer had already attracted attention with pioneering to pioneering models such as the VW Golf IV, New Beetle and, above all, the Audi TT. Today, he is not just Kia's chief designer, but since 2012 he has been one of the group's presidents and has determined the shape of the entire Hyundai Kia Automotive Group.
18 Red Dot Awards for Kia models by Schreyer
"An overwhelming inspiration" is Korea with its art and culture for Peter Schreyer: "I like to be there again and again. Especially the art scene is very inspiring. Our cars would look different otherwise. "Since Peter Schreyer was responsible for the design of Kia, the global sales of the South Korean brand has almost tripled: from good 1,1 to more than 3,0 million cars annually. At the same time, according to the study "Best Global Brands", the value of the brand Kia rose about sevenfold compared to Schreyer taking office eleven years ago. And: No less than 18 time, Schreyer's Kia designs have since garnered the world-renowned "Red Dot Design Award" - for the first time, 2009 achieved this with Soul. For this success story, the study Kee was just as responsible as 2011 the concept car Kia GT - a first hint of the future Stinger design.
When you see Peter Schreyer at the green and yellow Kee and hear about his first big litter for Kia, it immediately becomes clear: He is visibly and justifiably proud of it. Even ten years after its premiere, the Korea Coupe looks very futuristic. At that time, as later with the Stinger, Schreyer was able to let off steam on the basis of a rear-wheel drive platform - a luxury that had never been granted to him in the VW Group with front- or at best all-wheel-drive vehicles. The proportions with a long hood and a firm butt are very pleasant for the designer.
A bible for around 700 Designer
For the native of Upper Bavaria Peter Schreyer is the start of production of his favorite project Kia Stinger a real affair of the heart. Stinger, as ten years earlier Kee, both embody the design line of Kia cars given by Peter Schreyer. Schreyer clearly defined this for his 700 Design employees: "Clean, architecturally and technically driven." Captured and described in detail in a design manifesto that every Kia and Hyundai designer has in book form on his desk.
Also important to Peter Schreyer is the typical, hexagonal “hexagonal” grill. This clearly shows that Korean car design clearly has nothing to do with copying. In both the Koranic and the entire Asian culture, this is by no means a shame, but rather a form of recognition. But Schreyer attaches great importance to it: "We haven't done it for a long time, rather it's the other way around today." The Upper Bavarian designer can neither resist a slight smile, nor the subtle hint that the hexagonal shape is not so far from Munich today in the design.
Schreyer also praises other brands
The design boss of Kia and Hyundai still has eyes for the products of the other brands. He particularly likes Volvo at the moment: "In my eyes, the Swedes are successful in cultivating Scandinavian design as a statement." And a German premium brand has been particularly impressed with the German designer: "I find the current Mercedes design very exciting. Especially in comparison to other premium brands, it was amazing how Daimler chief designer Gorden Wagener managed to position the "rather conservative brand" as very progressive.
The renowned designer loosely sees the future with fully autonomous cars and electric drives: "A Rolls Royce with a chauffeur is in a sense also an autonomous vehicle, but by no means unemotional." Outside and inside, the appearance will not suffer from the possibility of autonomous driving. Instead, there are of course in the future, of course, also in the future ways to set up his car personally. Schreyer: "Apartments are not all the same." According to Peter Schreyer, even electric cars would not have to be recognized as such by their own design: "That should not be a dogma. A diesel does not look like a petrol engine. "
Stinger as fulfilling as the Audi TT once was
From Kia Kee to Kia Stinger: After exactly ten years Peter Schreyer has fulfilled a dream as a designer. The one pioneering for the new brand design, now the Stinger an absolute favorite project of Schreyer and his coworkers. The entire design process was as formerly at the Audi TT "very fulfilling" been: "You noticed in each phase: The Stinger means a lot to everyone involved. Such a huge group dynamics you do not have every car. These are very special moments. "
And finally ... What has now come out of series production based on the Kee design study from 2007 has great potential: The Kia Stinger will probably attract numerous buyers to Kia from the end of 2017. The reluctant Peter Schreyer almost falls into ephoria when describing his favorite project: “You see the Stinger and want it immediately. Because it's just a great car. "
