Schreyer: More than a designer of products I wish to be an architect of Hyundai's brand image

There's no denying Peter Schreyer has been instrumental in turning around Kia's image from a manufacturer of wheeled white goods in a creator of design-led products.

Now his attention turns to sister company Hyundai in his role as chief design officer for both companies and his plans are no less ambitious. "More than a designer of products I wish to be an architect of Hyundai's brand image," he told an audience at Hyundai's European headquarters, explaining how his job is not simply 'styling' but communicating the brand's message right down to details such as the seatbelt warning buzzer.

The key to Hyundai's success will be advanced technologies, according to Schreyer and we'll see the first results of his work with Hyundai in the Intrado concept which will preview a hydrogen fuel cell, light weight materials and advanced aerodynamics at the Detroit show in January.

In the meantime you can see Peter's presentation in full on the left.

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By Owen Ready