Hyundai America Nabs BMW Designer Christopher Chapman

[Bartek S.]

The South Korean group continues to inject its brands with foreign designers, with its latest hire being Christopher Chapman of former BMW fame. Chapman was named chief designer of the Hyundai Design Center in Irvine, California, and will be responsible for new vehicle and concept design for Hyundai.
“With over 22 years of experience in the industry working on esteemed automotive brands, Chris provides a level of talent that will help further our design portfolio,” said SukGeun Oh, Head of Design, Senior Executive Vice President Hyundai Design Center. “We are thrilled to have Christopher Chapman as chief designer for Hyundai and look forward to continuing the strong momentum of our vehicle designs.”
Chapman started his career at the Isuzu Technical Center of America in Cerritos, California, in 1989 and was the designer chosen for the exterior of the XU-1 show car, which won Best Concept at the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show.
In 1994, he joined the BMW Group at DesignworksUSA in California, where he designed the exteriors of the X5 Sport Activity Vehicle and X Coupe concept car before he moved to Germany to design the CS1 concept shown at the Geneva Auto Salon in 2002, followed by the first generation 1 Series production Coupe and its derivatives.
In 2002, Chapman was appointed Director of Automotive Design and has been responsible for leading several conceptual and production vehicles including the new X5, X3, Z4 and the first BMW 1-series E87.

Carscoop

 

[ateekt]

Just like Kia cars got Audi in their faces, thanks to peter schreyer! Expect the next Hyundai products with Bmw essence - And probably kidney grill too!

I admire the hard work, approach & effort those brands are putting to compete with the old guys & they're doing about everything the right way!

 

[Human]

And I have been going on and on about the Koreans, they are p!ss'n me off

Next thing you know they will have Bruno Sacco in some advice giving roll and build him a lavish retirement house in South Korea...

 

[K-A]

Hyundai is serious. Like I've said before, NO car company is being ran as well as them. Whoever their CEO is, I'm sure there's a large price tag he's carrying around. They indeed are doing everything right, considering what they're working with. I'm not a fan of their cars, per-se (and I do like some quite decently within their respective segments), but enthusiast and taste aside, as a cut throat business entity, they're firing on all cylinders.

So with the BMW Designer, does this mean they'll finally stop ripping off M-B Designs?

 

[Shining Star]

I've got to hand it to Hyundai, they've been producing some great designs. I've known that they can do striking and swoopy, but now I've been pleasantly surprised with how elegant the Equus and the Azera are.



Looking forward to see what's coming up next for them.

 

[Levi68]

Well, I am not a fan of KIA/Hyundai, but the latest products are really not that bad, if to put aside "badge". I bet they'll come out with a supercar, and BMW M won't even yet have decided to build one.

 

[jack]

i had the honor to meet him once
he has a really great attitude and a really unique look on car design
i am really curious about his first hyundai

 

[Tarek]

I've got to hand it to Hyundai, they've been producing some great designs. I've known that they can do striking and swoopy, but now I've been pleasantly surprised with how elegant the Equus and the Azera are.



Looking forward to see what's coming up next for them.

I thought that was a KIA optima..

 

[Wolfgang]

Chapman's work was instrumental in implementing the Bangle-era of BMW design


Who's Where: Chris Chapman appointed as Hyundai Chief Designer

by Owen Ready - CarDesignNews

Former BMW designer, Chris Chapman has been appointed as Hyundai's Chief Designer, based at its design center in Irvine, California. He will be responsible for both advanced and production design for the Korean brand and replaces Phil Zak, who left the company early in 2011 to return to GM. He will report to SukGeun Oh, Head of Design, Senior Executive Vice President Hyundai Design Center.

Hyundai is known to have been on the looking to fill the position for some time. Following the extraoridinary, design-led success of sister brand, Kia under the tenure of Peter Schreyer, Chapman's appointment is a clear move to similarly improve Hyundai's design strategy.

"With over 22 years of experience in the industry working on esteemed automotive brands, Chris provides a level of talent that will help further our design portfolio," said SukGeun Oh, Head of Design, Senior Executive Vice President Hyundai Design Center. "We are thrilled to have Christopher Chapman as chief designer for Hyundai and look forward to continuing the strong momentum of our vehicle designs."

Chapman graduated from Art Center in 1989, when he joined Isuzu. His XU-1 concept car won Best Concept at the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show. The following year he joined BMW DesignworksUSA.

During his time at BMW – both at DesignworksUSA and in Munich – he was responsible for the X5 SAV, X Coupe concept, 1-Series (E87), CS1 concept, 1-series coupe, X5, X3 and Z4. His most recent position was Director of Transportation Design.

Chris Chapman appointed as Hyundai Chief Designer - Car Design News

Isuzu XU-1 - Best Concept at the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show - Carstyling.ru

 

[klier]

During his time at BMW – both at DesignworksUSA and in Munich – he was responsible for the X5 SAV, X Coupe concept, 1-Series (E87), CS1 concept, 1-series coupe, X5, X3 and Z4. His most recent position was Director of Transportation Design.

His adventurous design will be missed. But it can't get much more boring than it is now...

 

[7saen]

Chris Chapman is agreat designer. His designs had a huge impact on how BMWs (and those who followed) look like today.
I expect a revolution in Hyundai's design, similar to what we're experiencing right now with Kia under Peter Schreyer. Exciting!

 

[K-A]

Didn't Hyundai JUST have their revolution in Design? With the Sonata, next Azera, Elantra, etc.?

ANOTHER revolution? Man, these guys just won't stop! If they jump as many levels up as they did within the last merely 2 years, there's a helluva lot that they can accomplish in very short timing.

 

[7saen]

If Chapman takes over starting 2012, then expect the first models witht the new design to come out 2016. By then, the current (new) design language would have reached to entire Hyundai Line-up and it would be apropriate to intorduce a new one. So it's not that unprobable.

 

[Deleted member 25]

Is schreyer still at hyundai ?

 

[Wolfgang]

Is schreyer still at hyundai ?

I think so.

KIA GT concept

Kia-Designchef Peter Schreyer: "Wir haben große Schritte gemacht

 

[7saen]

Is schreyer still at hyundai ?

He never was. He's at Kia

[video=youtube;ZhYGqZL2mpQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZhYGqZL2mpQ[/media]

 

[JadeVetti]

Those Kia concept pics look Tesla Model S-esque.

Hyundai has indeed come a very long way, and their current designs suit my fancy more than their very competitors at Toyota and Honda. Kudos to Hyundai for becoming the front runner in that department. They've been able to outsell more Sonatas and Elantras in the last few months, and they are hardly slowing down. My only caveat with them before was the handling of the steering wheel and how fluid it seemed, albeit flimsy.

 

[Cashmere]

Love how Kia and Hyundai are stepping up their game.

 

[K-A]

I was reading a an ex-Hyundai (now Benz) Owner say how incredibly dedicated the CEO is. And it certainly shows. Apparently he walks down the production line, and runs various personal "tests" that the workers have to pass (as simple as locating right away where the hood latch is, which unbelievably must not always be a one-shot deal for some workers), and if they "fail", they get fired. Also, apparently this owner Emailed a complaint to the Hyundai USA address, and guess what.... the CEO CALLED HIM PERSONALLY! I'm not a Hyundai/Kia enthusiast at all, but respect where it's due, and right now, it's the business decisions and leadership of their CEO/s that are doing it.