Volt Chief Frank Weber Going to Opel

[Wolfgang]

Volt Chief Frank Weber Going to Opel

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site Blog Archive Volt Chief Frank Weber Going to Opel

 

[Wolfgang]

where will be show up next?

focus.de

Opel product chief Weber quits to take job with rival

German engineer was key in Chevy Volt's development

RUESSELSHEIM -- Opel product chief Frank Weber is leaving the General Motors Co subsidiary to work for an as-yet-unnamed competitor, company sources told Automotive News Europe.

An Opel spokesman confirmed that Weber had resigned. "We regret that Frank Weber has quit. We thank him for what he has done and wish him the best for the future," the spokesman told ANE on Thursday.

Weber is the second top-tier engineer with vast knowledge of Opel's future product portfolio to leave the company in less than a year. In October 2010, former Opel Managing Director Hans Demant started work at Volkswagen AG as its senior vice president in charge of international relations.

Opel has not named a successor for Weber, who returned to the German automaker in November 2009 to lead its product team. Prior to that, Weber spent two years at GM in the United States as the lead engineer for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. The Volt and Opel's version of the car, the Ampera, debut in Europe in November.

Weber is a German native who joined Opel in 1991 after finishing his engineering studies at Darmstadt University. He held several leading positions in the technical development center in Ruesselsheim such as director of advanced concept engineering.

You can reach Harald Hamprecht at hhamprecht@crain.com.

Read more: http://autonewseurope.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110407/ANE/110409914/1193#ixzz1IrE9PLHM

 

[Wolfgang]

where will be show up next?

@BMW?

 

[EnI]

@BMW?

BMW HIRES FORMER OPEL EV EXPERT WEBER, SOURCES SAY

German engineer led development of Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid

Harald Hamprecht

Automotive News Europe - April 8, 2011 06:01 CET

Ruesselsheim -- BMW AG has hired former Opel product chief Frank Weber, sources at both companies told Automotive News Europe.

It's a move that gives the world's leading luxury carmaker a huge boost in electric vehicle expertise as Weber was the lead engineer for the Chevrolet volt plug-in hybrid. BMW plans to launch its i3 full-electric car and its i8 plug-in hybrid in 2013.

Weber will report to Klaus Draeger, BMW's head of research and development, company sources told ANE. Weber's hiring shows the high value automakers place on people with expertise in alternative powertrain as BMW seldom hires top-ranking executives from competitors because it prefers to develop its own talent and promote from within.

Weber is the second top-tier engineer with vast knowledge of Opel's future product portfolio to leave the General Motor Co. subsidiary in less than a year. In October 2010, former Opel managing director Hans Demant started work at Volkswagen AG as its senior vice president in charge of international relations.

Opel has not named a successor for Weber, who returned to the German automaker in November 2009 to lead its product team. Prior to that, Weber spent two years at gm in the united states working on the volt. The volt and Opel's version of the car, the Ampera, debut in Europe in November.

Weber is a German native who joined Opel in 1991 after finishing his engineering studies at Darmstadt university. He held several leading positions in the technical development center in Ruesselsheim such as director of advanced concept engineering.

Read more: http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20110408/ane/304099998/1193#ixzz1izqksu3w

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

"BMW seldom hires top-ranking executives from competitors because it prefers to develop its own talent and promote from within"

Interesting. What will happen to Ulrich Kranz (head of Project i)?

 

[EnI]

Interesting. What will happen to Ulrich Kranz (head of Project i)?

Perhaps he will be named co-chief of project "IDE" (It Doesn't Exist) - where he will join the current project chief, Gerhard Richter.

Seriously ... Kranz can be named "Brand manager BMW i" or staying "Head of BMW i", while Weber can be named "Chief of development BMW i" ... Or "Head of development new energy concepts". But does it really matter? The title, I mean. Be sure BMW use every talent & creativity available from its employees. With or without fancy title.

Funny thing is that usually there's not even a standardized title available for someone's position within BMW. So it's all up to PR persons to give that title a name. And then you get several variations of the same title. Depends who wrote a press release.

And really ... What's Richter's current position & task? "Head of Project Gran Turismo on hiatus"?

He's like gone. Or ... perhaps he is in charge of new generation BMW Modular Large Platform development (which will also include the new 8er GC).

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

Perhaps he will be named co-chief of project "IDE" (It Doesn't Exist) - where he will join the current project chief, Gerhard Richter.

Seriously ... Kranz can be named "Brand manager BMW i" or staying "Head of BMW i", while Weber can be named "Chief of development BMW i" ... Or "Head of development new energy concepts". But does it really matter? The title, I mean. Be sure BMW use every talent & creativity available from its employees. With or without fancy title.

Funny thing is that usually there's not even a standardized title available for someone's position within BMW. So it's all up to PR persons to give that title a name. And then you get several variations of the same title. Depends who wrote a press release.

And really ... What's Richter's current position & task? "Head of Project Gran Turismo on hiatus"?

He's like gone. Or ... perhaps he is in charge of new generation BMW Modular Large Platform development (which will also include the new 8er GC).

Gerhard Richter is 59 (i could be wrong) so he's set for retirement next year. I don't know what project he's on.

The head of the Large Models Product Line (7er, 6er and 5er) is Erhard Frank.

 

[EnI]

The head of the Large Models Product Line (7er, 6er and 5er) is Erhard Frank.

True.

But I had the platform / chassis technical development in mind, not the product (line) management. He has a lot expertize in chassis development - from the times when he was technical development director @ M GmbH.

Btw, "Rule 60" applies to senior executives only!

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

True.

But I had the platform / chassis technical development in mind, not the product (line) management. He has a lot expertize in chassis development - from the times when he was technical development director @ M GmbH.

Btw, "Rule 60" applies to senior executives only!

Yeah, Gerhard Richter is a specialist in chassis development - very similar to Albert Biermann (Richter's successor at BMW M).

Lets do the math. The production version of concept CS was canned in mid-'09 and Richter would of been moved to another project. The only active projects were:

1. F25 and F30 1 and 3 Series
2. F40 X5

My bet would be the F40 X5. Anton Ruf is head of development for the 3 Series.

It would be awesome though if Richter was involved in the 6er Gran Coupe!

Btw, September of this year is when the official program begins for the 7er/6er/5er replacement. Exciting times!

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

Confirmed:

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110412/ANE/110419972/1193

He's replacing Dr Hans Rathgeber.

 

[EnI]

He's replacing Dr Hans Rathgeber.

As Head of vehicle architecture development & integration.

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

As Head of vehicle architecture development & integration.

Must be. Hans had that position and title - and was heavily involved with the structure of Concept Efficient Dynamics/i8. He must be retiring soon.

 

[EnI]

^Yep.

BMW hires General Motors electric car expert

04/13/2011

FRANKFURT, April 13 | Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:36am EDT

(Reuters) - BMW confirmed it hired electric car expert Frank Weber from General Motors, as competition hots up among auto makers for engineers with expertise in zero-emissions technology.

BMW said Weber, one of the engineers behind the General Motors (GM) flagship vehicle Chevy Volt, would become Director of total vehicle architecture and integration.

Weber's start date was still under negotiation, a spokesman for the Munich-based auto maker said on Wednesday.

...

BMW hires General Motors electric car expert | Reuters

IMO this will have the same impact as snatching Bangle from Fiat in 1992. A sun that will attract other smaller stars, making the department stronger. Since not that Weber only has a lot of expertise in EV - but he is a true EV guru, and many eager engineers will do anything to work with him. This will a great motivation for current BMW engineers, but will also attract engineers specialized in EV from other companies - and be sure they will be very welcome @ BMW.