Automotive News South Africa

Kia's chief designer honoured with Lifetime Design Award

The president and chief designer of Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group, Peter Schreyer, has been honoured with EyesOn Design's Lifetime Design Achievement Award.
President and chief designer of Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group, Peter Schreyer
President and chief designer of Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group, Peter Schreyer

Schreyer was recognised at the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology's Vision Honoured award ceremony for his work overseeing the global design strategy of Kia Motors. This latest award places him on a list of international vehicle designers which includes design legends such as Sergio Pininfarina, Shiro Nakamura, Walter de'Silva and Giorgetto Giugiaro. The EyesOn Design award is significant in that previous winners of the award make up the judging panel.

Since joining Kia in 2006, Schreyer has revolutionised the brand's styling, and, among other design characteristics of Kia's latest models, is responsible for the signature 'tiger-nose' grille which identifies all current models. Schreyer leads design strategy for both Kia and Hyundai, and oversees Kia's three design studios in Korea, Germany and the USA.

Passionate designers

"We, and the whole design community, are excited and proud that Peter is receiving the Lifetime Design Achievement Award. In getting this award, he joins the absolute luminaries of car design," Dr. Philip Hessburg, medical director at the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, said when presenting the award.

"Throughout my professional life, I've had the opportunity to work with a number of incredibly passionate and talented designers. With the appointment at Kia, I've had the chance to shape the brand into something altogether more stylish, distinctive, and young-at-heart, and our models reflect this attitude," Schreyer commented.

"We have received a number of design awards for the styling of Kia vehicles over the last few years, but our work goes beyond just the appearance of our cars. Kia design goes from strength to strength, and I'm honoured to be a part of this process. It's a huge honour to receive this award, and it's also testament to the hard work and creativity of Kia's design teams around the world."

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