[AlanHo]

Thomas Burkle is Chief designer for Hyundai Europe and the driving force behind the design of the i30, i40 etc at Hyundai's Europe Technical Centre at Russelsheim, Germany.

He has gathered together a formidable team of experienced designers from all the leading brands in Germany, Italy, UK and France to ensure that the Hyundai cars sod in Europe are tailored to the specific requirements of the European market.

This article provides an interesting outline of Burkle's history and the direction Hyundai are heading in Europe.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/A24B547F53019AFFCA25792D0082FA06

Now a video of the man

[Dazzler]

Bl**dy 'ell another one to bookmark 

[tla]

Great article.  Very interesting insights into the man behind Hyundai's European design team.

I think Burkle has moved Hyundai in the right direction in terms of design. However, I don't agree with the following comment:

"I said to Hyundai that we have to develop our own front mask and that we (should not) change the front mask on every (new design) car because that creates confusion."

I'm not sure what kind of confusion he means.  There's a great big "H" at the front and back of the car that would dispel any confusion with regards to the car's manufacturer.

Kia has gone down this path, and, to my untrained eye, it looks like they tried too hard to fit the same front mask into some of their models, and it didn't quite work out.

[AlanHo]

Great article.  Very interesting insights into the man behind Hyundai's European design team.

I think Burkle has moved Hyundai in the right direction in terms of design. However, I don't agree with the following comment:

"I said to Hyundai that we have to develop our own front mask and that we (should not) change the front mask on every (new design) car because that creates confusion."

I'm not sure what kind of confusion he means.  There's a great big "H" at the front and back of the car that would dispel any confusion with regards to the car's manufacturer.

Kia has gone down this path, and, to my untrained eye, it looks like they tried too hard to fit the same front mask into some of their models, and it didn't quite work out.

Remember that Burkle is an ex-BMW man and BMW have carried their distnctive double radiator grill mask on all their cars for years. You don't need to peer at a badge on a BMW - you can tell instantly from a great distance the identity of the approaching car. It's a similar story with Vauxhall with the V built into the grill and Volvo with the diagonal bar.

I think it is a good philosophy if done with care.