13 Mar 07
Peter Schrayer
Peter Schreyer is the designer behind the original Audi TT. It's a remarkable achievement - but it's one that might be surpassed in his new role as design director at Kia.
After managing to pin Schreyer down for a few minutes at the Geneva Motor Show, the obvious first question is why a designer with such a prominent role at the Volkswagen Group would leave to head an emerging, less premium brand.
'Kia is a very exciting company to work for. It's very challenging to work for such a young brand. There is the opportunity to shape the company, which is one of the main reasons I have joined.'
Audi TT design study
Kia's youth - and the blank piece of paper that a designer would start with - might, some would reason, make the task in hand easier. Schreyer isn't so convinced. 'When you have history it is easier to pick out some things and use them to continue the history,' he explains. 'But because we don't have this at Kia we have to find our own way.'
Luckily the Seoul headquarters is allowing him plenty of freedom to develop some of his ideas. 'What we need to do at Kia is to find our core,' he says, adding after a thoughtful pause, 'and find a consistent design language.'
