13 Mar 07
He is the first to admit the current model line-up doesn't share a core identity. 'You don't really read them on the road,' he says. 'You cannot really see them because they all look very different.'
In fact, before Schreyer had even contemplated working at Kia, he had admired the design of the Sorento and Picanto. 'I used to see them on the road and think the design is good, but who is the brand behind these cars'; he recalls. 'I want all future Kia cars to have a similar impact on the public.'
He is realistic, though. 'To get an awareness of the brand we need a stronger identity. We definitely need a stronger profile,' he admits.
Kia european design centre
Schreyer has also joined the company at the right time. Kia is putting a great deal of emphasis on steering a strong brand identity through design. Much in the way Toyota did a few years back, it has realised how crucial it is to have a European design language for its largest export market.
A new design centre will open soon in Frankfurt at the new Kia European headquarters. Moving the studio from the less glamorous Russelsheim, as well as separating it from sister company Hyundai - both in Europe and in California - is an attempt to make a statement to the world on where the company is heading. Schreyer's task now is to, as he calls it, 'weld the three design studios [including the one in Korea] together into one team'.
