2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Luc Donckerwolke steps down as head of Hyundai Group design

Automotive News got hold of "an internal note" declaring that Hyundai Group design chief Luc Donckerwolke is stepping down today for "personal reasons." After ex-Volkswagen Group pen Peter Schreyer took over Kia design in 2006 and began the South Korean automaker's renaissance, Donckerwolke became the next VW Group design emigre to head east in 2015. He began his tenure in charge of Hyundai and Genesis, then took over as group design head when Schreyer stepped back from day-to-day operations in November 2018. Donckerwolke pushed for emotional products and brands that didn't look like different-sized versions of one another, dividing the trio of company makes into sexy and sporty Hyundai, young and cool Kia, and haute couture Genesis. Two of the three brands are on their way. Kia's got some top products but is still tweaking its formula.  The Belgian's design resume stretches back to his first job at Peugeot in 1990, where he stayed for two years before moving to Volkswagen. That's where things get good, a 23-year run including work on the first-generation Skoda Octavia and Fabia, the Audi A2, A4 Avant, and R8 Le Mans race car, the Lamborghini Diablo VT, Gallardo and Murcielago, and the Bentley Flying Spur among many others. Credits at Hyundai include the Kona and Palisade, and at Genesis, the G80 and G90 sedans and the GV80 crossover. Considering Donckerwolke's background, it's no surprise to hear he opined for a Genesis supercar within a year of arrival at Hyundai, and had ideas about what he wanted to do. He said at the 2016 New York Auto Show, "I won't reveal the secret now because it's still my baby! Obviously, yes, this is part of the interest of designing a brand, being able to create [supercars]. It's not just something which we'll do, let's say a rational traditional project, but there will be some highlights." It's too bad we'll miss that. Hyundai Group bosses won't name a successor yet, leaving SangYup Lee as head of design at Hyundai and Genesis and Karim Habib, the ex-BMW and ex-Infiniti designer hired last year, in charge of Kia design. Donckerwolke issued a statement that read in part, "It's been an honor and privilege to contribute to the shaping of the future of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.

2021 Ford Bronco is here, and a Stellantis is born | Autoblog Podcast #636

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They kick things off by diving headfirst into the Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport before moving to what they've been driving: 2020 BMW X3 xDrive 30e, 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and a 2020 Ford Expedition. Then, the three tackle Stellantis, Chrysler's new corporate name. Finally, James and Zac reminisce and discuss their time in a couple classic Honda coupes. Autoblog Podcast #636 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Introducing the 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport Cars we're driving 2020 BMW X3 xDrive 30e 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid 2020 Ford Expedition News Stellantis Retro Hondas 1999 Honda Prelude Type SH and 1999 Honda Civic Si Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

How feasible is Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz pickup?

When the silk finally slipped off Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept at the Detroit Auto Show on Monday, it was tangible, four-wheeled confirmation following years of rumors that the Korean automaker has been investigating the pickup market. Yet despite strong early critical and online reception, the likelihood of a production Hyundai pickup remains muddy at best. To be clear, Hyundai officials tell Autoblog there's nothing remotely production-ready lurking below the Santa Cruz's skin – it's a what-if concept designed to gauge customer reaction. But company officials say Hyundai is seriously investigating the possibility of a production pickup, and the company firmly believes that there's a market for a small, efficient unibody truck. According to John Krsteski, Manager at Hyundai Design North America, who spearheaded the project, Hyundai "is spending a lot of time right now still going through some studies on which types of platforms – whether it's a unique platform. It could be based on something like a Tucson ... we've looked at several different options." While Krsteski indicated that a platform hadn't been arrived at – and would likely need modifications – he says "it's definitely feasible." The Santa Cruz concept has a number of eye-catching features that would seem tough to produce – namely the slide-out rear bed extender that Krsteski says was influenced by the drawer-style ovens and dishwashers increasingly found in high-end kitchens. "We've had a couple of engineers in the studio and we did some study models on it, and we do think it's feasible – especially based on how we could package that inside there." With the extension in place, the small bed is large enough for a motocross bike to fit in on an angle. So what's next for the Santa Cruz? Hyundai has some internal studies it has completed and others that remain ongoing, and the company will work to gauge consumer response to the vehicle at auto shows and other events. Hyundai Motor America is clearly excited about the California-born project, but the toughest hurdle to a production pickup will likely be getting approval from headquarters in Korea. To that end, we've been led to understand that it was both telling and strategic that the Hyundai press conference was packed with Korean executives, who were on-hand in part to gauge media reaction to the Santa Cruz.