KIA GOING UPMARKET, TARGETING AUDI TT?

Kia Chief of Design Peter Schreyer says he won’t rest on his laurels. Schreyer told Automotive News that working at Kia since 2005 has been an educational experience in terms of cultures. He said he was happy with his role in elevating the Kia brand to its current point. Kia is now regarded as one of the more stylish brands in its class. Moreover, Schreyer says he’s pushing for a roadster or convertible car.

One of the rising stars of automotive design, Schreyer is one of the men behind the original TT whose production began in 1998. Since then he has been involved with cars like the Audi A3, A4, A6 and the new VW Beetle. His style at Kia has seen him introduce the now Kia-identifiable “tiger nose” design on the front grille in cars like the Sportage, Soul and Optima.

Because most of the current Kia lineup now has that tiger nose, a new design direction will need to be sought pretty soon, starting with the next-generation cars. Schreyer knows him and his team are up against some stiff competition in companies like VW, Honda, Chevrolet, Toyota, Nissan and Ford.

Another challenge is to keep convincing the public that Kia is now worth its price in gold as compared to rivals. No more will the brand be associated with cheap build and inferior materials. To this end new interiors will be fresh and enticing. At the same time a new breed of cars will emerge, such as the roadster the chief dreams about. Where it would be placed is still unknown, but I’d hazard a guess at rivals like the Honda S2000, Peugeot RCZ and Audi TT.