The new models of Hyundai Motors are always a joy to watch. There are more interesting exterior color choices than ever, regardless of the size or the class of a vehicle. Acid Yellow of the Venue, Glowing Yellow of the new Sonata, Glowing Silver of the new Grandeur clearly represent the change.
And these changes were mostly driven by Diana Kloster, Head of Hyundai Color Team at Hyundai Design Cente¬r. She is in charge of the CMF strategy – color, material, and finishing – of every single model of Hyundai Motors.
Q. Could you tell us what brought you here?
The philosophy of Hyundai made me come to South Korea. At Hyundai we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. We tend to put human in the center; in an environment that respect talents and the diversity of cultures. We all together are working on our vision to create new values to support the customer and make his life better, easier and more comfortable.
Q. Which was the most impressive project since day one at Hyundai Motors? And which color was the most impressive among the Hyundai cars?
The most impressive project was the Sonata DN8. It was a lot of responsibility and pressure to make it right, because in my opinion Sonata is THE HYUNDAI. We had to react to the market’s requirements and that was a big challenge from the former model to the newer one. The decision we had to make for Sonata must feel a hundred percent right; visually, functionally and emotionally. It was the first time that we put the ‘sensual sportiness’ philosophy in the model, and we had to support for it with making no mistake.
In order to create a successful car, we have to work extremely well on understanding of the current and upcoming mindset of people- this allows us to know how culture evolves and how values change, and this also gives us insight into today’s increasingly complex world. Empathic design results in the creation of quality products that people really like and want. Interestingly, the question is always the same – What do we need in our daily lives? What can support, comfort or help us through our daily lives? Then we visualize it, and make it real for these values.
If costs were not a concern, then becoming lightweight could be achieved overnight by simply choosing the most lightweight material available. But realistically, doing so is not an option. Lightweight yet durable materials are typically very expensive. Particularly, CFRP(carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic) can halve the vehicle weight but is whopping 10 times as expensive as steel.
This material was notably used by Porsche in constructing wheels, which successfully reduced 8.5 kg in weight—but at the cost of around $20,000 per wheel. As such, the application of CFRP into mass-produced vehicles is merely an ideal, not a general possibility. Aluminum is a more viable alternative, reducing weight by 20 to 30%, but it also comes at double the price.
Indeed, utilizing readily available lightweight materials inevitably leads to rising costs. But developing the technology for a sturdy, safe, and yet economical material that is also lightweight is an enormous challenge as well. Since a few years ago, Hyundai/Kia Motors have been focusing their R&D efforts on automotive lightweight technology for all facets of the car, including platform, chassis, and powertrain. Some recent models are bearing out the success of such efforts. Of course, collision safety has also been improved.
For EV Concept 45, we used something special. The color was matt with a haptic – nobody ever did that before. Young audiences paid a lot of attention to it when we unveiled it at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2019.
Both Le Fil Rouge and the EV Concept 45 are electric concept cars. We used sustainable materials for the interior to represent future automobiles. For Le Fil Rouge interior, we used Olive leave tanned leather and a fabric for the EV concept 45 car from Alpaca and Wool.
Q. The recent Hyundai cars look more colorful and extravagant than ever.
For us as color designers, it is very important to react with items that evoke special emotions and values to care about our customers’ needs. The taste for colors will keep growing in the next decade, influencing more people to become calmer, happier, or sometimes more energized.
Both colors and materials bring positive feelings to people, and they influence our perception of new things. Sitting on something soft or touching a nice item initiate an emotional response. This experience can be a beautiful addition to a design. That is what keeps us going ahead to create comfortable and beautiful spaces.
Q. Given the fact that Korean people prefer ‘safe’ colors, such as achromatic colors, didn’t you worry about this?
Our Korean customer are not the only ones who prefer safe colors. The most popular car color around the world today is white. Even in India or Brazil, where its people are expected to love vivid colors, the consumers choose more neutral colors for their cars.
A well designed and manufactured product should serve a more emotional aspect of joy. So, we try to add something different to make it come alive by translating the emotions into – in our case – material and color.
The reason why we added Glowing Yellow for the new Sonata and Acid Yellow for Venue is because these models are developed for young or very sporty drivers who are enjoying their lives. Besides, there are much more vibrant colors on road than 3 years ago.
The color of the new Grandeur reflects lifestyle-trends and our consumer’s needs. We created the Black Forest and the Glowing Silver after we did our research. These colors are decided based on the class and the size of a vehicle of course, but more importantly, the choice of colors reflects the lifestyle of our costumer. This is why the Venue and the new Grandeur feature different colors.
Q. Does the new model feature more luxurious interior?
For the new Sonata and Grandeur, we know that there always are demands for better quality than that of the previous models. Our Products, our services, and systems should improve the quality of peoples’ lives, and most importantly, reduce stress. This is why the interior of the new Sonata and Grandeur feature such a homey interior.
Consumers today have more options than ever. People are time-poor and choice-rich. These days when customers think about a new car, design, safety and colors, materials are nearly balanced in priority in their mind. They ask themselves “Is it beautiful? Will this please me? How do I look when I’m using it, driving it?”, because it should reflect their taste and lifestyle.
Q. When will we be able to purchase the new concept with new colors and materials?
The sustainable materials which we used for the 45 and Fil Rouge concepts should be applied first in our EV cars. We are sure a lot of customers will buy EV cars in future because they want these materials for saving the planet. This is what we would like to support.
Q. Tell us if there is a special strategy for colors and materials set for the Hyundai Motor Group’s Style Set Free concept.
How people think or what people dream of is surprisingly alike, whether you live in Seoul or Munich. Everyone shares a love of color. Our research identified four trends that are common in every global city, and our key factors based on the Style Set Free concept are; the longing for the power of nature, the dream of a calmer, slower-paced way of life, and the desire to make the most of our compact urban living spaces. The limitation of negative environment impact of products. And out of hundreds of emotional states we found out, a need for peace is one of the strongest. Nearly everyone wants to be calm, soothed and de-stressed. That’s where our goal lies.
She is driving a Tucson. “It is my first SUV and I really love it.” It’s a black one with a Tuix Black package. “When I can afford it, then I will take Nexo because that’s for me THE car to save the environment, the future of driving”, she says. “I love various colors for Nexo such as the matt grey, the copper and the dark blue with red sparkle. Even the silver color is a different type to underline the special technique of Nexo.”
When she was asked the last question: “From your perspective, what would be the ‘Hyundai’s color’?”, she said “To name one color for all these different models is not possible. But the Hyundai colors will be always something to enjoy.”