A STUNNING Loss For BMW's M GmbH As One Of Its SENIOR Execs Leaves For HYUNDAI

This is not something you typically hear about in the automotive space. When a senior-level executive has been with a particular automaker for over 30 years, usually they don't jump ship.

In the case of one of the fathers of the BMW M3, Albert Biermann is packing his bags and making an unexpected move. Where to? Hyundai, of all places.

This is a stunning development for me, personally. At this summer's launch of the all-new 2015 BMW M3 and M4, Biermann spoke passionately about the M brand and his work over his 30+ year career at the blue and white.

We can only imagine this is going to bolster Hyundai's sports car efforts as, more or less, it has floundered trying to meet market expectations. I am pretty sure there isn't anyone better than Biermann to tackle this challenge. He's done it before and he'll do it again.

That said, we'll be keeping an eye out for more developments coming from Korea's Hyundai group and its rumored N division.


...Hyundai and Kia’s aspirations to build serious performance cars have moved up a gear with the appointment of a key executive from BMW’s famous M division. Hyundai has already announced plans to form a performance sub-brand dubbed 'N' and this new appointment from BMW M appears to be the next step towards a sportier future for the Korean marques.

Albert Biermann, 57, will join Hyundai Motor Group in April 2015 as head of vehicle test & high performance development, and has been appointed to help speed up the roll-out of hot Hyundai and Kia models. He will be tasked with improving the dynamic capabilities of the brands’ models across the ranges...

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MDarringer - 12/24/2014 7:37:27 PM

-2 Boost

It makes perfect sense for him. If he wants a measure of his progress and prowess, he will see more at Hyundai given that BMW is largely"perfected" so to speak. Also, there are preconceived notions of what a BMW can be whereas there are no performance preconceptions at Hyundai because Hyundai is in its beginning stages.

One has to wonder how much BMW being an RWD company kept the 1 series from being FWD for so long. The 1 Series coupe sent to NA was cramped beyond belief and cost as much a 3 Series.

In Europe, the GTI class is hotly contested and when BMW finally jumped they created a "new" brand (Mini). Preconceived notions of what a BMW could and could not be had to have driven that.

He made a brilliant move. I cannot wait to see his Genesis R-Spec

HughJass - 12/30/2014 7:07:23 PM

+2 Boost

Hyundai has preconceptions, its always someonelses' car a year later but with big discounts. The new Hyundais will just look like the last gen BMWs.

Just like KIAs are generally the last gen Audis after they bribed Shreyeyeyerrrr over from Audi to recycle his designs.

HughJass - 12/30/2014 6:43:11 PM

+2 Boost

Why is it a shocker? They already stole the BMW designers. All the Korean government has to do is offer the guy 10x what BMW is paying to bring ideas and strategies over so the Koreans can mimic what BMW is doing and think it legitimate.