Hyundai Aims To Bring New Vehicles From Pen To Production In Just 18 Months

Hyundai is so eager to slash product design cycles and introduce new models that its design vice president wants to see drawings become a production reality in just 18 months.

Speaking to Automotive News, senior vice president of design at Hyundai and Genesis, Luc Donckerwolke, said the South Korean automaker intends on responding to trends and demand for new models by dramatically cutting life cycles.

“As life cycles get shorter, they will get drastically shorter. I have no doubt design can be shortened by half,” Donckerwolke said.

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Tiberius1701A - 8/14/2017 2:20:58 PM

+10 Boost

This ought to go well.

TomM - 8/14/2017 2:27:07 PM

+3 Boost

Cars can be designed quickly - after all - all we are talking about is sheet metal or plastic of some sort.However - it is not the Styling - it is the electronics - new features - new engines and transmissions - and sorting out that takes time - far more than 18 months.

In the past - even with cars undergoing rigorous testing - I have always recommended NOT to purchase the first year of a New (Not refreshed) design. This always the early buyers to be the Beta Testers - and just looking at FCA - one can easily see that is needed - but once the software and hardware settings are figured out - most cars today are quite reliable. Now I might extend that to 18 months - when they have to reduce their own testing.

However - there is one place where I disagree - Lifecycles are not getting shorter - people are keeping their cars longer than in any time in the past. ANd some of US are also living longer too.

TheSteve - 8/14/2017 4:55:11 PM

+6 Boost

18 months sounds ambitious, unless they're reusing a lot from the current parts bin.

cidflekken - 8/14/2017 5:55:51 PM

+6 Boost

Design and style are one thing. Engineering is a whole other ball game. Then again, Hyundai isn't a company leading in innovation, so that might not be an issue either.

MDarringer - 8/14/2017 8:03:18 PM

-6 Boost

If you design and engineer a configurable platform then doing the sheet metal and getting it on sale in 18 months is stunningly simple. VW has MQB for this very reason.

Dexter1 - 8/15/2017 12:41:54 AM

+9 Boost

Oh wow! An ugly-ass Audi meets an uglier-ass Jeep Cherokee. Sounds like a plan Hyundai.

mpls - 8/15/2017 6:55:43 PM

+5 Boost

Hyundai.. not satisfied with German and Japanese design, now goes after French design.. all this lead by a German head of design....

zlives - 8/16/2017 4:39:09 PM

+2 Boost

not fast enough, i want a spring collection and a fall collection of vehicles to choose from... also as the loan terms keep increasing... that should go well together
/sarcasm

skytop - 8/18/2017 3:38:49 PM

+1 Boost

Translation: Hyundai wants YOU to be the beta tester for their buggy fast built new cars.