Hyundai Motor India, which had inaugurated its mega corporate office complex in Haryana’s Gurugram on July 27, is all set to commission the in-house design studio at this premises from October.
As per sources, the company is in the process of shifting its vehicle styling and design teams from its existing R&D centre located in Hyderabad, to this new world-class facility in Gurugram. Autocar Professional also learns that the in-house design studio will house both exterior and interior styling teams – part of Hyundai Motor India’s R&D function.
It is likely that the shift will help Hyundai Motor India’s product planning and marketing teams get closer to its design and development function,to concurrently work on tapping market trends.The proximity will aid better ideation, exchange of thoughts and quick delivery of design changes, as per market research and customer feedback.
During the inauguration of this 10-storey corporate office building alongside NH-8 in Gurugram, S S Kim, managing director, Hyundai Motor India, had said, “We have developed this building as the ‘Centre of Transformation’ with an aim to empower Hyundai’s workforce with a sense of limitless capabilities, so as to push them to achieve beyond boundaries.”
The Korean carmaker’s new corporate HQ in India is a modern-day architecture spread over 28,000 square metres and built with an investment of over Rs 1,000 crore. With plentiful natural lighting, a vertical garden and high-standard minimalist interior decor, it is designed to invokes a sense of harmony and creativity among employees.
While Hyundai’s global vehicle design continues to bedriven by its Design Center in South Korea, local studios like those in India play a key role in gauging market-specific tastes and trends. For instance, the third-generation Hyundai Santro introduced in India in 2018, was claimed to have an elephant-inspired centre console, taking cues from the Indian deity ‘Ganesha’.
The carmaker claims its global network of designers draw inspiration from major cities in key markets such as the US, Europe, Japan, China and India.