“A happy designer is a creative designer” – Simon Loasby

You could say that each typology in the Ioniq line-up was somehow a risk. But they’re always educated risks, and we truly believe in the storytelling behind those typologies. The Ioniq 5 was an execution of the original Hyundai Pony, with a 50-year heritage story. The Ioniq 6 was the ‘streamliner’, all about aero, while the Ioniq 9 is what we call an ‘aerosthetic lounge’ three-row SUV. And the Concept Three is a compact ’aero hatch’. Part of the fun is coming up with new definitions.

In its purest form, the Concept Three is a very clear execution of the production car that’s due. It’s a bit like the relationship between the Concept 45, which closely previewed the Ioniq 5. Our journey started two and a half years ago with Eduardo Ramirez [chief designer, Hyundai Design Europe] and the team developing the form language and the ideas for ‘Art of Steel’. There’s so much teamwork behind it and as a leader you’re directing and guiding, while the team is executing and delivering to the last half millimetre and graphic. But there is still a lot of openness to experiment and try something unexpected. There’s a childish enthusiasm when everything comes together: you see that the colour concept works, the stance of the car works, and the typology works.

The first expression of this Art of Steel design language began with the 2024 Initium concept. Sang Yup Lee [EVP and head of design Hyundai & Genesis] mentioned that Hyundai makes and uses its own steel, which led to us exploring how we could celebrate the work of our amazing manufacturing guys, plus at its core, the purity of the material. In the case of the Concept Three, it has led to a fresh, dynamic approach to the hatchback and something we believe will give us a unique statement in Europe. We’re now seen as a very design-oriented brand and we celebrate that.

In the early days, especially on the Ioniq 6, we realised quickly the pixel lighting was the way to connect our cars – the spice that links a selection of dishes if you will. And we will evolve that theme. For example, we have the intense pixels and then the slightly faded pixels around them. It’s authentic to Hyundai and that’s what we’re building on. 

With design now so global, it is generally becoming harder to tell where a car originates from, but there are still certain typologies that fit a particular region. Tiny ‘Kei’ cars in Japan, for example, compact hatchbacks in Europe, and big pickups and SUVs in America. At Hyundai, we don’t say ‘that’s obviously Korean’ but with careful storytelling we can respect the culture of the country without ramming it down people’s throats. 

There are certain design aspects we take from Korean culture which are very understated, and it’s up to us as designers to decide which things fit the story. People often say, ‘how do you know it’s right?’ SangYup approaches this question by asking another: “Do you truly believe that? If you do, let’s go for it.” There needs to be some kind of emotional or logical justification. 

My earliest memories of cars are being in a rear-engine Hillman Imp, and my dad’s job as chief test driver for Aston Martin, which led to the first full-size clay model I saw. It was in this countryside barn I visited with him and his business colleague. The door opened and there was a clay model of a Lagonda – I still get goosebumps thinking about it now. I knew then it was an industry I wanted to be part of, and it was recommended I study engineering first before design, so that’s what I did. I’m really grateful for that advice. Later on, my dad helped set up an internship for me in Turin over one summer, and I ended up working in Tom Tjaarda’s design studio. I learned so much from Tom and that work became part of my portfolio when applying to the Royal College of Art. I have to thank my dad a lot for those early influences and the connection to cars. 

Looking ahead, our job as design leaders is not to manage everyone in the same way. It’s about seeing how you can feed enthusiasm through different approaches, because people react to different things. We have global studios in Japan, Korea, Europe, India, China and USA, so there are lots of different cultures. We need to pull the best out of everybody and create a space for all to thrive. At a fundamental level, you need to get everyone smiling. A happy designer is a creative designer. You get more cool stuff done, and the job becomes easier. That’s at the core of everything I try and do here at Hyundai. 

This interview was originally published in Car Design Review 12. To order your copy, please click here.