Genesis recruits Bugatti Chiron designer

Ex-Bugatti designer Alexander Selipanov has taken up the role of Chief designer for Hyundai’s fledgling luxury brand Genesis.

The Russian national was responsible for penning the exteriors of ultra-high-end cars like the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo show car, presented at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung 2015, and the Bugatti Chiron, unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show 2016.

Speaking on his new appointment, Selipanov said he was confident he would be an asset for the Genesis design team.

“I am sincerely excited about this opportunity, because it will be a new chapter in my career,” he said.

“As I have been working with well-established brands so far, Genesis is a new and refreshing challenge to me.”

Previously Hyundai’s luxury sub-brand, Genesis was announced it would be spun off as a standalone marque in November 2015.

Since then, it has added a host of highly credible names to its stable, from several luxury and high-performance sports car brands.

Selipanov will be based out of the brand’s Global Advanced Studio, located in Europe, and will report directly to Luc Donckerwolke, Head of the Genesis Design.

Donckerwolke himself is still something of a fresh face to Hyundai and Genesis, having joined the latter shortly after its reinvention as a separate marque.

Donckerwolke previously worked for brands including Peugeot, Audi, Skoda, Lamborghini, SEAT and Bentley.

While working at Lamborghini, the 51 year-old worked closely with Manfred Fitzgerald, who collaborated to create supercars including the Diablo and Murcielago.

Fitzgerald is yet another high-profile recruitment for Genesis, and has been based out of Hyundai’s HQ in Seoul serving as the head of Genesis.

Coming after the recruitment of Fitzgerald and Donckerwolke was SangYup Lee, who joined the team from Bentley in May. He is now working as Vice President of Styling at the Hyundai Design Centre.

Lee is known as the most successful Korean designer in the global automotive industry.

The recruitment drive shows Hyundai are serious about the brands future, meaning expectations for the Genesis brand are extraordinarily high as it looks to set itself apart from upmarket Asian brands such as Lexus and Infiniti.

Following the G80 and G90 (two cars created prior to the arrival of the new team), will be the G70, which is due to hit global markets in 2017.

For that car, along with future designs, the team have no restrictions with what they can do, as recent spy pics have demonstrated.

Chief among design philosophy for the brand will be the prominence of short front overhangs, long wheelbases, long rear overhangs, ‘crest’ grilles, and descending ‘parabolic curve’ character lines.

Genesis, you have our attention. Now it’s time to deliver.