An interview with Andre Hudson about the Hyundai i45

現代汽車i45的設計師專訪

Following our conversation with Andre at the launch of i45 in Brisbane, we have a rare opportunity to interview Andre Hudson, the designer about his multi awarding winning Hyundai i45.

我與Andre在布里斯本曾有一些對話，現在 我再有機會訪問他關於近期大熱及獲獎無數的現代i45

E: Edmund     A: Andre Hudson

E:     When I check with my report on the Hyundai Genesis Coupe way back in Melbourne Motor Show in March 2008, the Genesis Coupe already demonstrated a very smooth, fresh, powerful and displayed its high quality stance as a car enjoying cutting edge design. On the other hand, the i45 continues to attract people's attention as a stunning looking car and pushing its beauty boundary to an even higher level.

        Personally speaking I felt the i45 already surpassed the new Mercedes Benz E class. Is there a generic link between the both (Genesis Coupe and i45)?

A:     Though these two cars are very different products they both represent our evolution of ‘Fluidic Sculpture’. Both cars offer dramatic side profiles with theme lines that have beautiful gesture. It is the unique unexpected surfacing that happens between these lines that give them such a beautiful surface quality. This surfacing creates a beautiful play of light and shadow.

E:     You used the term fluidic sculpture with the i45, Can you tell us what does it actually mean? Is it a new design trend for all products?

A:     'Fluidic' is inspired by nature and the harmony of the organic elements found throughout it. We see examples of this type around us every day. Whether it is how wind shapes a snow drift, or how water can shape sand and stone, there is a beautiful fluidic tension in the surfaces that result. ’Sculpture’ symbolizes our artistic and creative process in which we express our design passion.

E:     Can you tell our readers a little bit about your career background? I understand that you were a designer for the GM group a few years back?

A:     Yes, I began my career with GM in Detroit and also worked at the GM Advanced Design UK studio for three years. I was fortunate to work on some great vehicles including the Chevy SSR, Cadillac Sixteen and Cien, as well as the Saturn Sky roadster.

E:     As a design manager of Hyundai North America studio, one of the fastest growing car manufacturer, a value brand in the world, what is your belief in design language? Do you put strong emphasis on practicality or do you stress on the beauty of the car? or simply a little bit of both world?

A:     Depending on the product, practicality plays either less or more of a role. I do believe that today’s consumer automatically expects safety, reliability and with Hyundai, value. I think with good design you can give your costumers all that is expected and wrap it in an overall beautiful package. Just because you are smart with your money doesn’t mean you have to settle for something that is less desirable. The i45 gives you all of this.

E:     The Hyundai Genesis Coupe concept was a more attractive car than the real production car. Does the i45 gave up something in exchange for practicality or even fitting the budget? From your hand drawn sketches, it appears to me that a set of 20 inches alloy wheel plus low profile tyres would match better than the present production car. Is there a story behind it?

A:     In production there are always some compromises but usually with good reasons. Large wheels always make a vehicle look better but wreak havoc on handling and are expensive. Also, you have to decide what is going to be better for your customers, say 20” wheels or six airbags. With my family in the car I’d prefer the airbags.

E:     Recently Hyundai scored an excellent result in JD Power report in the new car performance and reliability, Do you think attractive design, stressing on the exterior of the car, actually help selling new cars like i30, iX35 and i45?

A:     Of course. With so much competition in the market today vehicles are offering very much the same features and build quality has come so far for every manufacturers. The most important deciding factor to the consumer is the design. And not just the aesthetics but how the car functions and interfaces with your everyday life.

E:     Are you confident in setting the pace for design languages in the automotive industries? If so, where do you normally get your inspirations?

A:    As designers it is your job to create the environment we will all be living in years to come. If you think about it, there are design studios around the globe today filled with ideas, drawings and models of products that will shape all of our lives.

        As far as inspiration, it can come from anywhere. So of my most recent inspirations have come from a visit to the local aquarium, a thumb through a book on Zeppelin’s from the 1930’s and watching the latest fashion trends on television.

E:     當我重新回顧自己在2008年3月墨爾本汽車展上所寫的關於現代Genesis Coupe的報告時，我發現它集聚了靈動、新穎和力量於一體，體驗了相當高質量的最新設計理念和潮流。另一方面，現代i45將「魅力」一詞上升到了一個全新的高度，以其亮麗的外觀吸引著眾多的賣家。就個人感覺而言，我認為i45的設計已經超越了奔馳E Class。請問這兩款車(Genesis Coupe和i45)之間有甚麼相同之處？

A:     雖然這兩款車是不同類型的產品，但它們都體現了我們所宣稱的「流線塑型」技術革命。兩款車都展示了以一道鮮明的主題線條去形造車身兩旁的美麗的車體特徵。因而，它的獨特車身面板因而給予了那些美麗的特色。那些車身的面板創造了一些美麗的光與影的組合。

E:    你用了“液化彫刻”這一個新名詞去形容i45，你可以告訴我們它的實質意思嗎?那是一個新的(現代汽車)設計潮流嗎?

A:     “液化”是 一個以大自然及各有機體中間所包含的和諧而從中所獲得的啟示，我們在日常生活中都可以觀察到，無論風如何去塑造一埸風雪，抑或水如何去塑造沙及石的外表，那裡有一些美麗的液化張力使那些表面得以呈現出來。“彫刻”表現了我們以藝術及創造的過程去表達我們對設計的熱忱。

E:     你可以告訴我們你的設計師生涯嗎?我知道早前你是通用汽車的汽車設計師。

A:     當然可以，我的汽車生涯開始於美國底特律的通用汽車公司，我亦參予位於英國的通用公司的領先設計室，在那逗留了三年。我亦非常高興可以參予一些汽車設計如Chevy SSR，Cadillac Sixteen及Cien，並且有Saturn Skyroadster跑車。

E:     你是現代汽車北美洲創作室的設計經理，現代汽車是世界上增長最快的汽車生產商之一，亦是一個普羅大眾化價錢汽車的品牌，你對所相信的汽車設計語言是甚麼呢?你強調實用性抑或汽車的美感呢?抑或是各有一點呢?

A:     那要看是那一個產品，實用性肯定或多或少擔當了一個角色，我相信現今的消費者自動地期望安全、可靠；而在現代汽車方面的價值。我想，獲得一個好的設計，你可以給予你的消費者他們所祈望的，隨後包含了它們在一個美麗的包裝底下只因為你善用你的金錢，並不代表你需要忍受一些並非最理想的事物而i45就可以給予你這一切實用及美麗的東西。

E:     現代汽車的創世號跑房車概念車Genesis Coupe是一輪比生產型號更美麗動人的汽車，在i45的情況下，它有放棄了某些東西以換取例如實用及製車的有限預算嗎?從你用手描繪的圖片，i45可能用上了20英吋的合金輪圈及超薄的輪胎，外觀上比起現在銷售的型號更合適，在背後是否有一些故事小插曲呢?

A:     在生產中，當然會有一些妥協的地方，但通常都有一些好的理由.大合金輪圈經常都令汽車更俊秀，可是卻在操縱上是一個嚴重破壞性的缺口，同時，你要為你的顧客著想，例如20英咐的輪圈或六個安全汽袋，假如，我的家人跟我在一起，我寧願選取六個安全汽袋。

E:     近期，現代獲得了JDPower消費者民意調查公司的在汽車表現及可靠性的佳積，你認為吸引的設計及強調汽車的外觀，實際上幫助消售貴公司的新車如i30，iX35及i45嗎?

A:     當然，現在的汽車市場競爭那麼激烈，很多的汽車都提供相類似的設備，因而，各汽車廠家都更著重質素.一個最決定的因素往往是汽車的設計。不單單是美學上，但那輛車的各樣功能並如何與駕車者日常生活的連結都有重要的關係。

E:     你是否有信心可以領導汽車的設計語言呢?假如可以的話，你從那裡獲得靈感呢?

A:     作為一位設計師，那是我的工作責任去創作一個我們都可以生活多年的環境，假若你思想一下，現今全球都有很多的汽車設計中心，充滿意念，繪圖及製品的模型都會令到我們的生命或多或少有所改變。致於我的靈感，它來自很多方面.而最新的靈感來自一個鄰近的水族館，查看一本書時所看到的齊柏林式的1930年代飛艇及在電視機前欣賞最新的時裝表演。