This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor Group shows Manfred Harrer, executive vice president and head of the newly established Genesis & Performance Tech Unit. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday it has hired a former Porsche engineer who led the development of the luxury sports car brand’s first electric vehicle (EV), Taycan, as it strives to further improve its vehicles’ performance.
The South Korean carmaker has appointed Manfred Harrer as executive vice president and head of the newly established Genesis & Performance Development Tech Unit, the group said in a statement.
The unit operates under the Research and Development (R&D) division of Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., two key affiliates of the automotive group. Harrer reports to Yang Heui-won, president of the Hyundai-Kia R&D Division, it said.
Harrer, 51, has worked on diverse projects, including chassis development, electronic systems and software development, at leading carmakers, such as Audi AG, BMW Group and Porsche AG, in the past 25 years, the statement said.
He also previously worked at Apple Inc. as senior director of product design engineering.
The group expects his expertise and leadership capabilities to expedite its electrification transition, securing top-tier leadership in the upcoming EV era, and enhancing the marketability of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s products.
“As a world-renowned performance vehicle expert, Manfred will contribute significantly to the development of future Genesis high-performance models, as well as our transition to electrification for Hyundai and Kia brands,” Yang Heui-won said in the statement.
Harrer said he is dedicated to playing a pivotal role in the future evolution of luxury Genesis models as well as Hyundai and Kia’s high-performance vehicles.
(Yonhap)
