Sang Yup Lee moves to VW/Audi
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,505
From: Charleston, WV
Sang Yup Lee moves to VW/Audi
GM designer Sang Yup Lee has left for the enormous and vast wilds of the VW empire. Lee was the exterior designer of the 2010 Camaro, 50th Anniversary Stingray Concept, Buick Velite, and he worked on the C6 Corvette. Having spent time with him on a few occasions, we can also say he's an all-around great guy.
His new position, as chief exterior designer at the Volkswagen/Audi Advanced studio in California, will begin next month. Lee will report to Executive Design Director Jens Manske, and is apparently is charged with 'inspiring' the merged design divisions. We look forward to a future of brawny, haunchy, badass VWs, even if only in concept form.
His new position, as chief exterior designer at the Volkswagen/Audi Advanced studio in California, will begin next month. Lee will report to Executive Design Director Jens Manske, and is apparently is charged with 'inspiring' the merged design divisions. We look forward to a future of brawny, haunchy, badass VWs, even if only in concept form.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,224
From: CNY
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,712
From: Ontario
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 943
The funny thing, just a couple weeks ago GM's leadership was saying how VW/Audi is the design/styling/fit/finish leaders in the industry. If they are taking GM guys for styling now, what does that tell you about GM styling?
-Geoff
-Geoff
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,214
From: City of Champions, MA, USA
No biggie its not like he had a vision and then drew GM's most popular car in decades. He took the 69 and tweaked it into a hit. Its alot easier when the ground work is already damn good.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
But then you have to look at the added incentive in this case.
General Motors is a company that is digging itself out after running itself deep into the ground.
GM's future, though light years better today than it was last year, is still not certain.
That also goes for... as Rick Wagoner and other GM people have learned... your retirement money.... especially if it was tied in with now non-existant GM stock.
There are plenty of key people I personally know who are a bit fed up with the way things have been going, not just the past year, but the past many years (nope, we here in the internet world weren't the only ones often frustrated with GM).
Take all of that, and put it against an offer from THE planet's largest automobile make (once VW's Porsche deal is finalized, VW will overtake Toyota as the world's largest car company), and arguably the richest.
The words "Job Security", and "Advancement Potential" come into mind.
If VW made similar offers to any designer or employee that included money and the head of any department, to be honest, one would have to question the sanity of anyone who would turn them down.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Only someone blind in one eye, sight deprived in the other, and having a history of frequent head injuries would call the new Camaro nothing more than a tweaked 69.
I can see someone having that opinion of the new Challenger (a car I happen to really like, by the way). But save for the "gills" on the rear quarter panel, the only thing the new Camaro shares with the old is the full width grille.... and even that is radically different.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,214
From: City of Champions, MA, USA
Like I said, its not like he started from scratch, he modernized an iconic design. I don't feel like typing any of the thousand of cliche' that come to mind about building off a strong foundation.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 254
That's what life is all about. You'd do it, I'd do it, just about anyone who works in a job and someone makes a much bigger offer and a higher position would more than likely look at their family, and wanting to provide the best for them take it.
But then you have to look at the added incentive in this case.
General Motors is a company that is digging itself out after running itself deep into the ground.
GM's future, though light years better today than it was last year, is still not certain.
That also goes for... as Rick Wagoner and other GM people have learned... your retirement money.... especially if it was tied in with now non-existant GM stock.
There are plenty of key people I personally know who are a bit fed up with the way things have been going, not just the past year, but the past many years (nope, we here in the internet world weren't the only ones often frustrated with GM).
Take all of that, and put it against an offer from THE planet's largest automobile make (once VW's Porsche deal is finalized, VW will overtake Toyota as the world's largest car company), and arguably the richest.
The words "Job Security", and "Advancement Potential" come into mind.
If VW made similar offers to any designer or employee that included money and the head of any department, to be honest, one would have to question the sanity of anyone who would turn them down.
But then you have to look at the added incentive in this case.
General Motors is a company that is digging itself out after running itself deep into the ground.
GM's future, though light years better today than it was last year, is still not certain.
That also goes for... as Rick Wagoner and other GM people have learned... your retirement money.... especially if it was tied in with now non-existant GM stock.
There are plenty of key people I personally know who are a bit fed up with the way things have been going, not just the past year, but the past many years (nope, we here in the internet world weren't the only ones often frustrated with GM).
Take all of that, and put it against an offer from THE planet's largest automobile make (once VW's Porsche deal is finalized, VW will overtake Toyota as the world's largest car company), and arguably the richest.
The words "Job Security", and "Advancement Potential" come into mind.
If VW made similar offers to any designer or employee that included money and the head of any department, to be honest, one would have to question the sanity of anyone who would turn them down.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 943
Also, who says there isn't opportunity at GM. Didn't Nesbitt just go from styling to Marketting? It sounds to me like he is cashing in on his one hot design. more power to him, but I have a hunch that GM will be just fine.
-Geoff