1.12.2003
GM Daewoo opens new design center in Bupyung

GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. has opened a new design center in the Bupyung plant near Seoul, South Korea, to work on automotive interior and exterior styling. GM Daewoo began construction of the 6,500 m2, two-story design center in February with an investment of 6.5 billion won (5 million euros).

The building is in the shape of the Korean character 'mium' and the ceiling of the showroom, which is located at its center, is open. The design center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and houses model showrooms, presentation rooms and other facilities. Future plans call for a 3-D virtual reality studio linked holographically to other design centers around the world. The interior of the design center focuses on functionality. A "key color" was assigned to each team: orange for the Exterior Team and green for the Interior Team.

The company held the design center opening ceremony in the lobby of the design center with 150 people participating, including President and CEO Nick Reilly; GM Daewoo staff and employees; Ahn Sang-soo, Mayor of Incheon City; and Shin Kyung-cheol, Chairman of the Incheon City Council.

"The opening of this new design center reinforces our commitment to growing GM Daewoo as a complete operation: from design to engineering, from manufacturing to export, from marketing and sales to after sales and service," said Nick Reilly. "Right now, within the walls of this design center, our design team is involved in an undertaking that will bring a new SUV and a large car to our product line-up in the near future. With today's design center inauguration, GM Daewoo puts another key element in place in our quest to establish this new company as the global benchmark for high value."

Ahn Sang-soo, Mayor of Incheon City, said, "Congratulations on the opening of the GM Daewoo Design Center. I expect that this design center will develop original and emotionally appealing vehicles, so that GM Daewoo's cars can be among the best in the world."

In September, GM Daewoo recruited Holden's senior designer Michael Simcoe. "GM Daewoo provides vehicles to more than 120 markets around the world", said Simcoe at the opening ceremony. "Its products wear the brand marks of a number of the world's most famous brands including Chevrolet, Buick, Suzuki and of course Daewoo. To meet the design needs of those markets and brands, we are linked to GM's design centers around the world: in Australia, Germany, Italy, China, Japan and the United States. "

Simcoe has been involved in every major vehicle design program Holden has undertaken over the past 20 years, including overseeing the design of the highly successful VT Commodore and WH Statesman/Caprice model ranges and subsequent VX and VY Commodore upgrades. He has also participated in numerous international projects including the Cruze Show Car Project and more recently the design of the Pontiac GTO, an American icon, which marks the entry of Holden-built products into North America. At GM Daewoo, he will be instrumental in accelerating the development of new models including large-sized cars and SUVs.