Former Lamborghini designer, now Hyundai's chief creative officer has been honored with the award.
When it comes to design expertise, Hyundai's Luc Donckerwolke has quite a resume. The 56-year-old Belgian is perhaps best known for designing the gorgeous Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo supercars and was also responsible for the innovative Audi A2. Now working for the South Korean carmaker, his impeccable taste and eye for beauty have filtered into the conglomerate's various offerings, as evidenced by the striking Genesis G90, for example.
In recognition of his efforts, Donckerwolke has been named the 2022 World Car Person of the Year. Commenting on the prestigious award, the Executive Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer said, “I am deeply honored to receive the Person of the Year award and would like to thank all of the jury members and the valued team at Hyundai Motor Group, without whom this would not have been possible.”
The 102-member strong World Car Awards jury recognized Donckerwolke as having made a significant impact on the motoring world in the past year. His key role in overseeing several new models including the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 was the main reason behind his win, but the panel also commended his work on the restomodded Grandeur and Pony models, that shone a light on Korea's little-known motoring history.
“I have worked for many companies and brands over my career and I’m delighted at the recognition the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands have received. They are a true reflection of the effort of all of the Group employees, retailers, and partners who have worked steadfastly to develop a strong lineup of compelling and relevant vehicles on sale in over 200 countries worldwide,” said Donckerwolke.
But it's not just Hyundai's design language the World Car jury acknowledged. The vehicles themselves performed strongly, with both the Ioniq 5 and EV6 electric vehicles netting a spot in the 2022 World Car Design top five. The duo is joined by the Tucson and Genesis G70, with all four making the top ten in the 2022 World Car of the Year category. Lastly, the G70 made the top five in the 2022 World Luxury Car segment, with the Ioniq 5 also securing a top-five position 2022 World EV of the Year awards.
Donckerwolke joined the South Korean carmaker late in 2015, to lead the Genesis brand. In 2017, he took over from Peter Schreyer as Hyundai's chief design officer but resigned in 2020 citing personal issues as the reason behind his departure. Now back with the company, Donckerwolke's influence is clearly paying off, as Hyundai, Kia and Genesis continue to launch beautifully styled vehicles.
Keyword: 2022 World Car Person Of The Year Announced