Sang Yup Lee Moves to VW/Audi - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

FenwickHockey65 · 12-25-2009, 04:45 PM

Camaro exterior designer Sang Yup Lee moves to VW/Audi
Link to article

By Jonathon Ramsey
December 25, 2009

Quote:

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.

Lauryn200 · 12-25-2009, 04:46 PM

...come over to the European side..............

TJ91 · 12-25-2009, 04:48 PM

great, can we expect some design cues from the camaro to end up on some vw/audi?
How recent did he move, there was this vw car i saw a month ago on autoblog, and you can see some design cues from the Camaro on it, ill try to find it

Road_Warrior85 · 12-25-2009, 05:35 PM

I dont know... but I think there should be some kind of clause in the contracts that prevent an easy swap like that.

Here GM is trying to rebuild itself and bring on a lot of new things.... now he can go over to the other side, armed with a lot of knowledge, and compete against it.

There should be some kind of clause that does not allow him to go in and design competitor cars for a year or something.... i dont know.. sounds like a good idea to me

"prima"Donna · 12-25-2009, 05:55 PM

I'm just glad he was around to design the 5thGen Camaro...that's the most important thing!!!

cab2g · 12-25-2009, 06:00 PM

there will always be more people like him... It sucks for now but GM will find another inspired designer.

Scotsman · 12-25-2009, 08:06 PM

As a former transportation design student this isn't anything new. As a matter of fact car designers change jobs like we change clothes. It's a tough and competitive business and if it weren't for his honorable mention as the guy who penned the exterior design for the 5thgen Camaro (a design praised the world around and rare in it's level of depth and detail amongst production specimens) who knows if he would have had this opportunity? I doubt you'll see anything at VW/Audi that even remotely resembles the Camaro, but you may pick up some ideas in the level of overall design execution and detail, and that's only if it's a project he's actually designed. Most times it's just the design chief that gets the credit when it's one of his subordinates who actually designed the car, which is the primary reason I chose not to pursue transportation design any further beyond school.

Captain Awesome · 12-26-2009, 11:51 AM

If you think about it, every car maker only can design "cool" cars at a certain rate. You design a "halo" car or something like it every 5-7 years. In the periods between, how many cars do they make that are just "busy work"? If you were the top guy in your field, you'd probably jump from brand to brand designing the "halo" cars only... not sit around making minivans until the next Camaro or Corvette comes up for redesign.

djsnoflake · 12-26-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2SSARME

Maybe GM should have paid him more

Yeah, then everyone could bitch that "This is what GM does with our bailout money"

Angrybird 12 · 12-26-2009, 01:06 PM

Think about this, GM hired the guy that designed the PT Cruiser away from Chrysler and he designed the HHR.. maybe Sang Yup Lee will now design a VW that is similar to the Camaro....

These things happen all the time...No big deal...

Super83Z · 12-26-2009, 01:16 PM

As great as a design as the 5th gen is, I don't think that he is some god-send designer because he took an already great design(69 Camaro) and turned it into the 2010. Great design is easier to accomplish when the original foundation is damn good.

bballr4567 · 12-26-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super83Z

As great as a design as the 5th gen is, I don't think that he is some god-send designer because he took an already great design(69 Camaro) and turned it into the 2010. Great design is easier to accomplish when the original foundation is damn good.

Very true! Well said.

nashstat · 12-27-2009, 04:55 PM

Sorry if this is a repost, but here is the article:

http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/12/27...to-volkswagen/

1badSS/RS · 12-27-2009, 05:04 PM

Thats to bad. Wonder why he left?:(

12-25-2009, 04:46 PM	#2
Lauryn200 I Pity The Fool Drives: Jeep Wrangler '06 & VW GTI 09 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 875 View My Garage	...come over to the European side.............. __________________ ........"Is custom faded?" Jeep Wrangler 06 & VW GTI 09 "My Fast"-

12-25-2009, 05:35 PM	#4
Road_Warrior85 Drives: IBM 2SSRS, 12 Jeep Wrangler 4door Join Date: May 2009 Location: Eastern NC/South AL Posts: 776	I dont know... but I think there should be some kind of clause in the contracts that prevent an easy swap like that. Here GM is trying to rebuild itself and bring on a lot of new things.... now he can go over to the other side, armed with a lot of knowledge, and compete against it. There should be some kind of clause that does not allow him to go in and design competitor cars for a year or something.... i dont know.. sounds like a good idea to me __________________

12-25-2009, 05:55 PM	#5
"prima"Donna HWAY STR Drives: 2010 RJT VIN#7085 & 2014 CRT C7 Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 13,118 View My Garage	I'm just glad he was around to design the 5thGen Camaro...that's the most important thing!!! __________________ ~ HWAY STR ~

12-25-2009, 06:00 PM	#6
cab2g love. my. car. Drives: 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,372 View My Garage	there will always be more people like him... It sucks for now but GM will find another inspired designer. __________________

12-25-2009, 08:06 PM	#7
Scotsman Auto Pilot Drives: Gunmetal Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: L.A. Posts: 1,307	As a former transportation design student this isn't anything new. As a matter of fact car designers change jobs like we change clothes. It's a tough and competitive business and if it weren't for his honorable mention as the guy who penned the exterior design for the 5thgen Camaro (a design praised the world around and rare in it's level of depth and detail amongst production specimens) who knows if he would have had this opportunity? I doubt you'll see anything at VW/Audi that even remotely resembles the Camaro, but you may pick up some ideas in the level of overall design execution and detail, and that's only if it's a project he's actually designed. Most times it's just the design chief that gets the credit when it's one of his subordinates who actually designed the car, which is the primary reason I chose not to pursue transportation design any further beyond school. __________________ "Let the rest of the world dream of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and dinky little British two-seaters. In this country speed doesn't look like that." Got SS?

12-25-2009, 04:48 PM	#3
TJ91 :chevy: Drives: 2LT/RS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 13,033	great, can we expect some design cues from the camaro to end up on some vw/audi? How recent did he move, there was this vw car i saw a month ago on autoblog, and you can see some design cues from the Camaro on it, ill try to find it

12-26-2009, 11:51 AM	#8
Captain Awesome Account Suspended Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New York Posts: 3,746	If you think about it, every car maker only can design "cool" cars at a certain rate. You design a "halo" car or something like it every 5-7 years. In the periods between, how many cars do they make that are just "busy work"? If you were the top guy in your field, you'd probably jump from brand to brand designing the "halo" cars only... not sit around making minivans until the next Camaro or Corvette comes up for redesign.

12-26-2009, 01:06 PM	#10
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,547	Think about this, GM hired the guy that designed the PT Cruiser away from Chrysler and he designed the HHR.. maybe Sang Yup Lee will now design a VW that is similar to the Camaro.... These things happen all the time...No big deal... __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

12-26-2009, 01:16 PM	#11
Super83Z Drives: 1999 Z28 1983 Z28 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: City of Champions,MA Posts: 616 View My Garage	As great as a design as the 5th gen is, I don't think that he is some god-send designer because he took an already great design(69 Camaro) and turned it into the 2010. Great design is easier to accomplish when the original foundation is damn good. __________________ Current cars: 99 Z28 06 Silverado 14 Silverado

12-27-2009, 04:55 PM	#13
nashstat Drives: 2SS Camaro Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: CA Posts: 439	Sangyup Lee is leaving GM for VW Sorry if this is a repost, but here is the article: http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/12/27...to-volkswagen/

12-27-2009, 05:04 PM	#14
1badSS/RS Drives: Rally Yellow Transformers pkg Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: crossville,tennessee Posts: 1,043	Thats to bad. Wonder why he left?:(

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