Hyundai snaffles BMW M boss Albert Biermann

Hyundai has appointed BMW M Performance Vice President Albert Biermann as its new head of Vehicle Test & High Performance Development.

No one can deny that Hyundai has gone from bargain-bucket car maker to mainstream player in what seems like a few short years, but to be a real global player they need to make inroads in to the luxury and performance markets.

The luxury side will be taken care of by the ‘Genesis’ Hyundais – already taking market share in many markets outside Europe – and now we have the clearest sign yet that Hyundai are looking for a piece of the premium performance market too, with the appointment of Albert Biermann – a VP at BMW M responsible for dynamics – as their new head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development.

Albert Biermann has spent 30 years at BMW and brings with him a wealth of experience in developing BMW’s M cars over that time, something Hyundai must covet massively.

Biermann joins Hyundai on 1 April 2015, and will be responsible for new performance Hyundai and Kia models as they aim to become a technical leader in ride and handling and cash in fully on their WRC exploits.

Albert Biermann said:

I couldn’t be more excited to join Hyundai Motor Group. It is a company I have watched closely as it has taken on its key competitors and quickly established a strong customer base in Europe.

2015 is an important year for the Hyundai brand with the launch of many all-new models and the start of its second season in WRC, so I am really looking forward to the challenge.

So can we look forward to Hyundai and Kia rolling out their versions of the M3 and M4, as well as high-performance versions of the Genesis models? We certainly hope so.