[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Hyundai has poached a third executive for its N high-performance division from the ranks of BMW's M department. Thomas Schemera, a 31-year BMW veteran, will head the High Performance Vehicle & Motorsport Division that Hyundai just inaugurated on March 1. Schemera's job will be to "oversee strategy, product planning, sales and marketing for the new division." He will make the most of the transfer from Hyundai Motorsport to the road cars developed by the N division, and work to boost the brand.

Schemera has the same boss at N that he did at M: Albert Biermann, the first M exec Hyundai snagged in 2015. After Biermann came Fayez Abdul Rahman, installed at the Genesis brand, who had previously developed platforms for the BMW 7 Series, X models, and M vehicles. Rahman spent the last phase of his BMW tenure in charge of M Equipment, M Sport Packages, and BMW Individual. Although he's undoubtedly busy with his VP job in charge of Genesis architecture development, we hear Hyundai plans to develop some kind of "N Sport" appearance and performance items for release later this year — a middle step in the same vein as M Sport and Audi S-line — and Rahman could certainly help.

Schemera brings proven chops when it comes to moving standard and specialty hi-po offerings; as VP in charge of sales and dealer development in China, Schemera oversaw a four-fold increase in BMW and M sales in the four years from 2005-2008. He ended his run as head of BMW M and BMW Individual in the Americas.

Although there's but one N product for sale now, the slate is full, and Hyundai looks ready to spend the time and money to seize every opportunity.

BMW on the other hand, might soon turn into that tormented significant other regarding its M personnel: "So ... why did you let Hyundai like your Instagram post? Do you like Hyundai? Do you follow them back?!"

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/03/02/...usauto00000016

[aaaaah]

Maybe Hyundai will develop a competitor in the small, RWD, MT market.

Someone who can show Toyota/Subaru that people want more power/torque.

Someone who can show BMW that people want something that doesn't weigh 20 tonnes.

[aerostar]

Originally Posted by aaaaah

Maybe Hyundai will develop a competitor in the small, RWD, MT market.

Someone who can show Toyota/Subaru that people want more power/torque.

Someone who can show BMW that people want something that doesn't weigh 20 tonnes.

Um, aren't you driving the BMW that fits what you're talking about?

Do you expect them to make a Miata sized coupe and give it 350 hp or something?

It's not gonna happen w/ safety restrictions. Look at how heavy the new Miatas are compared to the old ones.

[MalibuBimmer]

So do these German executives have to move from Munich to Seoul? I suspect they're getting massive raises.

[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by aaaaah

Maybe Hyundai will develop a competitor in the small, RWD, MT market.

Someone who can show Toyota/Subaru that people want more power/torque.

Someone who can show BMW that people want something that doesn't weigh 20 tonnes.

Not sure what you're getting at really? BMW held the line on weight with the F30 and the 5 series is lighter than the F10 and lighter than the Hyundai G80 (it's korean competitor). BMW is moving the right direction on weight, its suspension and steering tuning that need some help.

[uniqueMR]

lol, no matter what they do or hire, BMW M is M. No competition

[aaaaah]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Um, aren't you driving the BMW that fits what you're talking about?

Do you expect them to make a Miata sized coupe and give it 350 hp or something?

It's not gonna happen w/ safety restrictions. Look at how heavy the new Miatas are compared to the old ones.

As close as I can yes, but like it or not it still weighs ~3500lb without me in it. I would just like someone else to give encouragement to BMW and most other companies that weight reduction should be a key focus for the future. Something like what Mazda is doing. The current Miata only weighs 100kg more than the first generation Miata and also weighs 450kg less than the 235i.

Weight reduction would help them get some of the feel back into the inputs as well.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 235, I am just always looking on what can be improved in the future and any competition is good competition.

[aerostar]

Originally Posted by aaaaah

As close as I can yes, but like it or not it still weighs ~3500lb without me in it. I would just like someone else to give encouragement to BMW and most other companies that weight reduction should be a key focus for the future. Something like what Mazda is doing. The current Miata only weighs 100kg more than the first generation Miata and also weighs 450kg less than the 235i.

Weight reduction would help them get some of the feel back into the inputs as well.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 235, I am just always looking on what can be improved in the future and any competition is good competition.

With current materials a much lighter car won't happen without large increases in price.

The point is that they have to balance price, technology, driving feel, track performance, comfort, etc etc.

I'm sure if they wanted to they could make a stripper with not much tech in it, get the weight down far, keep the price around the same, and keep the power where it's at. Who's going to buy it, though? I'll tell you that it won't be very many people.

[No1Cares]

they replaced the 31 year old veteran dinosaur because they found someone better lol....

[upsidedownfunnel]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

So do these German executives have to move from Munich to Seoul? I suspect they're getting massive raises.

Seoul is the sixth costliest city in the world. They're also moving away from their home. I'm sure they're getting paid a lot of money. I'm also sure well traveled people like that are excited by the opportunity to be in a first world country in East Asia, as well.

[Darth One]

"N" division, lol. they poach all the M execs and then pick the next letter in the alphabet for their division. lame.

get ready to get rolled up on by all the new N3 and N4's...

[JsL]

Originally Posted by Darth One

"N" division, lol. they poach all the M execs and then pick the next letter in the alphabet for their division. lame.

get ready to get rolled up on by all the new N3 and N4's...

I was going to say the same.

I'm going to start a consumer electronics company and call it Pear and I will make jPhones.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

So do these German executives have to move from Munich to Seoul? I suspect they're getting massive raises.

Hyundai has a large test center at the Nurburgring since a few years (the N series also stands for "Nurburgring), and they also have a large tech facility near Mainz (about 80 miles from the Nurburgring) where they've been developping all the european models for years now. I dont know if those guys have to move to Seoul (or exactly what they are paid to do at Hyundai) but there are loads of oppertunities/possibilities in Germany, especially on the performance level.

[jmg]

Next thing you know someone will be stealing another "M" exec for their "O" division. Then "P" "Q", "R", "S"... where does it stop?! "Z"?!?!?!

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by jmg

where does it stop?! "Z"?!?!?!

BMW already has the "Z"

Z1, Z3, Z4 Z8