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Former Ferrari Designer to Make BAIC Premium by 2025

It seems that there’s a real trend among Chinese automakers to look outside the country and find visionary and talented people that can breathe new life into their companies. BMW’s partner, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings hired Dimiti Vicedomini of Pininfarina, Chery hired ex-MINI chief designer Gert Hildebrand, Great Wall Motor Co. hired Mercedes-Benz designer Andreas Deufel, and now, Chinese automaker BAIC have laid their hands on the designer of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, 74 year-old Leonardo Fioravanti.
Leonardo Fioravanti 1 photo
Photo: Archivio Perini
BAIC’s aim is to make their brand a premium one by 2025 - a very tall order for a company nobody outside of China has ever heard of, with no real tradition in the automotive field, having started out as a motorcycle sidecar manufacturer for use in the Korean War. However, there seems to be hope, according to Fioravanti who said "Chinese manufacturers recognize that they have some problems that they have to improve, one of which is the lack of brand identity [...] The first that achieves its own recognizable brand identity and styling language will be the winner."

We hope that with this influx of foreign talent, Chinese manufacturers will start getting their own brand identities, as opposed to the cheap copies we’ve gotten used to over the last few years. However, Fioravanti thinks that there’s still a long way to go, but that the task is doable.

Story via autonewschina.com
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