The Automotive Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony was held on July 21, 2022, in Detroit. Among this year’s class of inductees was Wanxiang Group founder Lu Guanqiu, who became the first Chinese national to receive this special accolade. Induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame is considered the single greatest honor in the automotive industry. Those inducted are noteworthy individuals who helped create, shape, and change the automotive space.
Chairman Lu Guanqiu was a passionate entrepreneur, known as a humble and honest man who was dedicated to his dream of making cars. In 2014 he acquired Karma Automotive, manufacturer of luxury electric vehicles with headquarters in Southern California. During the Automotive Hall of Fame ceremony, Chairman Lu Guanqiu was represented by his son President Lu Weiding, who accepted the award on behalf his late father.
“My father, Chairman Lu Guanqiu had the dream to make Wanxiang’s own clean energy car,” said Lu Weiding, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wanxiang Group Corporation. “He believed that if he could not make that happen, his son would do it and if his son couldn’t do it, then his grandson would.” He continued, “this is all about the next generations, this is all about our future. So as second generation of the inductee, I feel responsible to make sure that at least our next generation fully understands their responsibility for the automotive industry.”
The special GS-6 edition is a dedication to Karma’s main investor, the Wanxiang Group and its 54 years in business. This edition features embroidered headrests with Karma’s uniquely created logo and exterior fender panels, that are each individually jeweled with an Edition 54 logo created from milled aluminum and anodized in a beautiful one-off gold color. The logo and the 3D badge have been carefully created in-house by the Karma Design team. The exterior colors of Surf White and Benito Blue were inspired by the Wanxiang corporate blue and white colors.
“Today we honor Chairman Lu Guanqiu and Wanxiang Group, for their strong commitment to Karma’s vision since 2014,” said Jeff Wawrzyniak, Chief Administrative Officer at Karma Automotive. “The Edition 54 represents a tribute to our present, while honoring our past. Karma’s capabilities and achievements have us very well placed for continued success. Through technology and unique design, we are moving forward with passion and innovation towards an electric mobility future.”
Additionally, a Karma Revero will have a year-long display at the Automotive Hall of Fame Museum in Dearborn, MI.
The inductees of this year’s class include Alma and Victor Green, writers of The Green Book, a travel guide for African Americans in the United States; Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of Lamborghini luxury cars; Taiichi Ohno, creator of Toyota Production System; and Lyn St. James, American race car driver.