DESIGNER TAPS LOCAL FLAVOR TO FUEL GEELY'S GLOBAL AMBITION

Inspired by a culture shock, Guy Burgoyne has helped the carmaker become more competitive

The first thing car design guru Guy Burgoyne usually shows visitors to his office in Shanghai's Pudong district are his caricatures of heroes from the classic novel Journey to the West, including the Monkey King and monk Tang Sanzang.

He describes himself as a mixture of the two characters: The naughty spirit of the Monkey King, which alludes to the courage to challenge and pursue excellence, and the serenity of the monk.