Ahead of the Frankfurt motor show, Hyundai has shared another glimpse of the 45 concept styled as an homage to the Hyundai Pony — the automaker’s first worldwide hit, exported to a number of markets. We saw a glimpse of the concept last month when Hyundai showed a view of the rear fascia, painting a hatchback layout. The latest glimpse of the 45 concept gives a better sense of the proportions of the car, as well as a vertical line that appears to mark the shutline of the rear window as well as the doors, suggesting a four-door hatchback body style.
Perhaps equally illuminating is the car’s reflection in the glass ahead in this image showing four U-shaped headlights that mimic the style of the taillights, as well as a rakish windshield.
If this angle of the concept suggests a certain retro flavor, it is not by accident: the original Pony, which debuted at the Turin motor show in 1974, was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign at a time when wedgelike shapes were very popular. The Pony of the 1970s was offered as a two-door hatch, a four-door sedan and even a station wagon, but it’s the hatchback body style that has defined the theme and look of the model. Of course, the Pony led to the Excel — Hyundai’s first car sold in the U.S. — which stayed with the wedge look. And if the 45 concept ends up being a preview of a car headed to production, it makes sense that Hyundai will want to reference its past with a turn toward electric cars.
It will be interesting to see if Hyundai will stick with the hatchback body style and dimensions of the concept when it rolls out its new lineup of electric models, which will use the new E-GMP platform that will underpin a series of electric cars in the 2020s.
In addition to the 45 concept, Hyundai will unveil an all-new electric race car at the Frankfurt motor show. A teaser video with a Dr. Frankenstein theme gives a glimpse of a World Rally Championship racer that the automaker has been working on at its center in Alzenau, Germany.
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