Hyundai’s 45 electric concept is a homage to the company’s Pony Coupe from 1974.
The 45 foreshadows a new era in automotive design for the company focused on electrification, autonomous technologies and intelligent design.
The progressive 45 puts a twist on the 45-year-old icon to introduce an entirely new in-car experience for self-driving vehicles of tomorrow.
Hyundai believes reflection is an essential part of the moving forward process and the dramatic styling of the 45 draws inspiration from the vehicle that established Hyundai’s design DNA — the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept.
The iconic character of 45 is defined by its monocoque-style body, aerodynamic and light-weight design inspired by aircrafts from the 1920s.
The car’s name also owes itself in part to the 45-degree angles at the front and rear, forming a diamond-shaped silhouette that further foreshadows the design direction of future EV models.
1974 Pony Coupe Concept
The new concept strips away complexity, celebrating the clean lines and minimalistic structure of the original coupe concept.
Combining heritage with vision, 45 incorporates the evolution of Hyundai’s ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language.
‘Sensuous’ stands for enhanced emotional values that customers can experience through design, and ‘Sportiness’ is determined to implement those values through innovative mobility solutions.
“As an icon of Hyundai, the 45 clearly reveals how Hyundai heads towards the future through heritage,” Senior Vice President and the Head of Hyundai Design Centre, SangYup Lee, said.
“Through the 45 built upon our design language ‘Sensuous Sportiness’, Hyundai wants to present our vision on how we want to reshape people’s in-car lifestyle in the era of electrification and autonomous driving.”
45 also highlights future technological developments that may influence forthcoming models, such as a hidden Camera Monitoring System, leaving room for self-driving system applications, and other upcoming technologies to emphasise Hyundai’s open architecture for the future.