Hyundai HIC concept and facelifted Tiburion
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Hyundai HIC concept and facelifted Tiburion
http://drive.fairfax.com.au/content-...XDPZQYS8D.html
Whoa....looks like you can fit a FMIC in that new Tibby...!!!
Believe it or not, this sleek bubble car is a Hyundai. At this week's Seoul motor show, Korea's biggest car maker displayed its vision of the future with the HIC concept.
It may be difficult to distinguish the front from the back, but Hyundai says the design will form the basis of a new coupe it is developing for the US market. In the metal, it looked like an elongated Audi TT.
The HIC was styled in Hyundai's studio in California. Based on the Grandeur platform , it is powered by a 3.5-litre V6.
By building a Grandeur-sized coupe, Hyundai is mimicking Honda and Toyota -- among other leading brands -- by selling a two-door car based on an existing large sedan. A more sedate-looking version of the HIC is expected to be on the road within the next three years.
Hyundai's president and CEO, Dong Jin Kim, said the HIC was part of the company's grand plan to become "a prestige brand and a top five global manufacturer". Curiously, Hyundai, which is 10 percent owned by DaimlerChrysler, says it wants to "remain independent" throughout this growth.
Industry analysts reckon that the company is trying to move the Hyundai brand upmarket and have its Kia subsidiary fill the small, affordable car niche.
Kim said the company wants to reduce the number of platforms across the Hyundai and Kia ranges and "eliminate unnecessary duplication ... between [the two] brands".
Volkswagen-Audi Group is facing a similar dilemma with its many common platforms.
As ever at motor shows, some concepts were much closer to reality than others.
Hyundai showcased imminent facelifts for the Tiburon sports coupe and Santa Fe off-roader.
If the Tiburon-based Tuscani Aero concept (below) is any indication, the updated version will have a far more aggressive appearance.
Its large open snout recalls elements of Mazda's RX-8 and the rear resembles that of a race car. An ugly, bird-like rear wing, depicted in photos given earlier to the media was replaced by a conventional single plank for Wednesday's preview.
The Santa Fe further signals Hyundai's intentions to increase US sales -- it looks like a Cadillac 4WD clone thanks to its long, drooping nose. With arched front fenders, it takes on more of a Mitsubishi Pajero-style appearance.
The new Tiburon and Santa Fe are due on sale in the US late next year and in Australia in early 2004.
It may be difficult to distinguish the front from the back, but Hyundai says the design will form the basis of a new coupe it is developing for the US market. In the metal, it looked like an elongated Audi TT.
The HIC was styled in Hyundai's studio in California. Based on the Grandeur platform , it is powered by a 3.5-litre V6.
By building a Grandeur-sized coupe, Hyundai is mimicking Honda and Toyota -- among other leading brands -- by selling a two-door car based on an existing large sedan. A more sedate-looking version of the HIC is expected to be on the road within the next three years.
Hyundai's president and CEO, Dong Jin Kim, said the HIC was part of the company's grand plan to become "a prestige brand and a top five global manufacturer". Curiously, Hyundai, which is 10 percent owned by DaimlerChrysler, says it wants to "remain independent" throughout this growth.
Industry analysts reckon that the company is trying to move the Hyundai brand upmarket and have its Kia subsidiary fill the small, affordable car niche.
Kim said the company wants to reduce the number of platforms across the Hyundai and Kia ranges and "eliminate unnecessary duplication ... between [the two] brands".
Volkswagen-Audi Group is facing a similar dilemma with its many common platforms.
As ever at motor shows, some concepts were much closer to reality than others.
Hyundai showcased imminent facelifts for the Tiburon sports coupe and Santa Fe off-roader.
If the Tiburon-based Tuscani Aero concept (below) is any indication, the updated version will have a far more aggressive appearance.
Its large open snout recalls elements of Mazda's RX-8 and the rear resembles that of a race car. An ugly, bird-like rear wing, depicted in photos given earlier to the media was replaced by a conventional single plank for Wednesday's preview.
The Santa Fe further signals Hyundai's intentions to increase US sales -- it looks like a Cadillac 4WD clone thanks to its long, drooping nose. With arched front fenders, it takes on more of a Mitsubishi Pajero-style appearance.
The new Tiburon and Santa Fe are due on sale in the US late next year and in Australia in early 2004.
Whoa....looks like you can fit a FMIC in that new Tibby...!!!
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