 |
|
 |
  |
| January 5 |
|
Hyundai
Unveils HCD-8 Sports Tourer Concept
Vehicle
at 2004 Detroit Auto Show |
|
| (Seoul,
Korea) At the 2004 North American International
Auto Show in Detroit today, Hyundai
Motor Co. unveiled the newest concept
vehicle from the Hyundai Kia Design
and Technical Center, the stylish and
functional HCD8 sports tourer. The HDC-8
is the newest concept vehicle from the
Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center
Design studio and is the first |
 |
|
|
| concept
vehicle to come from Hyundai's new $30 million
Design and Technical Center in Irvine, Calif.
"The Hyundai HCD8 sports tourer was designed
to address the sporty car market and still
meet the values and needs of today's consumer,"
said Joel Piaskowski, Chief Designer at the
Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center. The
design team used marketing research from Hyundai
Motor America to design a sporty vehicle that
offers more flexibility, more usable space
and easier access for passengers and cargo.
"The HCD-8 is designed to be a high-performance
daily driver," Piaskowski added. "We also
stayed true to core Hyundai asset of making
it a good value - the HCD-8 offers more value
within its market segment," he added. The
HCD-8 showcases the professional design capabilities
of Hyundai's state-of-the-art, world-class
design studio in Irvine, California. |
|
Style
"The HCD-8
is a conceptual design model used to
evaluate the design, package and proportion
of the next generation sports coupe,"
said Chris Zarlenga, Design Manager
on the HCD-8 project. "The HCD-8 has
graceful, flowing lines. The surfaces
of the vehicle have the volume and shape
to retain some classicism of a sports
car. We also worked with surfaces and
lines that |
 |
|
|
| stir
the inner emotions of passion, romance and
performance. We arranged the graphic components
to signal strength, attitude and power," Zarlenga
added. Highlighting the exciting design elements
is the Ballistic Yellow tri-color paint from
Nippon. The body color is complemented with
anthracite color ground effects trim and road
wheels. The exterior trim is polished nickel.
The interior is finished with two-tone Vapor
Gray leather seating surfaces accented by
wood flooring and wood and aluminum accented
steering wheel rim and shift lever knob. The
aluminum trim is accented with a nickel finish.
"We wanted to contrast the rich, luxurious
interior against the Ballistic Yellow exterior,"
said Zarlenga. |
|
Architecture
"The HCD-8 pushes the architecture
and package to the limit," Zarlenga
said. "This provides a new and exciting
proportion that can accommodate the
needs of the concept," he explained.
"To increase accessibility to the rear
seat we lengthened the door apertures
and by increasing the height of the
rear profile and optimizing storage
space, we were also able to add interior
utility." |
 |
|
|
The designers also stretched the Day Light
Opening (DLO -- a designer's term for the
side glass) for increased side and rear visibility.
They also increased the wheelbase by 100mm
(in the dash-to-axle dimension) to achieve
classic sports car proportion. Overall, the
styling combines soft flowing surfaces with
crisp, taut lines.
Performance
The HCD8 with its supercharged 2.7-liter V6
engine, 6-speed manual transaxle and tuned
dual exhaust provides performance to match
its styling. For real world driving, the driver
can adjust the ride height a total of four
inches through the air suspension. The vehicle
can sit low for high-speed touring or can
be raised to handle inclement weather, avoid
parking wheel stops, handle a car wash or
any other situation where additional ground
clearance is needed. The HCD-8 also features
state-of-art lighting. The LPI-supplied optics
use Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology
from Osram Opto Semiconductor to illustrate
how future automotive lighting systems will
work. The LED lights burn brighter, and are
more energy efficient than current lighting
systems. In addition, they are expected to
last for the life of the vehicle. Unlike incandescent
bulbs, LED lighting performance does not deteriorate
during its life.
Hyundai
Brand Values
"Hyundai is
about being bold and different in an automotive
market that is not usually willing to take
risks. Determination is also a core Hyundai
corporate value," Piaskowski said. "The company
has, in just 18 years, become the fourth largest
import brand in the U.S." "Hyundai's dramatic
growth has been fueled by being bold and different
while offering customers greater value at
a lower price point. Now we are taking that
to a new design level," he said. "The HCD-8
represents what a next-generation sports car
from Hyundai could be, It is bold and different.
It crosses boundaries within its intended
price point and market segment. It offers
the consumer an alternative to the expected."
The HCD-8 also illustrates the development
of Hyundai's visual character. "We view the
HCD-8 as an instrument to design exploration
and design development, Zarlenga explained.
"The design team examined Hyundai's design
portfolio for a brand building opportunity.
They used the face of the Elantra, the grace
of the Sonata and the stance of the Tiburon
as inspiration. The high quality interior
design of Hyundai's current production vehicles
was also an influence." Over the years the
face of the Elantra has evolved to be more
dramatic, yet still retains the 'furled brow'
look of the headlamps. The graceful lines
and surfaces of the Sonata have been elongated
and exploited to promote a sense of beauty
and power. With the Tiburon, the stance has
been stretched and widened to add to its overall
road presence. All of these Hyundai style
attributes were catalysts in the design development
of the HCD-8.
Marketing
"In the U.S., the sporty coupe segment
is viewed as a flat or even a declining market"
Piaskowski observed. "For this segment to
grow, the vehicles must evolve to meet the
needs of consumers. Their diverse lifestyles
require vehicles with increased accessibility,
more functionality and more cargo volume.
The HCD-8 is designed to appeal to 'youthful
minded professionals' who want a great looking,
high performance sports coupe with added the
added functionality they need," he said. "We
used the findings from HMA Marketing and Product
Planning studies and incorporated them into
the HCD-8 sports tourer. This vehicle could
be a first-time purchase or an addition to
a fleet of household vehicles. Our consumer
target is someone who is youthful minded and
passionate about their cars and their driving
experience," he said. |
|
| Hyundai HCD-8 Sports Tourer Specifications |
| Configuration |
Front-drive, two-door sports tourer |
| Wheelbase |
2633mm (103.6-in.) |
| Overall length |
4326mm (170.3-in.) |
| Overall height |
1339.5mm (52.7-in.) |
| Overall width |
1822mm (71.7-in.) |
| Track F/R |
1804mm (71.0-in.) / 1806mm (71.0-in.) |
| Wheels |
9.5-in x 19-in. alloy |
| Tires |
Michelin Sport Pilot P255/R40-19 |
| Engine |
Supercharged 2.7-liter, DOHC V6 |
| Transmission |
6-speed manual transaxle |
| Suspension |
Independent air-tuned performance suspension with adjustable ride height |
| Exhaust |
Dual, high-performance stainless steel |
| Exterior |
Ballistic Yellow Nippon tri-coat paint with Anthracite color ground effects and road wheels, nickel-plated trim |
| Interior |
Two-tone Vapor Grey leather seating with wood flooring, wood and aluminum trimmed steering wheel and shift knob. Anodized aluminum trim accented with nickel finish. |
| Special |
Light Prescription Innovations (LPI) and OSRAM Opto |
| Features |
Semiconductor
LED lighting and optics. |
| Suppliers |
|
| Supercharger |
Alpine Developments Inc |
| Exterior Lighting |
Light Prescriptions Innovators OSRAM Opto Semiconductors |
|
| |
About the Hyundai Kia Design and Technical
Center
The Hyundai California Design Center
was established in 1990 to create and develop
both production vehicle and cutting edge design
concepts for the automotive market. Several
innovative vehicles have emerged from the
design center including three concept roadsters;
HCD-I, HCD-II and HCD-6. Hyundai's California
Design Center is also responsible for the
HCD-III, a hybrid sport utility vehicle, the
Crosstour (HCD-5) sport utility vehicle, the
HCD-7 luxury sedan and now the HCD-8 sports
tourer. The influence of the California Design
Center can be clearly seen in the sleek lines
of the first generation Hyundai Tiburon coupe
and the Santa Fe sport utility vehicle. The
original Hyundai Design Center was based in
Fountain Valley, California until the current
$30 million state-of-the-art Hyundai Kia Design
and Technical Center was officially opened
in February 2003 when Mong-Koo Chung, chairman
and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company gathered
with honored guests and elected officials
in Irvine, California to celebrate the grand
opening. The beautiful new facility houses
more than 100 auto designers, engineers, model
makers and technicians. The design teams moved
into their new 90,000 square foot facility
in January 2003. The design center is fitted
with an advanced visualization system from
Blue Water Technologies housed in a large
presentation room with three projection screens
and two vehicle turntables. In the upstairs
office area, designers and math modelers create
new vehicle designs using the latest Alias/Silicone
Graphic workstations. In the downstairs work
area, there are six surface plates, a 5-axis
milling machine and other state-of-the-art
shop facilities for the clay modelers to use.
Also housed in the new Hyundai Kia Design
and Technical Center is Hyundai America Technical
Center, Inc, (HATCI) which is responsible
for all engineering activities in the U.S.
for Hyundai. Having HATCI so close to the
design teams helps insure the most modern
design and expertise in automotive engineering
and is part of Hyundai's ongoing goal of excellent
in vehicle design.
About Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain
Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai
Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sport
utility vehicles are distributed in the United
States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold
and serviced through more than 620 dealerships
nationwide. About Hyundai Motor Company Established
in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into
the Hyundai Automotive Group which includes
Kia Motors Corp. and over two dozen auto-related
subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing nearly
50,000 people worldwide, Hyundai Motor posted
US$21.94 billion in sales in 2002. Hyundai
motor vehicles are sold in 166 countries through
4,504 dealerships and showrooms. Further information
about Hyundai Motor Co. and its products is
available on the Internet at http://www.hyundai-motor.com
HCD Concept Vehicles Quick Facts
-HCD-1 Two-place sports car concept vehicle. Debuted at the North American International Auto Show in January 1992. First vehicle designed by the Hyundai California Design Studio.
-HCD-II Unique three-place sports coupe with 2 + 1 seating configuration. Introduced at in January 1993
-HCD-III Four-wheel-drive crossover vehicle with off-road utility and car-like ride and handling. The HCD-III made its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in January of 1995.
-HCD-IV (Santa Fe) The Hyundai Santa Fe concept sport utility vehicle was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in January 1999 as a car-based sport utility vehicle. The production version of the front-wheel-drive and 4WD Santa Fe went on sale in 2000 as a 2001 model year vehicle.
-HCD-V Crosstour The Crosstour, introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in February an alternative vehicle to a traditional SUV.
-HCD-6 Roadster When it was first introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2001 the Hyundai HCD-6 Roadster was dubbed the "affordable exotic car." The Hyundai HCD6 Roadster is a two-seat, open top roadster with many unique features.
-HCD-7 Luxury Sedan Hyundai's HCD-7 luxury 4-door sedan, which was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2002, provided a look at what might be the company's next step up from the luxurious XG350 sedan.
-HCD-8 Sports Tourer Since it was established in 1990, the Hyundai California Design Center has produced seven outstanding, show-stopping concept vehicles.
Number eight, initiating the new era of HCD vehicles, is the first vehicle designed at the new $30 million dollar Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center in Irvine, Calif. The HCD-8 is making its world debut on January 5,2004 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. |
|
|
|
|
|
|