RE: Hyundai Get it Right

RE: Hyundai Get it Right

Thursday 8th January 2004

Hyundai Get it Right

New Coupe could give Hyundai street cred at last!


Hyundai’s stylish HCD8 supercar concept was unveiled in Detroit.

The HCD8 is the first car to come from the all-new $30 million Hyundai Design and Technical Centre in Irvine, California. The difference is startling with the car having real presence and should appeal to enthusiasts rather than aged women from Middlesborough.

Joel Piaskowski, Chief Designer at the Hyundai Design and Technical Centre, said: "The Hyundai HCD8 sports tourer was designed to address the sporty car market and still meet the values and needs of today’s consumer. "

He added: "The HCD8 is designed to be a high-performance car for everday use. We also stayed true to the core Hyundai asset of making it good value – the HCD8 offers more value within its market segment ."

Chris Zarlenga, Design Manager of the HCD8 project said: "To increase accessibility to the rear seat we lengthened the door apertures and by increasing the height of the rear profile and optimising storage space, we were also able to add interior utility ."

The HCD8 with its supercharged 2.7-litre V6 engine, 6-speed manual transaxle and tuned dual exhaust provides performance to match its styling.

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 poor weather, avoid ridiculous speed bumps or any other situation where additional ground clearance is needed.

The HCD8 also features state-of-art lighting. The LPI-supplied optics use LED technology. 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.

Joel added: "Hyundai is about being bold and different in an automotive market that is not usually willing to take risks. Hyundai’s dramatic growth has been fuelled by the ability to offer customers greater value at a lower price point. Now we are taking that to a new design level. The HCD8 represents what a next-generation sports car from Hyundai could be ."

Let's hope so!

Author
Discussion

robertuk

Original Poster:

591 posts

263 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
WOW. Neat !

LED lighting is used in homes and buildings (underfoot as well due to low heat output)
but the use of these lights in car headlights
...COOL !

I really like the look of this car. The curves + distribution of mass make it look ...solid ?

Can only imagine what it would look like in silver or black (or even red !)

I'm not a huge fan of yellow for a car colour !

Ramesh
London

>>> Edited by robertuk on Thursday 8th January 03:50

XM5ER

5,091 posts

249 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
It looks like some kind of wierd Pokemon character.

Big_M

5,602 posts

264 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
ooops - looks like someone has cocked up their marketing research.

Article said said:
The difference is startling with the car having real presence and should appeal to enthusiasts rather than aged women from Middlesborough.
I actually quite like it.

Debs (aged woman from Essex)

t1grm

4,655 posts

285 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Just to p**s off Stig and Dontlift:

Looks a bit like a Porsche 968 from the rear

Wintermute

43 posts

252 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Absolutely gorgeous!!

Mr E

21,749 posts

260 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Lol @ Debs......

Seriously, that's an aggressive looking car.

Wonder if the car thay actually build will look anything like it?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
A touch of lexus to it too.

I like it, then again I like the current coupe too - shame its 2.7v6 is so weedy.

dinkel

27,000 posts

259 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
This nice looker needs a deep rumble for a soundtrack. And a 0-60 figure to match.
Hyundai proved they can build a good car. Let's hope this one will do the trick in the Z350 zone.
This one isn't in production is it?
'The HCD-7 strikes an imposing stance. For power, the car uses a 270-hp 4.5-liter V8'
www.edmunds.com/media/2002/chicago/hyundai.hcd7.r34.500.jpg

>> Edited by dinkel on Thursday 8th January 13:34

simonrockman

6,869 posts

256 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Where do I sign?

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

267 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
I guess it'll be FWD which is a shame. It'll need RWD if it's to beat the 350Z and RX8.

However, looks wise....it's a beaut!

Lets hope it doesn't change too much for production.

dinkel

27,000 posts

259 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Twin Turbo said:
I guess it'll be FWD which is a shame.


With the 270-hp 4.5-liter V8 it will have only the rear smoking . . .

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

267 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Ted - perhaps you'll need a "Far Eastern Chat" page....thought Hyundai was Korean

tonto

2,983 posts

249 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Big_M said:
ooops - looks like someone has cocked up their marketing research.


Article said said:
The difference is startling with the car having real presence and should appeal to enthusiasts rather than aged women from Middlesborough.

I actually quite like it.

Debs (aged woman from Essex)


If someone's going to make a Clarkson type comment about my home town, can they at least get the spelling right. There's no such place as Middlesborough.

Tony, (aged man from Middlesbrough)

(And we won last night !!! (not that anyone on here cares) )

Quite like to car tho.

vtang_gt4

1 posts

244 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
i hope they start developing the car.

it looks good, has good features and performance to match.

they are definately onto a winner with this car.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Onto a winner mebbe - but at the right price.

Has to be proffitable for them at a low price point, no one will pay silly money for a hyundai even if it is an ace car.

dontlift

9,396 posts

259 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
t1grm said:
Just to p**s off Stig and Dontlift:

Looks a bit like a Porsche 968 from the rear



Wont piss me off chap, I have a 944 and your right it is almost as ugly as a 968 from the rear

That is one seriously horrible car, just hope I never see one for real

>> Edited by dontlift on Thursday 8th January 16:32

bean

19 posts

258 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
I cant see them shifting many witha big engien,why can they not give us a good 1.8 with a turbo, then we dont have to plan our route via the petrol stations..

apart from that i like it, would still have the mazda RX8 though

Mr E

21,749 posts

260 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
bean said:
I cant see them shifting many witha big engien,why can they not give us a good 1.8 with a turbo, then we dont have to plan our route via the petrol stations..


Errr. I suspect my turbo lump isn't much better on fuel than a big lazy V8......

I've seen sub 15mpg.....

Mr E

21,749 posts

260 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Spirited driving......

Apparently a fellow owner has got it into single digits on the track.....

dejoux

772 posts

284 months

Thursday 8th January 2004
quotequote all
Ignoring the V8 option I suppose the s/c 2.7 litre will put out around 200hp if the performance of their old 2.5 is anything to go by

Very sporty