Hyundai to rebuild 1974 Pony Coupe Concept with original designer Giorgetto Giugiaro

MANILA: Hyundai Motor Company will collaborate with Italian design firm GFG Style, particularly its father and son founders Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, to rebuild the influential 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept that young Giorgetto designed for Hyundai's debut at the 1974 Turin Motor Show. The rebuilt concept will be unveiled later this year.

Hyundai Motor Group Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, and Hyundai Motor Global Design Center Executive Vice President and Head SangYup Lee made the announcement during a Design Talk in Seoul on Wednesday.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Giorgetto and Fabrizio to Seoul for this rare occasion and we look forward to collaborating with them and GFG Style on this extraordinary design project. Not only does this project hold historical value, but it also represents a cross-cultural exchange that could pave the way for more collaborations down the road,” Donckerwolke stated.

“The original Pony and Pony Coupe Concept were one of those rare creations that influenced the designs of not just one but multiple production and concept vehicles, including our award-winning Ioniq 5 and attention-grabbing N Vision 74,” Lee said. “Since the original concept car no longer exists, we've commissioned Giorgetto Giugiaro to rebuild it based on our design philosophy, ‘Shaping the future with legacy.’”

When Hyundai Motor was still in its early stages of vehicle production, the company executives got in touch with Giorgetto Giugiaro to propose collaboration on developing Hyundai's first independent model and Korea's first mass-produced vehicle. Because Korea lacked the capacity for car design and aesthetics at the time, Hyundai Motor hired Giugiaro to create five prototypes, one of which was a coupe. Hyundai made the decision to unveil the Hyundai Pony and Hyundai Pony Coupe at the Turin Motor Show while designing and prototyping them in order to promote the brand's entry into the international market.

The Hyundai Pony Coupe was designed with the North American and European markets in mind and featured a wedge-shaped nose, round headlamps, and geometric lines that resembled origami. However, the project was abandoned in 1981 just before full production due to a poor global economic condition.

Although the concept was still only a pipe dream at the time, Hyundai's first independent production models under the Pony nameplate, which ran from 1975 to 1990 and were marketed all over the world, were greatly influenced by the concept's bold spirit, and helped jumpstart the Korean automotive industry. The Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept is still a significant part of Hyundai's history and a symbol of Hyundai Founding Chairman Ju-Yong Chung and his goals for the company.

With the Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept and the succeeding Hyundai Pony series, Chung helped shape Korea's auto industry with his optimistic outlook, audacious leadership, firm conviction, and unyielding dedication. His leadership helped Korea overcome the hardship of war and transformed the country into an economic powerhouse by the late 20th century.

Giugiaro's work on the DeLorean DMC 12, which debuted in 1983 and was famously featured in the “Back to the Future” films, was greatly influenced by the concept design as well.

The influence of the Pony and Pony Coupe Concept is still present today. Hyundai Motor used the original Pony as inspiration for the “45” concept car in 2019, which had a direct influence on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which made its debut two years later. Also in 2021, Hyundai created a restomod electric vehicle concept based on the original Hyundai Pony production car. This year, Hyundai referred to the coupe concept yet again with its crowd-pleasing Hyundai N Vision 74 hydrogen-hybrid “rolling lab” development car.

“I designed the Hyundai Pony when I was still a young designer at the start of my career,” Giugiaro recalled. “I felt very proud that I was in charge of creating a vehicle for a company and country that was about to take on a fiercely competitive global market. Now, I’m deeply honored that Hyundai has asked me to rebuild it for posterity and as a celebration of the brand’s heritage.”

Photos from Hyundai Motor Company

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