[Busan Motor Show] Hyundai debuts second design concept car

BUSAN -- Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automaker, unveiled for the first time its second design concept car, dubbed HDC-2 Grandmaster Concept, at the Busan International Motor Show opening this week, and introduced details for the high performance N brand.

Portraying the direction of Hyundai’s future design strategy, the second design concept that takes the form of a sport utility vehicle is aimed to display “sensuous sportiness,” the automaker said.

The unveiling took place on Thursday, a day before the official opening of the Busan International Motor Show from Friday through June 17.

“The HDC-2 Grandmaster Concept portrays Hyundai’s most bold and luxurious design DNA,” said Lee Sang-yup, head of Hyundai Styling Team, during a press event in the port city.

The latest design concept indicated Hyundai’s focus towards developing its SUV lineup, in order to break away from its current positioning and image as simply an affordable car.

Hyundai unveiled the HDC-1 Le Fil Rouge concept at the Geneva International Motor Show last March.

Seeking to expand its presence in the high performance vehicle market, Hyundai also shared its global strategy for its N brand, which began to take shape since March.

Placing motor sports at the top of its portfolio, Hyundai said it will participate in more motor sports competitions, and apply know-how and technology gained from the experience to the entire N lineup.

Hyundai added it will push forward with plans to develop sports cars, ultimately to pioneer the high performance vehicle market, starting with applying consequent designs and features across all models, the company said.

Hyundai’s sister company Kia Motors, in the meantime, revealed for the first time the interior design of the new Niro EV, with more space for the storage room compared to similar models and various convenience options for electronic devices including a wireless charger.

Unlike the previous Niro EV, the new model boasts EV-tailored design, the company explained.

For the first time among Kia models, a SBW electronic gear nob has been applied for drivers to easily operate the vehicle.

Last year the company sold 24,000 units of bestselling Niro EV here, the company said.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)