▲ Pony Coupe Restoration Vehicle


The Pony Coupe, which was lost to history, is back after 49 years following Hyundai's restoration project of the past.

On the 18th (local time), Hyundai Motor Company held a "Hyundai Reunion" event in Lake Como, Italy, and unveiled the restored model of the "Pony Coupe Concept" for the first time.

The event was attended by key executives of Hyundai Motor Company, including Chairman Chung Chung Sun and President Jang Jae-hoon, as well as designers Giorgetto Giugiaro and former Hyundai Motor Company President Lee Chung-koo, who contributed to the development of the Pony Coupe concept.

Hyundai Reunion is a heritage brand platform that looks back on Hyundai's past and introduces the vision and direction to move forward.

As the first project of the Hyundai Reunion, Hyundai restored the Pony Coupe concept that was presented at the Turin Motor Show in Italy in 1974.

The Pony Coupe Concept, Hyundai's first independently produced vehicle, the Pony's 'brother' model, attracted worldwide attention when it was unveiled with its wedge-shaped front, circular headlamps and origami-like geometric lines.

After its unveiling in 1974, the Pony Coupe concept was on the verge of mass production as an export strategy model, but it did not reach production due to the deterioration of the business environment caused by the oil crisis.

In addition, drawings and vehicles were lost due to flooding, and restoration seemed difficult for a while.

However, Hyundai Motor Company carried out this project to carry forward the spirit of the late Chairman Jeong Joo-young, who nurtured the automobile as a national backbone industry in the harsh environment in the 1970s, and to retrace the enthusiasm of its employees at the time to leap forward as a global brand with the Pony Coupe at the forefront.



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The restoration of the Pony Coupe concept was undertaken by Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio Giugiaro, who designed the pony.

Giorgetto Giugiaro, founder and president of the Italian design firm GFG Style, designed many of Hyundai's early models, starting with the Pony and Pony Coupe, as well as the Pony Excel, Presto, Stella, and the first and second generations of the Sonata.

Designer Giugiaro shared the story behind the development of the Pony Coupe at the site, while Lee Chung-koo, former president of Hyundai Motor Company, Kim Yong-hwa, head of the R&D Division, and Lee Sang-yup, head of the Global Design Center, introduced how to continue the innovations from the past.

In a meeting with reporters on the same day, Chairman Chung Chung Sun explained the meaning of the modern reunion, saying, "We used to create new things, but we thought we should clean up the past and create the future by knowing it."



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Hyundai Motor Company unveiled a restored Pony Coupe concept model at the site, as well as a high-performance hydrogen hybrid rolling lab inspired by the concept 'N Vision 74'.

Hyundai Motor Company will exhibit the 'N Vision 19' for the first time at the world's largest classic car and concept car exhibition, 'Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este' (Villa d'Este), which will be held at the same venue from 21 to 74.

Villa d'Este was first held in 1929 and has been held annually in Lake Como, Italy.

Jaehoon Jang, President of Hyundai Motor Company, said, "In the era of electrification transition, looking at brand values that do not change from the past is an important task for Hyundai Motor Company to become a leader in the future mobility field," and "We will ensure that Hyundai's past heritage can be fused with future innovations through various heritage communication activities such as Hyundai Reunion."

(Photo = Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company, Yonhap News)