Hyundai’ Motor's ‘Pony Coupe’ restored in 49 years

“This is the result of the combined efforts of the late Hyundai Group Honorary Chairman Chung Ju-young, the late HDC Group Honorary Chairman Chung Se-young, and Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo, and all of us.”

This is the remarks by Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, who spoke at the "Pony Coupe Concept (prototype vehicle with future design direction)" recreation ceremony held in Lake Como, Italy on Thursday (local time).

The event that was held in conjunction with the launch of "Hyundai Reunion," a heritage brand platform that seeks future directions through Hyundai Motor's past, was designed to recreate Hyundai Motor's first concept car, the Pony Coupe, which was initially produced in 1974 and then vanished shortly thereafter. The Pony Coupe, a sibling model of Pony, Hyundai Motor Company's first independently produced vehicle, received favorable reviews for its unconventional yet outstanding design at the time. Afterwards, however, the oil crisis that occurred right before its mass production, coupled with management difficulties, killed the coupe's chances of production. Recreating the vehicle was not easy as the flood caused the loss of the blueprint and the vehicle.

Hyundai Motor Company announced that it decided to restore the Pony Coupe concept in order to rekindle the preceding management's will to develop automobiles as the nation’s flagship industry and the past employees' sweat to grow Hyundai Motor into a global brand even in a harsh environment in the 1970s. “The late Honorary Chairman Chung Ju-young realized his vision of fostering a standalone Korean automobile with the belief that a country that can produce finished cars can produce anything, even aircraft,’” Chairman Chung Eui-Sun said. “Recalling the good memories of everyone joining forces is what we aimed for.”

The event was also attended by designer Giorgetto Giugaro and his son Fabrizio Giugaro, who restored the Pony Coupe concept. Designer Giugaro designed the Pony, Pony Coupe, Pony Excel, Stella, and Sonata 1st and 2nd generations. “If we receive a lot of rave reviews from customers, it isn’t out of the question, of course,” Chairman Chung emphasized about mass-producing the Pony Coupe concept.


Gun-Huk Lee gun@donga.com