Pony Concept was intended to make production
Giugiaro helped launch the Hyundai brand
Hyundai is partnering with Giorgetto Giugiaro to recreate the car that launched the brand. The automaker and Giugiaro’s company GFG Style will rebuild the 1974 Pony Coupe concept car that launched the brand.
The upstart Hyundai Motor contacted Giugiaro in 1974, wanting his help in designing the company’s first independent model. More importantly, it was to be Korea’s first mass-produced car. The company didn’t have the in-house capability to design and style a car, and Giugiaro had penned cars for Alfa, Maserati, Mazda, and even BMW. In 1974 alone, he would also launch the first Volkswagen Golf, the Scirocco, and the Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT.
In other words, Hyundai went for the best. He delivered with the Pony concept, Pony Coupe concept, and the production Pony.
Hyundai had intended to put the Pony Coupe Concept into production, but it never made it. The wedge concept has evidently disappeared and Hyundai wants one back.
GFG Style, the firm of Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, will rebuild the Pony concept. The company has extensive knowledge in building one-off show cars, so the Pony Concept should be easy.
“I designed the Hyundai Pony when I was still a young designer at the start of my career,” said Giugiaro. “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.”
Hyundai plans to show off the rebuilt Pony Coupe concept car in the spring.
