Hyundai REVIVES the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept almost 50 years on

The 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept, which effectively heralded Hyundai’s arrival, is renewed and on the way to Vill d’Este.

Last summer, Hyundai revealed the HYDROGEN N Vision 74, a car clearly influenced by the very first Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept back in 1974, and although there have been rumours the N Vision 74 will go in to production, those rumours have been quashed by Hyundai.

Instead, as Hyundai decides it’s been around long enough now to trade on its history, they’ve enlisted Giorgetto Giugiaro – designer of the original Pony Coupe Concept, to recreate the original 50 years after it was designed and 49 years since it was revealed at the Turin Motor Show in 1974, and it’s off to Villa d’Este to wow the crowds.

Due to the oil crisis in the ’70s, the Pony Coupe Concept never made production, although its Hatchback Concept did and in the process delivered Hyundai’s first proper production car.

The recreated Pony Coupe Concept is faithful to the original, with a wedge shape 1970s look with geometric lines and a minimalist interior.

To give a bit of perspective to its size, and to demonstrate how much cars have changed in the last 50 years, the Pony Coupe Concept is just 4080mm long – about the size of a Ford Fiesta – and is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine driving the rear wheels and delivering a massive 81bhp.

Jaehoon Chang, Hyundai CEO, said:

In the age of electrification, a key condition for Hyundai Motor Company to become a leader in future mobility will be our ability to remain faithful to the unshakable values we inherited.

Moving forward, through Hyundai Reunion and other heritage communication initiatives, we will continue to leverage our past as a unique vector for our future innovation.