Originally unveiled at the 1974 Turin Motor Show, the Pony Coupe Concept led to the creation of Korea’s first independently-developed mass-production car, the Pony. More recently, it inspired the 45 EV Concept Car and the Ioniq 5 all-electric vehicle.

With its origami-like exterior features, pure unadorned surfaces, uniquely-shaped B-pillar, and coda tronca (‘cut-off tail’), the Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept was a groundbreaking model in its time. The interior featured a driver-centered floating architecture with a single-spoke steering wheel and two-toned slim-line bucket seats. Underneath, it had a longitudinally-mounted 1.2-liter (1,238 cc) 4-cylinder engine making 82 horsepower that drove the rear wheels.

Unfortunately, due to the adverse global economic conditions in the late 1970s, what could have been Hyundai’s first sports car never reached production and was lost to history. Nevertheless, the concept embodies Hyundai’s bold determination to enter the sports-car sector for long-term leadership as an automotive company – this spirit still underlies in Hyundai’s leadership in electrification and high-performance hydrogen technology.

Luc Donckerwolke, President and Chief Creative Officer of Hyundai Motor Group, said, “The restoration of this unique vehicle is a milestone in Hyundai’s history. It represents our beginnings and our commitment to the future. It serves as a legacy for generations to come. It virtually symbolizes the mobile relay baton we are passing from the past to the future of the company.”

“The Pony Coupe Concept reflects the company’s gratitude and dedication to the challenging spirits that people at Hyundai Motor had back in 1974,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center. “The rebirth of the Pony Coupe Concept is a meaningful milestone in the history of Hyundai Motor because it signifies not only our beginnings but also our commitment to the future with our new dreams.”