1975 Hyundai Pony gets an electric overhaul to celebrate new design studio

Hyundai is celebrating the launch of its new Busan, Korea, studio with a little walk down memory lane in the form of an exhibition showcasing the company's design heritage. This all-electric restomod 1975 Pony, which was shared on Instagram by its designer, is the star of this show. 

Per Car and Driver, the Pony is apparently powered by a mystery battery-electric setup. If that's the case, it's likely cobbled together from the guts of a Kona Electric or Ioniq EV (and by that we mean the current one, not one of the forthcoming numbered models in Hyundai's new sub-brand); the latter's 134 horsepower seems about right for a small, three-door hatchback like this one. 

The cabin was completely overhauled as well, borrowing the Nixie tube theme from Hyundai's current infotainment systems along with a mish-mash of anachronistic elements (Is that CD loader? That doesn't belong in 1975 or 2025!) in an incredibly slick, attractive design that would be an absolute knockout in a production EV. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Yang Gu-rum (@yang_gu_rum)

Per Hyundai, the exhibition is titled "Reflections in Motion" and it comprises five main elements: "Heritage Series – PONY" (this one) is a reinterpretation of the timeless Hyundai Pony from 1975; "Color & Light" is a visual interplay of colors, lights and time; "Material" is an interactive room-filling sculpture for a human-centered design experience; "Prophecy" is a representation of the power of future EV designs; and "Media Strings (2021)" is a kinetic media art installation by Korean artist Jin-Yo Mok.

"Hyundai Motorstudio is a space that allows customers to experience our brand through a variety of arts and cultural activities that reflect our brand identity and vision," said Cornelia Schneider, Vice President and Head of Global Experiential Marketing at Hyundai Motor. "We hope visitors to Hyundai Motorstudio Busan will enjoy exploring the power of design by participating in the process of its making and see how it reinvents our everyday lives."

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