2002 Hyundai HCD-7 Equus

Original name: 현대 HCD - 7 에쿠스를

8 November 2002

SEOUL SHOW REPORT, NOVEMBER 2002

Hyundai has designs on the future at the Seoul Motor Show

Dreams on wheels' was the theme of Hyundai Motor Company's stand at the 2002 Seoul Motor Show with centre stage going to the daring and futuristic HIC and HCD-7 concept cars. HMC complemented this look into the future by revealing new and innovative technologies that will revolutionise the Hyundai driving experience in the coming years.

The HIC - High-technology Intelligence Coupe - is based on the XG platform and is powered by a substantial 3.5-litre, V6 engine. Styled at Hyundai's Japanese Design Center, this car is a testbed for futuristic technologies such as an intelligent distance-sensing cruise control system, which constantly keeps the vehicle at a safe distance from the vehicle in front. This stylish concept has also been given night visibility capabilities as well as a peripheral monitoring system, which uses CCTV to replace rearview mirrors and enable the driver to see around the complete car.

First seen at the Chicago Motor Show earlier this year, the deluxe 4.5-litre V8-engined HCD-7 concept saw its first viewing by the Korean public at the Seoul Show. Conceived and developed at Hyundai's Californian Design studio, the HCD-7 was inspired by an aircraft fuselage which can be seen both inside the cabin and out with its smooth lines.

Two other cars unveiled at the show quickly gathered public interest. The Coupe, known as the Tuscani on the domestic market, has had a make-over giving it the name of the Coupe Aero with a new, distinctive nose plus aggressive aerodynamic projection headlamps offering it a true sports feel. The Santa Fe Mountaineer is another exciting design exercise that has treated the original model to an even more rugged and sturdy front end, enhanced by sleek angular headlights.

Hyundai went on to lift the curtain on a new generation of telematics that is being developed in collaboration with computer giant IBM. Voice-operated and totally secure, the telematics portal opens up a whole new era of on-demand car computing that will provide services to make driving safer and more convenient.

Following the widespread public interest in the new cars and technology on the Hyundai stand in Seoul, Hyundai Chief Executive Officer Dong-Jin Kim said: "We have put a lot of work into our research and development efforts over the past few years and we are seeing the results of this."

He added: "Many of the things you see on these cars are now close to production and we will start seeing them on our cars very soon."

Source: Hyundai

OVERVIEW

Hyundai Motor America unveiled its latest concept vehicle at the 2002 Chicago Auto Show (February 8 to 17). Called the HCD-7 and styled at the Hyundai California Design Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., the HCD-7 is flagship luxury sedan for Hyundai - a concept of what might be the next step up from the company's current XG350 sedan.

The HCD-7 is designed to show what the next generation of an advanced performance sedan might look like. It's the new look of luxury," said Roger Flores, senior designer at the Hyundai California Design Center who penned the initial drawings for the concept.

"The HCD-7 is luxurious, spacious and comfortable, but it is also sleek and sporty. Too often luxury sedans end up with traditional three-box formal styling and end up resembling boxed on wheels. But luxury car buyers today want both comfort and style," he added.

The sleek, aerodynamically designed exterior of the HCD-7 was inspired by an aircraft fuselage and features wraparound windshield glass that hides the A-pillars and pulls the "energy-tension" around the sides and to the rear of the fuselage. "This, along with the clamshell roof design provides a sleek aerodynamic package and results in less wind noise in the cabin," Flores added.

Most luxury cars have an elegant grille and the HCD-7 has a bold grille that is the focal point of the front end, yet still retains a family resemblance to current Hyundai automobiles. The jewel-like head-light assembly features upright projector beam lamps vertically stacked. The taillights are also vertically stacked and fitted into the bold rear fenders. The body envelope is designed to hug the large wheels and performance tires and reduce body overhang to a minimum. This provides extra room inside for the driver and passengers. The fender design with a hard cut character line gives the HCD-7 a strong, aggressive stance and provides room for the huge, armor-like billet aluminum wheels that are 21 inches in diameter and 10-inches wide. Fitted on those wheels are 245/45R-21 Michelin tires. "The wheels and tires frame the car and carry the fuselage. The big wheels are designed to look like armor to protect the fuselage," Flores added. The exterior surface is painted in a color described as warm silver. "It is a color befitting a luxury car, " Flores said.

INTERIOR

"Inside, we carried on with the aircraft theme creating a luxurious interior that might be found on an executive jet aircraft," side Martin Frost a senior designer at the Hyundai California Design Center responsible for the interior design of the HCD-7. The occupants are treated to comfort and elegance. The dashboard is arched toward the driver and front seat passenger to reduce the reach to controls and the instrument panel is simple yet elegant - tailored after the most elegant, most readable watch faces.

The door panels have been curved in a concave arc - similar to the fuselage of an executive jet to create a cocooned feeling for the driver and passengers. "We used a unique B-pillar design to emphasize the structural integrity of the cabin," Frost explained. "The large brushed aluminum B-pillars provide extra strength, both visually and structurally."

SPECIFICATION

- A four-door, front drive luxury sedan of the future

- Wheelbase: 2,830mm

- Overall length: 4,960mm

- Overall width: 1,848mm

- Overall height: 1,432mm

- Curb weight: TBA

- Engine: All-aluminum DOHC 32-valve V8

- Bore: 86.0mm

- Stroke: 96.8mm

- Displacement: 4,498cc

- Compression ratio: 10.0:1