Hyundai Design Center Europe collaborate with the Istituto Europeo di Design and 16 students to visualize a vehicle aimed at young folk
Imagine a world where Hyundai produced sexy, mid-engined vehicles with performance and handling to match. Imagine that they were still less money than rest of the world equivalents while maintaining their extended warranty, reliability and affordable servicing. Well, those days aren’t quite here yet but they are a step closer to reality with the Hyundai PassoCorto Concept.
The PassoCorto – Italian for short wheelbase – is the work of 16 students on the Master’s course coordinated by Luca Borgogno, Lead Designer Pininfarina, in collaboration with the Hyundai Design Center Europe. Measuring in at a length 4100mm, width 1880mm and height 1160mm – and a wheelbase of 2450mm – this two-seater, rear-engined sportscar would theoretically be a contender to the Alfa Rome 4C.
It all adds up to a neat little package. Especially with the proposed twin-turbo, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine pumping out 266 horsepower. However, the reality of the situation is that Hyundai are extremely unlikely to ever put this into production. It is a two-seat thesis project by students of the Master of Arts in Transportation Design program for the Turin, Italy school. But it is an insight into Hyundai’s future direction…
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that Hyundai has just finished a 15 month construction – and $9-million investment – of a trackside testing centre at the Nürburgring acting as an extension of the company’s European R&D center in Rüsselsheim, Germany. Hyundai are up to something. No doubt.
