BETTER PARTSHyundai Intrado Forward in Korean
Forward in Korean
Just make a nice car, that's not enough for a car designer today. One has the idea behind it also can tell. In the case of Hyundai, it comes to a lot of technology, but also a brand image - an idea for the future.
His most famous creations are the Audi TT, the first " VW New Beetle" or the still coveted Audi A 2 But for the past nearly eight years of German star designer Peter Schreyer is paid in Korean Won, is one of the presidents of Hyundai and has the appearance of the brand completely revamped. Whether his latest work will eventually find a place in the automotive hall of fame, posterity must determine. In any case, the Hyundai Intrado one of the eye-catcher of the Geneva Show.
No production car, of course, this is the distinctively styled study of a fuel cell cars too futuristic. The Koreans see their mental model as a so-called crossover, ie a mixture of rustic SUV, elegant family station wagon and practical city car. Possible opponents could the B-Class from Mercedes or BMW are 2er Active Tourer. The approximately four meters long four-door model with the long wheelbase makes like much: Narrow windows on the sides, huge wheel arches and a quite daring rear swing at its edges to lighting strips to far down. The front end is here considerably less extreme, is characterized by narrow headlights and a very thin-lipped bumper under the grill. But striking the vertical air intakes, a little remind to the Opel Ampera.
" The Intrado shows how far we think forward," says Peter Schreyer on the first Hyundai, which was created under his responsibility, because so far, the Bayer cared mainly about the design of its sister brand Kia. His design colleague, Thomas Bürkle, a former BMW man, adds: "The motto was mainly to focus on the essentials ." As an example he cites the position of the driver's seat, which was quite moved far to the rear and also keeps away from the door. This should provide a good sense of space and a perfect overview. TFT displays in analog look are in otherwise very airy dashboard directly in the driver's field of vision. In the middle a transverse specified screen in iPad size for navigation, entertainment and other information.
© Hyundai TFT displays in analog look are in otherwise very airy dashboard directly in the driver's field of vision So to sum it all on the amount of time, but it is not particularly unusual. The really remarkable thing about Intrado is its lightness. The whole car is built around a tubular frame around which consists of a mixture of carbon and extremely lightweight but durable steel. "After all, we are the only automaker that has its own steel mill ," Peter Schreyer says with a smile. Exactly how much of Intrado will bring on the scale, the Koreans betrayed not yet.
For the lightweight is omnipresent, even if only to realize when you look closely. The tubular frame is undisguised in many places of the interior, not hidden under plastic. "So the passengers and the technology into one unit ," said Buerkle. Free view on carbon and aluminum instead of velvety plush or expensive leather - Hyundai as a trendsetter?
Not quite: In the electric BMW i3 parts of the inner workings are visible. And the BMW waived the B-pillar and the outside has soaring side doors. But: When e-Bayern after some 150 kilometers ride the charging of the battery is due. The Hyundai has its own power plant on board. The fed with hydrogen fuel cell provides the necessary power for the batteries. If one takes as one of the rare hydrogen gas pumps, the tank is after a good two minutes to the brim and then reaches for another 600 km of clean energy.
The German Duo Schreyer / Bürkle may not speculate on the future prospects of their fair Stars. But for Schreyer is the Intrado is a milestone for Hyundai. " Its sober and yet emotional shape is modeled for future series models our brand"