Hyundai Revives The 1974 Pony Coupe Concept That Never Was

Giddy up.

Automotive company Hyundai has worked with father and son duo Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro, co-founders of Italian design firm GFG Style, to rebuild the seminal Pony Coupe Concept. Designed in 1974 by Girogetto Giugiaro, the Pony Coupe Concept was created for Hyundai’s debut at the 1974 Turin Motor Show.

hyundai revives original pony coupe concept 1974

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The original Pony Coupe concept was scrapped before it made it to production, however, the Hyundai Pony sedan became the South Korean automotive manufacturer’s first independently produced model and ran from 1975 to 1990.  

“The original Pony and Pony Coupe Concept were one of those rare creations that influenced the designs of not just one but multiple production and concept vehicles, including our award-winning IONIQ 5 and attention-grabbing N Vision 74,” said SangYup Lee, EVP at Hyundai Motors.  “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.”

Hyundai Looks To Revive Its Original 1974 Pony Coupe Concept With Legendary Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro

During its early days of vehicle production, Hyundai’s executives contacted Giorgetto Giugiaro to propose work on designing the company’s first independent model and Korea’s first mass-produced car. In the early 1970s. There was no vehicle design and styling capability in Korea, leading Hyundai to commission Giugiaro to design, make blueprints, and build five prototypes; one being a coupe. During the design and prototyping process, Hyundai decided to showcase the Pony and Pony Coupe at the Turin Motor SHow to promote the brand’s debut in the global market.

hyundai revives original pony coupe concept 1974

Defined by its wedge-style nose, circular headlamps, and origami-esque geometric lines, the Pony Coupe was intended for production in North American and European markets, however, the project came to a halt in 1981 prior to mass production due to an adverse global economic environment. Despite this, the Pony Coupe Concept remains an integral element of Hyundai’s legacy and its late founder Ju-Yong Chung’s vision for the company. The design language also served as the basis for the elder Giugiaro’s work on DeLorean DMC 12 which debuted in 1983 and was used in the Back to the Future films.

hyundai revives original pony coupe concept 1974

“I designed the Hyundai Pony when I was still a young designer at the start of my career,” said Giorgetto Giugiaro. “I felt very proud that I was in charge of creating a vehicle for a company and country that was about to take on a fiercely competitive global market.”

Almost 50 years on and the dream has rematerialised, with Hyundai remaking the Pony Coupe Concept. Serving up a healthy dose of 1970s nostalgia, the exterior of the new (old) Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept is completely true to the original, devoid of any contemporary trappings or embellishments. Unveiled at the Villa Pliniana in Lake Como, Italy — the home country and birthplace of the original — ahead of the Concorso d’Eleganza 2023, the minimalist interiors highlight the monocoque design and driver-centric floating architecture, with a single-spoke steering wheel and two-toned slim-line bucket seats reinforcing what was in the 1970s a futuristic aesthetic.

Said Giugiaro of the remake: “I’m deeply honored that Hyundai has asked me to rebuild [the Pony Coupe Concept] for posterity and as a celebration of the brand’s heritage.”


Words by John Deckard