In an exclusive interview with Auto Express, Hyundai’s Sang Yup Lee says, “There will be a production version of Prophecy coming after a production version of the 45 concept. The 45 is more inspired by the 1970s, but a more modern SUV style that’s more mainstream. The Prophecy is inspired by the 1930s streamlined era. These two cars show how much of the design spectrum we are capable of.” Lee is a senior vice president of Hyundai and heads the company’s Global Design Center. Auto Express claims the Prophesy will replace the existing Hyundai Ioniq in the company’s model lineup.
Image credit: Hyundai
The svelte and sexy Prophesy will be built on Hyundai’s all new Electric Global Modular Platform, as will an electric SUV that debuted as the 45 Concept last year. The SUV may be in showrooms by the end of this year, but the Prophesy is more likely to appear next year.
Here’s more from Sung Yap Lee. “The EV skateboard platform with the short overhang and cowl pulled forward enables us to stretch the cabin to provide more space inside. The Prophecy is a future sedan — but not a traditional type of sedan. It will have lots of space inside and more curvature so it means a lot.”
As opposed to the Russian Doll paradigm preferred by most manufacturers, Lee says future Hyundais will not necessarily feature the same design language. “Our cars will be more like a chess board where you have a King, Queen, Bishop, Knight,” he told Auto Express.
“They all look different and function differently but when they’re together, they come as one team.
“This is what the Hyundai look is all about — diversifying our design to fulfill our customer’s lifestyle. People say that you have to default with the grille looking the same and headlights looking the same, but we want to challenge that consistency in detail. So the cars will look completely different.”
Image credit: Hyundai
The 45 concept certainly looks different from the Prophesy. Maybe the 45 will grow on people, but at first blush it seems a bit of an oddity, design-wise. It lacks the subtle curvature of the Prophesy without adding the brawny look people expect from an SUV. What will unify the two offerings are the lighting treatments Hyundai plans for both.
Both the 45 and Prophecy will feature “pixel lamp lights” — a series of tiny, square LED lights that can also be animated. “The family look will come from the lights,” Lee said. “We have consistency in detail — in the pixel graphic. It’s like a hidden charm that brings the consistency between the two cars, the pixels are one of the main things.
“The lamp is a functional part, but now the lamp is a design part — we continue our special story in the lamps. A parametric jewel pattern that becomes the DRL will be a big story when the car comes out. It’s what used to be the chrome decoration becoming functional. Lee also mentioned that his company’s collaboration with Canoo, saying “That will be part of our design chess board.”
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