PONY.

Icons restored.

In 1974 Hyundai hired Giorgetto Giugiaro, one of the most influential automotive stylists of all time, to design their first mass-produced car: a hatchback called Pony. A sports version was presented at the 1974 Turin Motor Show in the form of the Pony Coupe Concept. The two cars took very different paths and came back in two stunning restorations. This is their story.

Move the slider to compare the Hyundai PONY car to its electric counterpart

The Pony was introduced to the market in December 1975 and became Hyundai’s flagship vehicle for many years. Korea’s first mass-produced car propelled Hyundai onto the global stage. Giugiaro designed the Pony Coupe Concept at the same time as the enormously successful Pony hatchback. What could have been Hyundai’s first sensational sports car was unable to reach commercial production due to the adverse global economic conditions in the late 1970s. However, the timeless design qualities of the Pony persist.

In 2021 Hyundai presented a reimagining of the original Pony as an electric vehicle: the Heritage Series PONY. The redesign involved taking an actual first-generation Pony 3-door car, meticulously disassembling it and rebuilding it with new technology and retro modern features.

A recreated version of the Pony Coupe Concept was presented in May 2023 at the Hyundai Reunion in Lake Como, Italy. If you have the feeling that its vision is taking you 'Back to the Future', it might be because its wedge-style nose and circular headlamps were a huge source of inspiration for the legendary De Lorean DMC 12 that starred in the famous film.

SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor’s Global Design Center.

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. Since the original concept car no longer exists, we commissioned Giorgetto Giugiaro to rebuild it based on our design philosophy, ‘Shaping the future with legacy.

- SangYup Lee Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center -

Front view of Heritage Series PONY EV with pixel-style lamps.

Rear view of the recreated Heritage Series PONY EV.

Past, present, and future inspiration.

At Hyundai, the Pony Coupe Concept is now considered a retro-futuristic classic that has served as design inspiration for more recent models, such as the N Vision 74 hydrogen-hybrid electric ‘Rolling Lab’ development vehicle and the ‘45’ EV concept car that directly influenced the IONIQ 5 all-electric vehicle.
Timeless exterior.

The Pony Coupe Concept’s origami-like exterior features flowing geometric lines, a sleek roofline, pure unadorned surfaces, dynamic proportions, a uniquely shaped B pillar. It boasts an extremely graphic surface treatment with bumpers painted in body colour.
Stunning interior.

The interior of the Heritage Series PONY EV gives expression to the model’s past and future. Elements from completely different eras harmonise in one place.