The Busan Motor Show has opened today in South Korea’s
second-largest city. And the country’s largest automaker was on hand not only
with its existing range of vehicles, but with a brand-new concept that previews
the company’s new design language.
Called the HDC-2 Grandmaster, the SUV concept
follows the HDC-1 sedan concept – dubbed “Le Fil Rouge” – that Hyundai revealed
at the Geneva Motor Show just a few months ago. And like Le Fil Rouge, the
Grandmaster adopts the brand’s new “Hyundai Look” styling direction.
The concept looks rather imposing, with a large form capped by
a big grille. The wheels look pretty big too, and the overall design looks
suitably conceptual – though not so far-fetched that it couldn’t be adapted for
production.
The last time Hyundai produced an SUV looking this
large was with the Veracruz, a mid-size crossover produced from 2006 to 2012.
Its place has since been taken by the long-wheelbase version of the Santa Fe
that was previously positioned underneath it, but we wouldn’t discount the
possibility of the Korean automaker introducing a new flagship crossover over
and above its current lineup. But it’d have to steer clear of Genesis
territory, now that the sub-brand has been spun off into its own.
Together with the Grandmaster concept, Hyundai also
indicated the expansion of its N performance brand. Though it didn’t reveal
many specific details, it did suggest that there’ll be more N models coming
down the pipeline, as well as sporty-looking N Line trims and N Option
accessories offered for the company’s entire lineup.
