Following a decade or so during which it has successfully shown the world that it can build cars that are both attractively designed and attractively priced, Hyundai announced that it is embarking on a new design path. The pronouncement was made at the 2018 Geneva auto show, where the company provided a glimpse of what lies ahead for Hyundai-branded automobiles in the form of the winsome Le Fil Rouge concept, a.k.a. the HDC-1.
While le fil rouge literally means ?red wire? in French, Hyundai interprets the phrase as ?common thread? and says that the design is ?a reflection of Hyundai?s belief that the brand?s past, present, and future designs are all connected.? Fittingly, inspiration for this Le Fil Rouge concept derives from the first ever Hyundai concept car, introduced way back in 1974 and called?you guessed it?HDC-1.
This effectively marks the end of Hyundai?s well-received Fluidic Sculpture form vocabulary in favor of a new design mantra dubbed Sensuous Sportiness, which Hyundai defines as four fundamental elements in vehicle design?proportion, architecture, styling, and technology?coexisting in harmony. Hyundai says Sensuous Sportiness will be the guiding principle of all Hyundai vehicles moving forward, from sedans to SUV designs, with the primary goal of making its cars more beautiful and emotionally appealing.
Breaking down those elements a bit, Hyundai stated that in terms of proportion, its Sensuous Sportiness will utilize the ?golden ratio? that appears so oft...