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Concept SUV Loaded with Class-Leading Features, Demonstrating Hyundai's Commitment to the U.S. Market DETROIT, Jan. 5, 1999 - Hyundai marks its first step into the expanding sport-utility vehicle market with today's worldwide debut of the "Santa Fe" concept SUV at the 1999 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Santa Fe is the first SUV designed, engineered, and developed by Hyundai, South Korea's leading automaker. A production version of the concept vehicle will go on sale in the spring of next year at Hyundai dealerships across the United States. "With the Santa Fe, Hyundai has demonstrated its continuing commitment to the North American auto market by researching and developing an SUV that will be sold primarily in the United States," said Finbarr O'Neill, president, and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor America. THE SANTA FE CONCEPT The Hyundai concept SUV is named after the capital city in the American Southwest, known both for its rugged Western character and its sophisticated design and style sense. Taking its name, logo, and styling cues from the spirit of the U.S. Southwestern desert, the Santa Fe features bronze and terra cotta body colors, a sand-toned leather-wrapped interior, and even a warm-chrome finish on its windmill-style alloy wheels. The Santa Fe is powered by an all-aluminum, 24-valve, double-overhead-cam V-6 engine, transversely mounted. The transmission is a four-speed, electronically controlled, fully adaptive automatic. Power is transmitted to the wheels through an electronically controlled, all-wheel-drive system with a viscous coupling that seamlessly engages the rear wheels for added traction when needed -- without any input from the driver. The Santa Fe has a MacPherson strut front suspension. At the back is a semi-trailing arm rear suspension. The Santa Fe shows Hyundai family resemblance to the Tiburon coupe and Sonata sedan with solid character lines over the front and rear wheel wells. At the same time, Santa Fe's body-side contours recall a desert landscape and give the Hyundai a more styling personality than traditionally angular SUVs. Big 17-inch wheels and tires supply Santa Fe with an aggressive stance on the road, and large oval headlamps are placed at the corners of the front end to create an image of size and presence. The Santa Fe is similar in size to the Isuzu Rodeo, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV 4. Designed to meet the driving demands of most SUV buyers, the Santa Fe was built to drive like a car, with a definite on-road focus, yet serve as an excellent vehicle in all weather and limited-traction conditions. AN INTERIOR CREATED FOR CONVENIENCE AND SAFETY The Santa Fe boasts several everyday convenience items to please SUV buyers. In addition to universal-size cup-holders, the Santa Fe is equipped with water bottle holders. Unusual "free-floating" door handles make exits easier while side pockets with lids sit beneath the armrests. Two 12-volt in-dash outlets, and one placed in the rear, address various electrical accessory needs. Also in the back is a handy lift-out picnic table, accessible through the large rear hatch mounted on telescoping struts. The spare tire stows out of the way beneath the rear of the car. The Santa Fe has essential safety features, such as second-generation, depowered dual frontal airbags. A Passenger-Presence Detection system shuts off the passenger-side airbags when a small child, or no one, is in the seat. The front seat belts also come with automatic pretensioners to cinch the belt in the event of a collision. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION A team of designers at the Hyundai California Design Center created the original Santa Fe. The vehicle was designed in the United States because America has been the home of the sport utility vehicle. However, trends worldwide were carefully analyzed during the research and design phases of the vehicle's preparation. Hyundai's other design centers in Germany, Tokyo, and Seoul were consulted during the project, and their input was incorporated into the final design. Italdesign California Inc. (IDC) was the fabrication and preparation partner for the concept vehicle. Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Korea's Hyundai Motor Company. Hyundai cars are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through nearly 500 dealerships nationwide. Source: Hyundai

In 1995, Hyundai developed a hybrid electric vehicle, the FGV-1, and followed it in 1999 when the FGV-2 debuted at the Seoul Motor Show. More recently, Hyundai introduced the County bus, plus Elantra- and Accent-based hybrid-electric sedans. Source: www.hyundainews.com; Hyundai

The Spocket is an F-Mover that combines true driving pleasure with sports utility. This powerful combination is made possible by a futuristic open 2x2-seater design that opens up a new world of sporty mobility. Credit for creating the spunky-looking Spocket concept vehicle goes to Honda R & D Americas, Inc., in Torrance, Calif. This two-tone prototype blended the best features from a convertible, pickup, and sports car into one vehicle. The 4-seat Spocket changed into a 2-place cockpit at the touch of a button, and the clamshell top retracted for open-air driving. Painted in striking bright red over gunmetal gray color, the Spocket featured tilt-up doors. Spocket was fitted with an advanced drivetrain that employed a hybrid gasoline-electric engine powering the front wheels and two in-wheel electric motors for the rear wheels to provide a full-time four-wheel drive. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; Honda; www.carculture.com

The Neukom, an F-Mover and a new approach to car design, is a relaxing and open communication capsule. Neukom takes you to an exciting future of more accessible communication. It looks like a Lilliputian bus, and in many ways, the Honda Neukom is. With easy access through its doors, there’s room for up to five passengers in a unique 1+2+2 layout, giving everyone room to move. The two central seats can turn around to convert the vehicle into a rolling meeting room. Sources: www.thecarconnection.com; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

How far can an automobile be a source of entertainment? Presented at the Tokyo Motor Show is this four-seater with a short but high overall silhouette that turns night into day when it comes to having fun, as the name "Fuya-Jo" represents. A unique combination of the lowered and flattened floor and semi-standing seats means that the driver and the passengers can enjoy a skateboard riding impression. The exterior draws the attention of on-lookers who feel compelled to turn around with the temptation of another glance. Fuya-jo was designed as a mobile city tool for the young generation. Sources: world.honda.com; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Exhibited at the 2000 Chicago Auto Show, the FCX (Fuel Cell Experimental) was Honda’s idea for a future Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV). Remarkably slim and compact, with a short nose for maneuverability and a sizeable forward-mounted cabin, the FCX was designed based on a Twin Solid concept. The floor and cockpit are separate entities with distinct roles. Environment-friendly, the experimental power plant ran on methanol. By extracting hydrogen from methanol and combining it with oxygen to create a chemical reaction, the FCX was able to generate electricity and thus drive a motor. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

The Thunderbird concept was a modern interpretation of the classic two-seat 1955-57 Thunderbirds convertible. A removable hardtop featured porthole windows, and other styling cues included the huge headlights, hood scoop, and large round taillights. The Lincoln LS 3.9-liter V-8 supplied power with over 250 horsepower, teamed with a five-speed automatic. Ford began manufacturing the 21st century Thunderbird as a 2002 model. www.chicagoautoshow.com; www.auto.com

The plastic two-seater TH!NK, intended primarily for the Scandinavian market, although topped with a Ford nameplate, is the development of the Norwegian company Pivco Industries Ltd., a majority stake that North America took over. Source: Зеленое будущее (Михаил Васильев, Дмитрий Поликарпов) - Журнал «МОТОР», Март 1999 года (Translated from Russian); www.auto.com; www.carculture.com

Proving what might be achieved with a few spare wedges from an old game of Trivial Pursuit, Ford's 1999 P2000 was half of a study (the rest is for a station wagon) to illustrate some vague notion of what we might drive in the future. Power for this what-if would come from a petrol-electric hybrid system. To be generous, such doodles did mark the foothills of Ford's move towards 'New Edge' design, if nothing more. Source: Simon Hacker/MSN Cars; Ford

The Ford 021C urban concept vehicle was created by one of the world's most acclaimed product designers to appeal to a group of consumers who are mostly too young to own a car currently. Aged 21 years and under, these consumers are highly brand literate, extremely technologically aware, and want quality products that express their individuality. "The Ford 021C is an honest, simple, engaging car, and these are values which resonate with this important group of emerging automotive consumers," said Ford's Vice-President of Design, J Mays. Mays said the project has helped change the way Ford designs new vehicles. "As car designers, we tend to approach everything from an automotive perspective," Mays said. "The Ford 021C treats the car as a cultural icon. We have created a distinct point of view with this car, and if you don't get it, don't worry - you're probably not meant to." Mays said the philosophy behind the 021C lays the foundation for a new generation of Ford vehicles which will appeal to a new generation of consumers into the 21st century. "This is all about making that vital connection with customers, no matter how different their world view and life experiences might be from our own." The carbon fiber exterior features simple shapes and clean surfaces with no superfluous decoration. The door handles, for example, are simple aluminum buttons surrounded by a translucent plastic ring which is illuminated as the remote central locking is activated. The glasshouse is light and airy, with thin pillars all round and clamshell door frames to ensure the widest possible apertures. The front and rear views of the Ford 021C are dominated by single light lenses and a wrap-around bumper. Every element of the Ford 021C has been designed by Marc Newson, apart from the mechanical and electrical systems. Newson designed the instrument panel graphics, switches, wheels, and tread on the specially produced Pirelli tires. "It's easily the most comprehensive design job I've ever done," he said. "It was like designing 500 products at once." Newson, who owns a classic Aston Martin DB4 and has designed everything from glassware to furniture to restaurant interiors, said he wanted to design a car that wasn't intimidating. "I wanted to create a car that was light, likable, and fun," he said. "Ask children to draw a car, and they'll draw something like this, so in many ways, the 021C is a familiar and comfortable object," Newson said. "But it doesn't use many typical automotive design cues, and while it does incorporate some interesting technology, it's not the technology used simply for the sake of it." Sources: www.auto.com; conceptcar.co.uk;

Conceived by Pininfarina to commemorate the Centenary Fiat, the Wish was a technological study for a 2+2 convertible capable of being transformed in a few seconds from Cabriolet to Coupé and back through an advanced electro-hydraulic system that tucked the roof away into the upper section of the boot. Source: pininfarina spa.

The EDAG Group's first concept car: the EDAG Scout, a pickup derivative based on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. The design of the derivative's exterior perfectly adopts the stylistic elements of the base model. Its speciality is its tailgate, which is lowered electrically and integrated flush with the cargo bed. Source: https://www.edag.com/en/innovation/concept-cars?sword_list%5B0%5D=genesis&cHash=f78f20ebc97021897d306098db509127

Dodge’s Power Wagon concept vehicle, shown in 1999, was inspired by the 1946 Dodge model of the same name. The modern pickup truck prototype was built off the Ram chassis and featured 35-inch wheels. At 77-inches high, the Power Wagon was a full 3- inches taller than the production Ram. Like its 1940s predecessor, the Power Wagon included bumpers, fenders, and running boards separated from the body. A 250 horsepower, 7.2-liter diesel in-line 6-cylinder was teamed with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; www.auto.com; www.kimballstock.com

The Dodge Charger R/T is a functional concept car developed in 1999 by American automobile manufacturer Chrysler. It took many styling cues from the 1960s Chargers (most notably the second generation) but, unlike the original, had four doors. The designers attempted to blend the rear doors into the design not to be noticed very quickly. The decision to add four doors was made due to the declining sport coupe market in North America. Compressed natural gas was purported as being in the lineup for a possible fuel source. The concept's exterior design was supervised by Tom Gale, head of Chrysler's styling department. Design partner Trevor Creed did the interior design. While the concept car shared the long nose and rear cab of the original 1966 Dodge Charger, it was shorter overall. It was 187 in (4,750 mm) long compared to 203 in (5,156 mm) for the 1966 Charger. It was also lighter, 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) versus 3,650 lb (1,656 kg). Other design features shared with the 1966 Charger included coke-bottle styling, flying rear buttresses, full-length taillamps, and air intakes on the front and sides. The vehicle was fueled by CNG (compressed natural gas) technology. It had functional side scoops, and the chrome-plated, centrally mounted exhaust was somewhat reminiscent of the Dodge Viper. The concept had functional air exhausters sculpted into its rear fascia. It used a new storage tank system to deliver a 300 mi (480 km) range while not compromising storage space in the trunk. The car's interior featured bucket seats for all four occupants, a center console running the entire length of the dashboard, a three-spoke steering wheel inspired by NASCAR race cars, and rotary-styled gauges. The interior was upholstered in black and red leather and had a carbon-fiber trim. The center console, along with the back of the seats, had exposed metal parts. Inside the fiberglass storage tank, the cylinders, or pressure cells, were lined with a gas-impermeable high-density polyurethane (HDPE) thermoplastic and wrapped in a hybrid mix of high-strength carbon and super-tough glass filaments that were wound with an epoxy resin. The cylinders were laid into a foam egg crate to absorb impacts. They were designed to be strong yet lightweight, resistant to environmental damage, reliable, and durable. The fuel could be stored at 3,600 lb³ of pressure. The car was powered by a supercharged 289 cubic inch 4.7-liter V8 engine with two valves per cylinder and a single overhead cam, rated at 325 hp (242 kW) at 6,000 rpm. The engine was mated to a five-speed manual transmission. This was the first rear-wheel-drive car built on the Chrysler LH platform, with all of the prior cars built on the same platform being front-wheel drive. The car was rumored to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds. Following the Daimler Chrysler merger, the management went in another direction with the company's future, and the concept car was not placed into production. A newly developed Dodge Charger (LX) would not reach production until the 2006 model year. The new Charger bore little resemblance to the 1999 concept. Fun Fact: The car was featured in the video game Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition. Sources: www.chicagoautoshow.com; www.auto.com; www.kimballstock.com; www.allpar.com; www.drivingline.com; gazeo.com

At the 1999 Mumbai Motor Show, the DC demonstrated the Vampire (a roadster based on the Daewoo Cielo). Source: car-cat.com; DC Design

At the end of 1999, the roadster Arka (based on the Maruti Esteem) had its debut. Source: car-cat.com; DC Design

A robust and modern design and outstanding power performance with enough room to four in comfort, all of those are packaged in light car size. The Daihatsu SP-4 was a 4WD smaller than a RAV4. The SP-4 had projector headlamps, a silver-frame shaped with colorful door panels and bumpers, a faux aluminum instrument panel, flat-folding rear seats for cargo space, and yes, four-wheel drive with a Low gear. Its 0.66-liter turbo three-cylinder spins out 64 hp through a four-speed automatic. Source: www.thecarconnection.com; DAIHATSU MOTOR CO.

The profusion of Smart-type vehicles at Tokyo didn’t miss Daihatsu, which exhibited the Micros-3l, its two-seat commuter trike capable of sipping only three liters of fuel per 100 km. The Micros uses Daihatsu’s twin cam three-cylinder with a CVT to achieve hyper fuel economy. For pleasure, the Micros has a removable T-top panel, and the rear glass descends into the body a la Honda’s late, unlamented del Sol. Source: www.thecarconnection.com; DAIHATSU MOTOR CO.

The Kopen was a lightweight, two-seater sports car with a light car's size and power unit. The Kopen was first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999. Its second coming took place in the same place in 2001, and it was launched into mass production in 2002. Source: DAIHATSU MOTOR CO.

The EZ-U speeds up this process by looking to be the next-generation standard by using increased spaciousness to appeal to a broad range of users. Concept RV-type light cars have already taken root in the marketplace and are rapidly becoming standardized. The EZ-U speeds up this process by looking to be the next-generation standard by using increased spaciousness to appeal to a broad range of users. It is a light passenger car with all the features needed for everyday use and an extensive set of functions that make it suitable for all kinds of lifestyles. Design The EZ-U has a sound, functional silhouette that reflects the universal appeal that is the design theme. All the tension lines of the body are directed downward, imparting a look of stability and enhanced presence on urban roads. Modernistic touches include the large lamps and wheel spats. The styling is a suitable counterpart for the many novel functions that the EZ-U incorporates. Packaging The EZ-U has an overall length of 3,395 mm, a width of 1,475 mm, a height of 1,550 mm, and a wheelbase of 2,460 mm. Thus, there is plenty of head clearance and legroom. The use of the small, low-profile 165/60R10 tires made it possible to provide a large floor area. The doors are large and can be opened to an angle of 90 degrees which, with the low rockers and height adjusters that allow the vehicle to be raised or lowered by up to 70 mm, make it very easy to get in and out. The position of the bench seats can be adjusted longitudinally and sideways, and seating can be arranged in six different ways. Rear seats can be folded flat, and the 250-mm longitudinal stroke also allows the seats to be slid right the way back into a limousine configuration. Seats can also be swiveled. The overall result is a high degree of seating flexibility. Mechanism The highly efficient engine is combined with an eco CVT transmission to provide a performance that is both smooth and economical. The EZ-U delivers all-around safety by using a crash-safety body and good fuel consumption. Source: www.autoweb.com.au; DAIHATSU MOTOR CO.