At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show Hyundai will show a stunning new design study created in conjunction with students at one of Italy’s top industrial design universities.
The IED PassoCorto is a joint project between Hyundai’s European design center and Turin’s Istituto Europeo di Design (hence the initials in its name). The collab employed the efforts of 16 students working towards their transportation design Master’s degrees, guided by Luca Borgogno, lead designer at Pininfarina.
The IED PassoCorto, which means “short wheelbase” in Italian, would theoretically sport a mid-engine layout with a bi-turbo, 266hp 1.6-liter four nestled behind the driver. Overall length measures 161 inches with a 96.5-inch wheelbase. That splits the lengthwise difference between a current-generation Mazda MX-5 and Scion FR-S, but the Hyundai is both wider at 74 inches and shorter at 45.7 inches than the larger Scion.
The result is a stunning compact performance car in the vein of the departed Toyota MR2 Turbo but with supercar looks. The nose is dominated by a wide grille and diffuser while three large scoops — one on each side and a third behind the canopy — channel air towards the engine bay. The rear is dominated by a jutting tail light element, and there is notable no rear windshield.
Hyundai says that the students were instructed to design a car for young customers constantly wired to the internet. However, there’s no mention of touch screens, connectivity or infotainment. If a mid-engined twin-turbo sports car is what IED students believe Generation Y 2.0 wants, then perhaps the state of automotive enthusiasm isn’t quite as dismal as naysayers would claim.
Of course, Hyundai has not said whether production of the IED PassoCorto is even a passing consideration. The live unveiling will take place at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
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