Hyundai My Baby Concept Car

[90ft]

Hyundai’s My Baby
Frankfurt 2009

It's not often that designers are given license to let their imaginations run wild but that's exactly what Hyundai's head of Global Design, Oh Suk-Geun, did with the ‘My Baby’ project. And the results are on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show for all to see.

Mr. Oh invited designers in Russelsheim Germany, Chiba Japan, Irvine California and Namyang Korea to delve into their imaginations and dream up their personal vision for the future of transportation. The result is a rich dreamscape worthy of Jules Verne or a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster. Most importantly of all, My Baby reveals to the world the formidable creative talents of Hyundai designers as well as their exceptional sketching abilities.

The My Baby collection, shown earlier this year at the Seoul Motor Show, has been greeted with great enthusiasm. The collection, consisting of 28 one-off models, is organized under five broad categories: Visionary Transportation Projects, Dream Machines, Future Vision, Eco Evolution and Eco Emotion.

Hyundai is pleased to bring the My Baby concept to a wider international audience at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the focus is on the subjects penned at the European Design Studio in Russelsheim in particular. (Note: Hyundai's press kit contains images and explanatory text for the entire My Baby collection showing examples from Korea, Japan and the United States, as well as Europe.)

Introduction

Welcome to the My Baby world, the realm of dream machines which elicit pure driving pleasure and emotional highs. Sleek lines, powerful proportions and sporting intentions define these vehicles.

Ideas have no limits and these concepts break the boundaries of transportation and defy all the rules. They incorporate new visionary shapes, forms, patterns and proportions for the future.

To follow are brief descriptions by the designers of their personal vision for each concept in their respective category.

Visionary Transportation Projects

1.
Designer: Cedric d'Andre
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Red Hawk (Reno Air Racer)

The Reno Air Race is one of the most exciting events in motorsports, and the rules are simple: "Fly low, turn left!" The Red Hawk air racer is designed to compete against the WWII-era warbirds that race in the prestigious Unlimited Class, where pilots push their heavily-modified machines to the limit. This fast fuel-cell powered twin-engine racer is built for ultimate speed and manoeuvrability, with its contra-rotating propellers and shape-shifting wing technology.

2.
Designer: Lee Dong-Seong
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 3
Concept: D2-H

The human vertebrae and rib cage provide a secure structure that protects vital organs. With this in mind, this project was carried out with the intention of developing a brand new race machine that securely protects the driver in an extreme environment with an exoskeleton frame, while also providing comfort.

3.
Designer: Cha Il-Hoei
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 3
Concept: SR-2

SR-2 is a 2023 transformable machine, developed as the future of personal mobility. A combination of motorcycle and flying machine, it can operate in virtually any terrain and surpass any obstacle.


4.
Designer: Lee Ji-Heon
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 1
Concept: 007 James Bond Transportation

Designed for a man on a mission with a need for speed, style and stealth.

5.
Designer: Mark Mainville
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Hyundai Dragonfly

Travelling from your private airport to any tropical destination in the Hyundai Dragonfly epitomizes the ultimate in luxury and style.

6.
Designer: Michel Glennison
Studio: Hyundai Design Centre Europe
Concept: Rocket Race

The designer dreamed of a new form of hyper spectacular entertainment, powered by Hyundai in the future (2030). He imagined a cross between a formula one car and a space shuttle. The result is a group of super-compact jets racing in the Grand Canyon.

[90ft]

7.
Designer: Yoon Seung-Eun
Studio: Hyundai Advanced Design Team
Concept: IBOT, Transformable Flying Jet Bike

This stretchable, transformational ride is for the speedaholic in the matrix world of 2035. Young pilots enjoy interactive extreme riding with flexible frames. Riders can adjust the seating position by pulling the adaptable frame and flexible handling arm. Also featured is a flexible seat module, advanced Head-Up Display and matrix main control connector.

Dream Machines

8.
Designer: Arash Badeanlou
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Namu The Paradise Sports Car

True paradise is the future of luxury living. Namu is made from self-sustaining environments incorporating bio-engineering and inspired by the plant kingdom. Hyundai has created a vehicle designed to conserve energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis. Since Namu is living, it is necessary to nurture the vehicle. The better you take care of it the better it performs thus establishing a stronger relationship between Namu and its owner. Made of 100 per cent recyclable materials, Namu is a breakthrough in sports car engineering.

9.
Designer: Jeon Chang-Hyuk
Studio: Hyundai Advanced Design Team
Concept: The Recycling Racing Monster

As the Earth’s desert expands and sea level rises, human living space will become smaller. Limited circuit space will result in the development of new forms of racing machines in order to fulfil human demand. The ultimate Racing Monster is created using environmentally friendly materials. After special compression and coating processes, dried grass (a by-product of accelerated desertification) creates a strong and light recyclable body material.

The organic futuristic form combines geometric design generated from object-focused destructive power and organic flow minimizing air resistance.

10.
Designer: Ham Pil-Joong
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 1
Concept: Terravolo

Terravolo takes its inspiration from the most delicate and beautiful flower, the orchid. Its creator pondered the very idea of beauty: real beauty is the satisfaction gained through visual pleasure which continues through time.

Incorporated into this futuristic single-seater, the oriental orchid represents timeless visual pleasure and the ability to create three-dimensional surface curvature, displaying both refinement and strength in surface tension.

11.
Designer: Roger Flores
Studio: Hyundai Global Design
Concept: Formula Electric

Electric cars don't have to be boring. The Formula Electric car can be built from the readily available chassis of the Type 111 (used by Tesla). Together with a carbon fibre body, the total vehicle weight can be a mere 650kg. The downforce of the body means this race car could be an effective weapon on the track.

12.
Designer: Kim Seung-Kyu
Studio: Hyundai Advanced Design Team
Concept: GT-Air

The year is 2040, the era when ultimate technology has been achieved and the principle source of energy has been altered. Propelled by electricity, the GT-Air is a vehicle to be operated both on city roads and racing tracks. It can also be transformed into a convertible.

Equipped with a self-charging system, it delivers energy into driving power using a hypersonic transmitter. It floats in the air as it does not have any links between the vehicle and the running gear. This mechanism provides customers with driving pleasure and comfort when it comes to long distance driving and tough racing.

[90ft]

Eco-Emotion

13.
Designer: Kim Dong-Ryul
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 3
Concept: Eco Sports Flyer

Imagine flying away from congested roads and travelling into the distant bright sky. Such dreams become reality with the Eco Sports Flyer. This solar-energy powered, environmentally friendly hybrid flying vehicle is a combination of a hot-air balloon and a paraglider.

The Eco Sports Flyer is an environmentally friendly sports recreation mobile which uses ultra-light weight solar panels placed on each of the wings to power and propel the vehicle. Eco Sports Flyer floats by inhaling air through its front vent and sending the heated air to the wings, slowly elevating the vehicle. The solar panel on each wing transforms the heat energy into electricity, activating the propeller for free movement.

14.
Designer: Jason Brown
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Marsh Racer

With global warming contributing to flooding and higher sea levels, the future of our Earth's surface will be mostly wetlands and marshes. Like many creatures that live on our planet, vehicles too will have to adapt to the ever-changing environment of nature and its unpredictable character. Inspired by the turtle and frog, this open swamp buggy has retractable wheels so it can perform like a skipping stone to leap, hide and skim across the surface of the wetland forests.

15.
Designer: Park Joon-Ho
Studio: Design Team 2
Concept: L-Plash

In 2025 the challenge of global warming will need to be met by an all-new form of transportation, the multi-Amphibious Vehicle (APV). The L-Plash is jet-powered and features a rear main wheel which doubles as a water propeller to deliver total mobility over land, sea and air.

16.
Designer: Sandy Hartono
Studio: Hyundai Global Design
Concept: Dendronautics

Dendronautics stems from the Greek words dendron (tree) and nautica (navigation). To explore the rain forest canopy using airships and similar aerial platforms, this niche in science and engineering brings people or scientific instruments close to the crowns of forest trees.

17.
Designer: Lim Sung-Dae
Studio: Hyundai Global Design
Concept: Firence Wagon

The concept is an eco-friendly three-passenger gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle suitable for resorts. Since its sole purpose is for sightseeing, it's designed to operate at low-speeds. The designer was inspired by a personal vignette for the Firence Wagon: "One fine day, on the Ponte Vecchio where Dante met Beatrice, I dreamed about riding in a horse-drawn carriage driven by a stablemen...Inspiration always comes at the moments when I dream about travelling."

Eco Evolution

18.
Designer: Eric Stoddard
Studio: Hyundai Global Design
Concept: E-Trike

In the future, cities will become more dense and crowded, to the point where conventional cars become the least efficient way of going from place to place. Increasing traffic jams, parking costs, and environmental pollution will be the result of too much dependence on conventional cars.

The E-Trike concept is a small, personal vehicle with weather protection for all-seasons, storage capacity for a few bags of groceries, electric power for zero pollution and lithium batteries for a longer range. The innovative hubless three-wheel design with full suspension provides excellent handling, safety and convenience. The overall size is similar to a bicycle or scooter, presenting a real alternative to cars and a solution to urban traffic.

The styling of E-Trike is organic and flowing, inspired by tropical flowers and plants. Its nature-derived shape is friendly and inviting, while inspiring its owner to do their part to help the environment. It's a vehicle you can feel good about!

[90ft]

19.
Designer: John Kresteski
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Lane Splitting

The design concept is a hybrid balance of two species, a car and a motorcycle fused together to empower all driving needs. There is the option to transform the vessel from a wide road-car when traffic is flowing and make it narrow, like a motorcycle, to allow drivers/riders to keep forward momentum in heavy traffic by splitting lanes.

20.
Designer: Osamu Shikado
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Self Balanced Single Seater

American freeway traffic is always heavy. More than 90 per cent of the vehicles that use the freeway are occupied by just a single driver. Is there a better transportation device? This concept relies on a self-balancing gyro technology to achieve safe, self-balanced riding on a single wheel.

21.
Designer: Roberto Kuehn
Studio: Hyundai Design Europe
Concept: Mission i-CE

Mission i-CE is launched in 2021 when all nations across the world realize fundamental climate change is imminent. In 2045, Mission i-CE will be the most important environmental expedition organization worldwide. This organization, sponsored by Hyundai Motor, will attempt to unlock the global winter in an attempt balancing the challenging climate situation of the day.

22.
Designer: Hiroshi Suzuki
Studio: Hyundai Design Japan
Concept: i-Balance

The personal vehicle for the next generation is part electric wheelchair and part balance ball. It can climb stairs and even jump over small bumps. At high speeds, it inclines far forward into a diagonal position to minimize aerodynamic drag.


23.
Designer: Yukiyoshi Sugo
Studio: Hyundai Design Japan
Concept: Freedom

In the future, our notions of personal transportation will be totally redefined as a result of population growth, climate change and the depletion of natural resources. Freedom is the ultimate personal commuter, a transformer with three transportation modes: Speed (highways), City (stop and go traffic) and Walk (stairs and other).

Future Vision

24.
Designer: Chris Zalenga
Studio: Hyundai North America
Concept: Horseless Carriage

A modern Horseless Carriage driven by sci-fi gadgetry uses fluid lines converging with microchip precision. Power is provided by a team of six nuclear-powered robots held together by magnetic energy and guided by GPS. The Carriage is made of 100 per cent recycled material to save weight and energy. The Carriage is for the aristocrat of society in the year 2050 when all fossil fuels have been consumed.

[90ft]

25.
Designer: Kim Dae-Keun
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 1
Concept: Pegasus Mega Power Tractor

Horses are central to the story of civilization: meek and mild they are domesticated animals but can also be wild in their natural environment.

The Pegasus truck was inspired by the winged horse of Greek mythology. This stylish hybrid-powered tractor is designed for long-distance cargo hauling. It features an aerodynamic side profile and spoiler for reduced air resistance. The eco-friendly powertrain is powered by both CNG and solar panels provide electricity.

26.
Designer: Martin Frost
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: BlackFish

Computing power in recent years has caused a shift towards "de-construction" of traditional design paradigms. In their place we're seeing, in all design disciplines, levels of complexity, structural sophistication and intricacy previously unattainable. BlackFish builds upon this trend with its diagonal structural, aesthetic theme and facetted greenhouse. It is propelled by fuel cell and electric hub motors in each of the wheels.

27.
Designer: Neils Kasten
Studio: Hyundai Design Europe
Concept: HSC-1

Speed limits, traffic jams and ecologic aspects are restricting our way of driving. In the future this problem will become worse. For this purpose, the Hyundai Speed Resort and a suitable car have been designed. At the adult amusement park visitors can recapture the essence of driving: the pure fun of controlling a vehicle and the pleasure of driving fast.

The High-Speed Resort is a playground for the HSC-1 concept. Here it can be pushed to its limits and drivers can enjoy the thrill and the excitement of speed and racing. Visitors can race during the day and spend evenings cruising down the boulevard.

HSC-1 has been designed using a mixture of soft, aerodynamic forms and surfaces expressing the aspect of prestige and speed. The hard and more geometrical elements communicate the designer’s technical enthusiasm.

To reduce weight and increase stability and stiffness, the chassis provides an organic structure which follows the flow of forces. This also helps save energy and increase speed. What’s more, the hull of the HSC-1 can be adapted to suit all driving purposes.

28.
Designer: Nico Munkler
Studio: Hyundai Design Europe
Concept: apester

The idea for apester comes from analyzing real-time human motion sequences to directly execute them on a mechanical level. Its appearance as well as its ability to use arms for motion is inspired by the ape.

The "Cross-It Challenge" has been designed to provide the perfect playground for this vehicle. Here the driver can enjoy driving, climbing and jumping in order to cross all obstacles lying or standing on the race track.

The apester features:
• Split-screen displays providing control options and protecting the pilot's upper body
• Driving mode aero-kit for outstanding performance
• Climbing unit (hidden during race mode)
• Joystick control unit for driving mode
• Concealable rear-wheel construction
• Pneumatic grip spike
• Bio-electric sensors attached to the skin monitor nerve which use impulses from the brain to the muscles, indicating that movement such as raising an arm or finger is about to happen. The signal is relayed to the computer where it is analysed and used to launch the actuators even before the suit wearer moves.