Hyundai to Unveil Trio of New Vehicles at IAA 2007 in Frankfurt - VIDEO ENHANCED
• Stylish and versatile i30 estate makes world debut
• i-Blue – Hyundai’s third generation of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
• Veloster coupe designed for young, fun-loving drivers
FRANKFURT - Spetember 9, 2007: Three new cars being unveiled by Hyundai at the Frankfurt show this week will demonstrate the company's commitment to making vehicles which are both stylish and environmentally responsible.
First of the trio to be revealed at the show, which opens to the public on 13 September, will be the i-Blue Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle.
i-Blue will be joined by the Veloster, a stunning coupe concept, and the production version of the hugely practical i30 estate.
i-Blue
In keeping with this year’s IAA show theme of
sustainability and climate protection, the i-Blue demonstrates a
significant step towards commercialisation of hydrogen-powered fuel cell
vehicles. Hyundai is making tremendous efforts to achieve mass production
using the technology within the next decade.
The hydrogen-powered, zero-emission concept was developed at Hyundai’s Design and Technical Centre in Chiba, Japan. The all-new platform is tailored to use Hyundai’s third-generation fuel cell technology, currently being developed at the company’s Eco-Technology Research Institute in Mabuk, Korea.
Unlike its predecessors, which were built on SUV platforms, the i-Blue is a new D-segment 2+2 crossover utility vehicle (CUV).
“The i-Blue is Hyundai’s first-ever model designed from the ground up to incorporate fuel cell technology, marking a tremendous leap forward for our R&D program,” said Dr Hyun-Soon Lee, President of Research and Development. “Our engineering team has successfully designed a more compact fuel cell vehicle, while still realising the safety, comfort, convenience and driving range of a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle.”
Veloster
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“With Veloster, we wanted to try something really different. We’re keenly aware that we need radically new products for the Y-generation, the first-time buyer in their twenties,” said Oh Suk-Geun, Hyundai’s vice president of design. “This is really a bold new direction.”
i30 Estate
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A stretched wheelbase ensures that the i30 has an appetite for luggage which would embarrass many cars from the next segment up.
Full details and prices will be revealed nearer the model’s UK launch in early 2008.