Hyundai promoted its new slogan: “New thinking, New possibilities” as it unveiled the Curb concept car yesterday at the Detroit International Auto Show. The Curb is a compact “Urban Activity Vehicle” (UAV) which is aimed at a younger generation of Hyundai buyers with its “fluidic sculpture” design language.
The exterior is supposed to resemble a sport bike motorcycle helmet as the wrap-around windscreen extends into the bonnet. Exhaust vents open to reveal a bike and pop-up roof rack while a third rear access door continues the rugged yet high-tech look. Hyundai designer, Jason Brown, says, “we wanted the Curb to be urban tough without looking like a Brink’s truck.”
The interior houses a large acrylic screen with multiple zones allowing information to be passed between passengers via a touchcreen. The steering wheel is an opaque surface with a monitor showing through. A heads-up display by Continental shows vehicle diagnostics, downloads applications and acts as a videophone. The display is also linked to cameras which replace the side mirrors.
Hyundai’s new Blue Link technology keeps the younger generation connected to their electronics at all times, including social networking sites. Other features of Blue Link include automatic crash notification and assistance, remote vehicle start, location sharing, voice text messaging, stolen vehicle recovery, traffic and weather.
The Curb is powered by a direct-injection, 1,6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 130 kW and 220 N.m of torque.
