Hyundai just won a major design award for its EV concept that has joysticks instead of a steering wheel — take a closer look at the Prophecy
Hyundai won a "Best of the Best" Red Dot Award for its Prophecy concept car, the company announced Thursday.
With sweeping lines and smooth curves, the Prophecy's design feels almost like a mashup of the Tesla Model 3 and Porsche 911.
Concept cars often show an exaggerated version of where an automaker wants to go in the future, but the Prophecy, or at least something like it, is headed to production.
Hyundai just won a 2020 Red Dot Award for its latest and sleekest concept car — the Prophecy. The design concept got a nod as the "Best of the Best" in the mobility and transportation category.
Unlike most concept cars, however, the award-winning Prophecy — or a version of it, at least — is headed for production, a Hyundai executive told Auto Express in April.
"There will be a production version of Prophecy coming after a production version of the 45 concept," SangYup Lee, Hyundai senior vice president and head of the Hyundai Global Design Center, said. "The 45 is more inspired by the 1970s, but a more modern SUV style that's more mainstream. The Prophecy is inspired by the 1930s streamlined era."
Hyundai debuted the concept in March, showing it off with a video presentation after the Geneva International Motor Show was canceled amid coronavirus concerns. It's electric and autonomous, but like most concept cars, it's just an exaggerated idea of what the future will look like — not necessarily a solidified production model, whose blueprints will come later. If the car is anything to go by, the future looks pretty darn good.
With its looks echoing part Tesla Model 3 and part Porsche 911, the Prophecy concept sports a sleek, fastback shape, pixelated headlights, and a clear-acrylic spoiler out back. Hyundai might have gone a bit far with the language in its press release — describing the Prophecy as "sensuous," "voluptuous," and fostering "an emotional connection between humans and automobiles" — but the Prophecy is, at least, stunning.
Scroll down to see inside the Prophecy concept, which will hint at what we can expect from a production version:
Hyundai just received a Red Dot Award for its ultra-sleek, electric Prophecy concept car. The design won "Best of the Best" in the mobility and transportation category.
The vehicle may soon become a reality. Hyundai will sell two production cars based on concepts — the Prophecy and the "45" — a Hyundai executive told Auto Express.
Source: Auto Express
The 45 concept also was named a "Winner" in the same category.
Hyundai first revealed the beautiful concept car in early March through an online presentation.
The car, as its name suggests, gives us a glimpse at what the production version of the Prophecy EV may look like. But it's still unknown how closely the production model will resemble the concept version.
An EV mullet of sorts, as the the Prophecy screams Tesla in the front ...
... and Porsche in the back.
Its built-in rear wing, which helps keep the car planted when cruising at high speeds, looks a whole lot like Porsche's whale-tail spoiler found on some 911 models.
And the Prophecy's front end — home to some futuristic, pixelated headlights — gives off serious Model 3 vibes.
That look is carried over to the rear lights, and Hyundai says the pixelated lamps will be "a signature design element in future Hyundai models."
But let's hope Hyundai holds onto more of this striking concept than just the lights.
For starters, the clear acrylic wing is a nice touch.
And the Prophecy is full of functional design elements as well — an air intake below the bumper, for example, serves to cool the batteries.
And turbine-shaped wheels draw in air, making the Prophecy more aerodynamic.
Hyundai gave the concept car a long wheelbase and minimal overhang to accentuate its sleek, elegant look ...
... but that stretched-out wheelbase also makes room for a spacious interior that's meant more for lounging than driving.
While elements of the Prophecy's exterior could feasibly be found in a production Hyundai in the near future, the car's cabin is less realistic.
Evidently catered toward autonomous driving, the Prophecy sports a pair of joysticks instead of a conventional steering wheel.
Hyundai says that 90% of the car's functions can be controlled using the joysticks.
Those enable the driver to lean back and "control the vehicle from a position of comfort," Hyundai says.
Drivers can adjust the seat manually, or input their height and weight to let the car find the ideal seating position for them.
From that reclined position — and without a pesky steering wheel in the way — the driver can fully take in the Prophecy's pillar-to-pillar display.
A future where passengers can lean back and rely on autonomous driving is still a long way away — but looks are another story, and we'll hopefully see these styling cues on the production version of the Prophecy soon.
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