Hyundai Le Fil Rouge concept revealed at Geneva motor show

Hyundai revealed its Le Fil Rouge concept car at the Geneva motor show as the blueprint for the brand's future design direction.

The new theme, named Sensuous Sportiness and was first applied to the Kona, Nexo and Santa Fe SUVs which came with 'cascading' grilles and wide bonnets. The design theme is claimed to exhibit harmonised proportion, architecture, styling, and technology.

“Our goal is to build Hyundai into a beloved brand by creating vehicles with heightened emotional value," said the company's head of styling, Sang Yup Lee.

Le Fil Rouge translates from French to 'common thread' and the concept's design is said to reflect
Hyundai’s belief that the brand’s past, present and future designs are all connected. "The concept is a reinterpretation of Hyundai’s design DNA that originated from the Coupé concept of 1974,” said Luc Donckerwolke, head of design. This wedge-shaped car was penned by Italdesign and previewed Hyundai's first-ever model, the Pony.

The integrated pillars and swept look of the Le Fil Rouge, along with the long wheelbase and short overhangs, are said to imbue the five-door coupé with a 'dynamic' look.

Hyundai describes the frame of the interior as a 'tube architecture' that reflects the exterior profile of the car. The company claims the car's four-seat cabin is designed to give a calm, spacious and comfortable travel environment, with ample legroom for passengers, and a driver's seat that's optimised for ergonomics.

Features on the concept include an aviation-inspired two-way air- conditioning system and trims made from revitalised wood. Infotainment duties are handled by a panoramic display with haptic feedback for the driver, while rear passengers each get a touchscreen.

The interior is divided by a 'floating' wrap-around central console that extends from the dashboard back to the rear seat bench, like in the new Range Rover SV Coupé.

Hyundai's Sensuous Sportiness theme takes over from Fluid Sculpture, which was introduced with the Sonata sedan in 2009.