Hyundai app lets you build your own zombie apocalypse car

Sun, 04 Aug 2013

Walking Dead fans, rejoice! Thanks to Hyundai, you can build your very own virtual zombie survival machine. We've all seen the light-green Hyundai Tucson transporting the likes of Rick Grimes and his motley crew of survivors in AMC's hit series, and now you can get in on the action with Hyundai's Walking Dead Chop Shop.

Available both as a mobile app and desktop version, this quirky configurator presents you with a choice of three Hyundai vehicles: the Veloster Turbo, Santa Fe and Elantra. Each one has its strengths, though we particularly like the Santa Fe's utility. After all, according to Hyundai, "There's room for seven survivors inside" and you won't have to worry about "getting zombie all over your seats. They're easy to wipe clean." But for those who prefer not to invite zombies along for the journey, the speedy Veloster Turbo and its 201-horsepower engine may be the way to go.

Once you select your post-apocalyptic ride, you have a choice of colors (including Apocalypse Black, of course), decals ("Alive Inside" is a useful one) and nearly 300 other zombie-fighting features. We're partial to the automatic shotguns on the hood, although the flamethrower is also quite tempting. You can even add titanium or aluminum armor and a dizzying array of other defensive and offensive weapons: spinning saw blades on the wheels, a horde plow on the front bumper and barbed wire on the side windows, just to name a few.

When you're finished creating your zombie death machine, the app spits out a percentage rating your likelihood of survival. You can also share your vehicle with friends on Facebook and Twitter. According to Hyundai, 37,672 vehicles have been built so far. And out of these, they'll choose one vehicle to build for the New York Comic-Con convention this October (the automaker already debuted a zombie survival concept based on the Veloster at the San Diego Comic-Con). The only question now is... when can we buy one of these things for real?

By Lauren DeAngelis Puckett