Hyundai swims against the current with new i20 Coupe

Thu, 04 Sep 2014

Coupefying hatchbacks is all the rage in the European market these days. Its what Opel and Vauxhall did with the latest Astra, and what Renault did with the Mégane, and now Hyundai is preparing to follow a similar formula, only in a smaller form.

While the i30 is the model with which Hyundai competes with the aforementioned Astra and Mégane, to say nothing of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, it's the smaller i20 – recently introduced in five-door form – which the Korean automaker plans to give the coupe treatment.

Previewed in the teaser image above, the upcoming new i20 Coupe will enter a somewhat shrinking market for three-door superminis. Though the VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa are still available with three portals, their forms are otherwise no more coupe-like than their five-door counterparts. (Mini has tried a similar approach with its Coupe, and Citroën has forked the C3 five-door and DS3 three-door, but those are decidedly more upscale offerings.) Alongside the Seat Ibiza, Hyundai is one of the few mainstream automakers offering three-door superminis significantly distinguished from its five-door versions.

In the case of the i20 Coupe, we're looking at a more rakish roofline, a pronounced rear spoiler, a wrap-around rear window and unique lighting modules. Expect the new i20 Coupe to be positioned slightly below the Veloster, but don't expect it to come to North America: like the five-door version, the i20 Coupe has been designed and developed in Europe for the European market.

HYUNDAI MOTOR PROVIDES A GLIMPSE OF THE NEW GENERATION i20 COUPE

- Three-door model to join New Generation i20 family

- Sketch reveals clear differentiation in design
- Designed, engineered and built in Europe alongside five-door model

High Wycombe, 3 September - Hyundai Motor has revealed a first impression of the New Generation i20 Coupe, indicating how the company's model range will grow beyond the recently revealed five-door version.

The new model promises to combine driving fun, a distinctive character and sporty refinement, with the enhanced practicality and quality already previewed in its five-door sibling.

The New Generation i20 Coupe features a more sharply raked roofline and a distinctive roof spoiler, enhancing its sporty exterior. In keeping with the New Generation i20 family, the Coupe's long hood and generous proportions create a powerful stance, while the overall architecture maintains a clear and simple design. Meanwhile, at the back, the wrap-around rear window and unique treatment for the lamp clusters communicate the model's sophisticated design.

Like the five-door version, New Generation i20 Coupe was designed and developed at Hyundai Motor's Design Centre Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

Further details about New Generation i20 Coupe will be announced in due course.

By Noah Joseph