Hyundai’s My Baby
Frankfurt 2009
It's not often that designers are given license to let their imaginations run wild but that's exactly what Hyundai's head of Global Design, Oh Suk-Geun, did with the ‘My Baby’ project. And the results are on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show for all to see.
Mr. Oh invited designers in Russelsheim Germany, Chiba Japan, Irvine California and Namyang Korea to delve into their imaginations and dream up their personal vision for the future of transportation. The result is a rich dreamscape worthy of Jules Verne or a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster. Most importantly of all, My Baby reveals to the world the formidable creative talents of Hyundai designers as well as their exceptional sketching abilities.
The My Baby collection, shown earlier this year at the Seoul Motor Show, has been greeted with great enthusiasm. The collection, consisting of 28 one-off models, is organized under five broad categories: Visionary Transportation Projects, Dream Machines, Future Vision, Eco Evolution and Eco Emotion.
Hyundai is pleased to bring the My Baby concept to a wider international audience at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the focus is on the subjects penned at the European Design Studio in Russelsheim in particular. (Note: Hyundai's press kit contains images and explanatory text for the entire My Baby collection showing examples from Korea, Japan and the United States, as well as Europe.)
Introduction
Welcome to the My Baby world, the realm of dream machines which elicit pure driving pleasure and emotional highs. Sleek lines, powerful proportions and sporting intentions define these vehicles.
Ideas have no limits and these concepts break the boundaries of transportation and defy all the rules. They incorporate new visionary shapes, forms, patterns and proportions for the future.
To follow are brief descriptions by the designers of their personal vision for each concept in their respective category.
Visionary Transportation Projects
1.
Designer: Cedric d'Andre
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Red Hawk (Reno Air Racer)
The Reno Air Race is one of the most exciting events in motorsports, and the rules are simple: "Fly low, turn left!" The Red Hawk air racer is designed to compete against the WWII-era warbirds that race in the prestigious Unlimited Class, where pilots push their heavily-modified machines to the limit. This fast fuel-cell powered twin-engine racer is built for ultimate speed and manoeuvrability, with its contra-rotating propellers and shape-shifting wing technology.
2.
Designer: Lee Dong-Seong
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 3
Concept: D2-H
The human vertebrae and rib cage provide a secure structure that protects vital organs. With this in mind, this project was carried out with the intention of developing a brand new race machine that securely protects the driver in an extreme environment with an exoskeleton frame, while also providing comfort.
3.
Designer: Cha Il-Hoei
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 3
Concept: SR-2
SR-2 is a 2023 transformable machine, developed as the future of personal mobility. A combination of motorcycle and flying machine, it can operate in virtually any terrain and surpass any obstacle.
4.
Designer: Lee Ji-Heon
Studio: Hyundai Design Team 1
Concept: 007 James Bond Transportation
Designed for a man on a mission with a need for speed, style and stealth.
5.
Designer: Mark Mainville
Studio: Hyundai Design North America
Concept: Hyundai Dragonfly
Travelling from your private airport to any tropical destination in the Hyundai Dragonfly epitomizes the ultimate in luxury and style.
6.
Designer: Michel Glennison
Studio: Hyundai Design Centre Europe
Concept: Rocket Race
The designer dreamed of a new form of hyper spectacular entertainment, powered by Hyundai in the future (2030). He imagined a cross between a formula one car and a space shuttle. The result is a group of super-compact jets racing in the Grand Canyon.