Hyundai i20 (2014): first pictures of grown-up new ... - Car Magazine

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 01:30 AM PDT

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

11 August 2014 07:30

Here is the new 2014 Hyundai i20 supermini, unveiled this morning ahead of a Paris motor show debut in October.

Designed in Europe and built in Turkey, this is a Europe-focused supermini and benefits from a new, pumped-up platform designed to close the gap between the i20 and class leaders such as the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo.

Hyundai is claiming one of the most spacious cabins in the B-segment, thanks to a wheelbase stretched by 45mm â€" a couple of inches longer than before. The distance between the two axles is now 2750mm.

Result? The â€˜passenger compartment can comfortably seat five adults,â€™ claims Hyundai. â€˜Combined front and rear legroom is best in class at 1892 mm. Trunk capacity is also segment-leading: 326 litres when the rear seats are upright.â€™

Sounds roomy to us. A Polo can pack only 280 litres in its loadbayâ€¦

Hyundai i20 (2014): more specs, details

A panoramic sunroof is a class first in the supermini segment, claims Hyundai. It reflects lashings of gadgets and larger-car features available on the i20, including front and rear LED lights and a rear-view camera. Although we have to despair if supermini owners canâ€™t reverse safely without a TV screen to assistâ€¦

Hyundai cites its new design language, dubbed Fluidic Sculpture 2.0, as the inspiration for the i20â€™s inoffensive, quietly smart looks. Now that former Kia design chief Peter Schreyer is leading Hyundaiâ€™s wardrobe department, weâ€™re seeing signs of a more confident stylistic palette, weâ€™d say.

The new car was designed in the Koreansâ€™ styling studio in Russelsheim, Germany. Particularly noteworthy is the gloss black C-pillar, which wraps around the rear of the car like a Miniâ€™s â€" to help create the impression of a floating roof.

Why the new Hyundai i20 is a giant baby

At 4035mm long, the new Hyundai i20 bursts through the four metre barrier â€" once the threshold beyond which no supermini could pass. Itâ€™s 66mm longer than a Fiesta, for goodnessâ€™ sake.

This growth spurt helps explain why the newest Hyundai i20 is claimed to be so roomy. It also puts more clear water between it and the i10 city car, traditionally Hyundaiâ€™s biggest selling car in the UK.

In pictures: Futuristic designs for the 3D printed cars of tomorrow ...

Posted: 06 Jun 2014 02:27 AM PDT

This futuristic looking electric car has been selected to be 3D printed as part of a competition to showcase the potential of the fast-developing printing technology.

It will be turned into a working vehicle using the technology, following a competition that saw would-be vehicle designers submitting their proposals for the cars of tomorrow.

US car manufacturing maverick Local Motors launched the competition to design the first 3D printed electric vehicle earlier this year.

The chosen design will be printed using a Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) machine, the first large-scale 3D printer of its kind, at September's International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.

The winner was chosen by a panel of judges, who also awarded six other design innovation awards for unique concepts and ideas. Here we take a closer look at the winning designs.

Strati: Winner

The winning design was created by Italian designer Michele Anoé, who developed this compact car to be easily be entered and not look out of place on our roads.

It will inspire the full-size 3D printed prototype.

Lonnie Love, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said: "Michele's design offers an excellent balance between innovation, complexity and practicality. It has good 3D lines and the retractable roof is really cool."

Internal Strut Frame

This design has an innovative structure that uses vertical struts to support the upper surfaces of the vehicle.

The concept was selected as the community favourite.

Aeroblade

The Aeroblade was designed to try and push new aerodynamic techniques by conducting the airflow through uniquely designed 3D blades.

Judges described the design as being very futuristic-looking.

3DPCX

The 3DPCX looks slightly like an expanded go-kart, but the car uses creative structural support to help hold it together.

Judges praised the vehicle for its simplicity but ability to still be innovative.

LM Supernova

The design was inspired by supernovas in space, which the designer describes as 'exploding in a very aggressive way'.

It was commended by the judges for taking functional elements and combining them within a lightweight vehicle.

Mirage

The Mirage was rewarded not only for being innovative but for also combining a unique feature.

It received an innovation award for incorporating layers to create a 3D printed 'crumple zone' to protect the occupants in the case of an accident.

LM e-Spider

The e-Spider was designed to try and achieve maximum strength while also using less material.

Judges said: "A tribute to the minimalist in all of us, the e-Spider merges the efficiency of a smart car with the effectiveness of a desert dune buggy."

All images courtesy of IMTS.