Geneva Preview: Hyundai I-Flow Concept Previews Sonata Replacement for Europe
Hyundai has just released a single sketch of the i-Flow Concept, which it will officially unveil at the Geneva Auto Show next month. The i-Flow is a look at what the company’s next D-segment (mid-size) car for the European market will be.
We’re surprised to hear Hyundai is going this route because in the past the Sonata (or i40) was a world car platform and the automaker has just introduced the all-new 2011 Sonata in North America. It seems, however, that Hyundai has decided Europe needs a more dedicated model, which we imagine will be more premium and possible a bit smaller, to complete with the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat. It’s possible that this Sonata replacement could keep the same underpinnings as the new Sonata, but use Genesis-grade trim items and a unique design.
We’ll be sure to bring you more info when Hyundai unveils the car at the Geneva Auto Show. AutoGuide’s live Geneva coverage begins March 2nd.
Click here for AutoGuide’s live 2010 Geneva Auto Show coverage starting Monday, March 1st.
Official release after the jump:
HYUNDAI’S EVOLUTION CONTINUES WITH THE i-flow
- Stunning new concept car for Geneva debut
- Hints at future D-segment saloon
An all-new concept car is set to catch the ‘i’ of visitors to the Geneva Motor Show next month. Hyundai has chosen the event to reveal the i-flow, a stylish saloon that previews the look of its new D-segment contender.
Styled at the company’s European design headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany, i-flow is expected to attract much attention, thanks to its striking appearance – the latest product of the company’s evocative new form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. The name i-flow reflects the exceptionally aerodynamic shape and the flowing lines of the concept car’s eye-catching styling, and retains the ‘i’ prefix of Hyundai’s established nomenclature.
The i-flow incorporates numerous new technologies from chemical company BASF, ranging from innovative lightweight materials to solar cells, to assist in reducing weight and improving energy efficiency.
More news of Hyundai’s star cars will be published in advance of the show and will be available on the stand. The company’s press conference will take place in Hall 1 at 14:15 (CET) on Tuesday 2nd March.
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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