First presented in Los Angeles back in November, Hyundai’s Crater concept will make its Canadian debut at the Montreal Auto Show next week.
Design study and technology showcase
Hyundai’s creation, born out of the company’s new creative space in Irvine, California – known as The Sandbox - aims to explore the aesthetic and functional future of the brand’s rugged XRT lineup.
The rugged SUV features a number of distinctive or even bizarre design elements such as 18-inch hexagonal design wheels, protective cables connecting the hood to the roof, removable rearview mirror cameras and tow hooks that can – wait for it – double as bottle openers. The vehicle’s Dune Gold matte finish is inspired by the Californian desert landscapes.
Inside
Hyundai’s creative minds set out to deliver a vehicle that is highly customizable, to the point where there’s not even a fixed screen display. Instead, flexible inputs and interfaces let users connect their own devices.
To please the more hardcore outdoor enthusiasts, we have a terrain selector with Snow, Sand, Mud and XRT modes, a fire extinguisher on the driver's side, a first aid kit on the passenger side and topographical patterns engraved on certain surfaces.
Don’t go rushing to your local Hyundai dealer to reserve a Crater. This is a design study and a showcase for new innovations and technologies and the automaker has made no indication that serious thought is being given to developing a production version. We can, however, expect to see certain design and tech elements integrated in future Hyundai models. Perhaps those tow hooks-slash-bottle openers…
