Grandmaster Flash: Hyundai HDC-2 Concept Shows The Way Forward In Busan

The Busan Motor Show opened today in South Korea’s second-largest city. And the country’s largest automaker was on hand not only with its existing range of vehicles, but with a brand-new concept that previews the company’s new design language.

Called the HDC-2 Grandmaster, the SUV concept follows the HDC-1 sedan concept – dubbed “Le Fil Rouge” – that Hyundai revealed at the Geneva Motor Show just a few months ago. And like Le Fil Rouge, the Grandmaster adopts the brand’s new “Hyundai Look” styling direction.

Unfortunately Hyundai has only released two photos of the show truck, and revealed precious little in the way of details. But from what we can see, the concept looks rather imposing, with a large form capped by a big grille. The wheels look pretty big too, and the overall design looks suitably conceptual – though not so far-fetched that it couldn’t be adapted for production.

“Today we showcased the HDC-2 concept vehicle as a blueprint for our evolved design strategy,” said Hyundai design chief SangYup Lee. “Making a big step forward in terms of design with the Hyundai Look strategy, we will move towards becoming a brand that customers can really relate to emotionally. Moving on from being a brand that provides a great value, we will aspire to also become a brand that is widely beloved by our customers.”

The last time Hyundai produced an SUV looking this large was with the Veracruz, a mid-size crossover produced from 2006 to 2012. Its place has since been taken by the long-wheelbase version of the Santa Fe that was previously positioned underneath it, but we wouldn’t discount the possibility of the Korean automaker introducing a new flagship crossover over and above its current lineup. But it’d have to steer clear of Genesis territory, now that the sub-brand has been spun off into its own.

Together with the Grandmaster concept, Hyundai also indicated the expansion of its N performance brand. Though it didn’t reveal many specific details, it did suggest that there’ll be more N models coming down the pipeline, as well as sporty-looking N Line trims and N Option accessories offered for the company’s entire lineup.

Update: Additional images added