GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Hyundai signals new design direction

Hyundai has pulled the drapes off an all-new concept for a sports sedan at the Geneva motor show.

The striking large sedan, which looks like it could go head-to-head with more premium rivals like the BMW 5 Series or Audi A6, carries the name 'Le Fil Rouge' – which directly translates to the red wire, or common thread.

According to Hyundai, the concept is claimed to tie together the car-maker's past, current and future designs in one single model.

In reality, one insider motoring.com.au spoke to said that the latest model will never see the light of day as a production model. Instead, the Le Fil Rouge is a statement of intent from Hyundai's head of design Sang-Yup Lee and its newly appointed VP of design, Luc Donckerwolke, of how future Hyundais will take shape.

Featuring plenty of flowing curves and sharp crisp lines, it's hard not to see some influences from Peru-born designer, Donckerwolke, who made his name heading up Lamborghini, SEAT and Bentley design.

At the front of the car, take note of the redesigned 3D-style version of the brand's cascading grille, says our insider, as it will appear on a range of Hyundais in the "very near future".

Beneath its exotic skin, the Le Fil Rouge is rumoured to come with a development of the pure-electric Kona's powertrain. The design model is also claimed to come equipped with Hyundai's latest driverless technology, currently in development.

Set to replace current Kia and Hyundai design boss, Peter Schreyer, who's anticipated to retire soon, Donckerwolke has already made a huge impression within the Hyundai group, influencing the final design of both the recently launched Kona and the next Santa Fe.