Smarter looks for next i30

Frankfurt will play host next month to the world premiere of Hyundai's i30 hatch, which promises to deliver bold, new styling.

And it's a fair bet that rival manufacturers will be paying very close attention to the new car on the day the show opens in the German city.

An all-new design (pictured here as an artist's rendering), the i30 will be the latest Hyundai model to adopt the corporate look branded as 'fluidic sculpture'.

“When designing the all-new i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car which looks athletic while exuding a sense of constant motion, even when stationary, ” said Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre.

“From the rendering, you can see how we managed to give the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions. In this way, the car is very close to the recently unveiled i40, and we want people to recognise the Hyundai design DNA on those two models,”

Since the current i30's introduction to Australia, it has been an important element in Hyundai's local product range. Indeed, it's credited by Hyundai Australia's Director of Marketing, Oliver Mann, as the car that has, singlehanded, lifted the company's brand image in Australia from where it was. The new model will be no less important.

“The next generation i30 will play an important role in continuing the development of the Hyundai brand in Australia,” said Mann. “We launched the current i30 in late 2007 and since then the car has been recognised with numerous awards, including an Australia’s ‘Best Small Car’ award for three years running.”

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