Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

Hyundai HCD-14 Concept Hyundai CEO John Krafcik wanted to make it clear to the assembled journalists at the 2013 Detroit show that the HCD-14 is NOT a thinly veiled concept of the upcoming Genesis sedan. But it does outline what the brand is looking to do with an expanded Genesis lineup in the future.   It was the beginning. The Hyundai Genesis was the start of something bigger and more luxurious than ever before for the Korean automaker in the American market.

Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

 Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

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Hyundai HCD-14 Concept

During our 2009 Car of the Year event, the Genesis almost stole the golden calipers -- it was that good right out of the gate. It proved that Hyundai was ready to play with the big boys; that it could compete in segments where it had never before ventured. Now Hyundai has to prove it can not only compete, but show the world that its second-gen Genesis deserves first-tier status. That effort begins with the Hyundai HCD-14 Concept on display at the 2013 Detroit auto show. The concept serves a dual purpose as a technological showcase for the brand and a directional compass pointing toward the Genesis brand evolution. One of the few minor drawbacks of the first Genesis was its styling. As we said at the 2009 Car of the Year judging, it was more Andy Williams than Placido Domingo -- not bad, but no world-class tenor. In Hyundai terms, it didn't have that fluidic thing going on. The HCD-14 Concept changes all that. The Hyundai design-speak says the HCD-14 "conveys a fluidic-precision, liquid-metal design language." Took the words right out of our mouth -- or not.   Gone are the swoopy lines that define the flanks of cars like the present Sonata -- we're talking fluidic precision now. A strong, sharp-edged beltline dominates the HCD-14's profile. To the surprise of no one, Hyundai has jumped on the four-door coupe bandwagon, with a B-pillar-less, tapered greenhouse look, short overhangs, and an extended dash-to-axle ratio befitting its rear-drive layout. The HCD-14's front end is another departure from what we've seen from the rest of the Hyundai brand lately. This concept is about continuing to forge a different design direction for the Genesis lineup. It's different, we'll give it that. The upright, vaguely Audi-like brushed-metal four-strake grille gets up in your face, and the horizontal, glass-block look headlights and ovid, light-pipe lower lamps shine a blue-light hue. Out back, more strong light banks intrude into the rear deck, tapering the trunk lid, and the honking big exhaust tips echo the same look as the lower light banks out front. Predictably, it rolls on a set of massive, but lightweight concept-style alloys with carbon-fiber accents. But there's one design cue we're particularly enamored with: the HCD's rear-hinged doors. Yep, it's got the suicide-door thing going on, thanks to a single brushed aluminum hinge on each door articulating diagonally from the rear cutline. The goal is to aid access to the rear seats. Go on Hyundai, we dare you: Bring that feature to production.
But despite all its shiny new fluidity and those rear-hinged doors, it's inside the cabin where Hyundai gets all next-level on us -- specifically the cockpit and center stack design. While HCD-14 is fluidic on the outside, the interior sports a wavy theme that carries through from the center console to the rear seats, with cues on the door handles and headrest hoods as well. The analog and digital gauge mash-up also features aviation-infused touches and an asymmetrically designed center stack with driver functions oriented toward the cockpit. Have iPad, will travel, thanks to the HCD-14's iPad holder located in the center stack.   To make the stack more than just an iPad holder, Hyundai ergonomics engineers explored outside the box in an effort to create a center stack for the HCD-14 that showcases the automaker's future, 3-D-infused vision of driver/car interaction. Buttons and knobs? Who needs 'em! The HCD-14's center stack layout is devoid of them. In their place is a driver interface system highlighted by eye tracking and 3-D hand gesture recognition tech designed to react to driver commands without using traditional touch points. Once you select a specific feature via the eye tracker, you then use either thumb controls or the 3-D hand gesture system to dial in nav, audio, climate control, or smartphone connectivity functions. A head-up display is also a key part of the suite of tech features designed to further keep the driver's eyes where they should be: above the cowl and looking out to the road. While we're not sure this technology will make it to the next Genesis, Hyundai says it will be pushing this type of next-level driver involvement in future generations of its luxury vehicles. We're most definitely intrigued.
While the HCD-14's cockpit whizbangery represents the future, the HCD-14's powertrain features present-day tech. Hyundai's powerful, direct-injected 5.0-liter Tau V-8, mated to an eight-speed transmission powering the present Genesis, also provides the concept's motivation, although there's a slick optical recognition feature designed to recognize the driver and fire up the car when it does. Its ceramic-lined exhaust system was developed to help maximize horsepower and minimize back pressure, all while reportedly offering up a mean baritone soundtrack.   Though we've found the 5.0-liter plenty powerful and quick in a straight line in the Genesis (an R-Spec-equipped model we tested in 2011 barreled to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and onto a 13.3-second quarter mile at 107.1 mph), like most Hyundais, we've found it a bit wanting in the vehicle dynamics department. And with Hyundai positioning the Genesis sedan toward the sportier side of the luxury equation, it's important the next-gen model evolve in that direction. From what we can make of the HCD-14's preliminary feature set, that's what Hyundai intends to do. According to Hyundai, the HCD-14's high-tensile steel chassis is as rigid as a Catholic school nun. Its five-link front and rear suspension has been designed to reduce camber and toe travel in an effort to improve grip, further aided by high-performance, low-profile rubber. It also deploys a multi-mode power steering and yaw-control systems designed to offer improved wheel feedback and control in aggressive and other extreme driving conditions. It all sounds very impressive in concept form -- we'll see what it means for the new Genesis when we finally get to drive one, likely toward the end of this year.