Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hyundai ix Metro: New Hybrid Electric Small CUV Concept to Inspire Future Production Model

The 'arse' that you're looking at the picture above does not belong to some Alfa Romeo model -no really- but to Hyundai's ix Metro, a B-segment sized concept described by the Koreans as a compact utility vehicle (CUV) that is said to influence the creation of a small crossover model in the very near future. At 3,925mm long, 1,760mm wide and 1,576mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,513mm, the ix Metro has a similar footprint to Hyundai's i20 supermini. However, it does features a much higher ground clearance at 207mm.

With the exception of the Alfa Romeo-esque rear end design, the small crossover's exterior styling with its swoopy body lines and pointy snout that features a large hexagonal front grille looks very Mazda-ish. The ix Metro

The Hyundai ix Metro comes with a pair of conventional front doors and a set of rear-hinged sliding doors at the back. Hyundai says that the pillar less design not only enlarges the greenhouse to improve all-round visibility, but also allows easier entry and egress into the rear passenger area.

For the creation of the cabin, the design team says that it took its inspiration from sci-fi movies. Highlights include the white semi-transparent silicon-like material that covers the dashboard area, the ice-blue illumination and the digital side view cameras.

The Korean concept model is fitted with a hybrid powertrain that combines a 123HP 1.0-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine to a 5kw / 7HP electric motor. The hybrid system delivers 16.0kg.m / 116 lb-ft of peak torque at 1,750-4,500rpm which transferred to the wheels through a six-speed dual clutch transmission.




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