Hyundai Hellion Concept 2006

Cars Mania Blog

Auto Car | Hyundai Hellion Concept 2006 | Hyundai is a company which is rapidly trying to make over its image as a purveyor of entry-level, inexpensive basic transportation. With the announcement of new luxury coupes and sedans targeting the likes of Lexus and Infiniti, and with excellent quality marks from independent reviewers and an extremely comprehensive warranty, Hyundai is poised to make their leap into the future. This desire to break with the past is evident in some of the concept cars that they have been displaying around the world’s automotive shows. One such vehicle is the 2006 Hyundai HCD10 Hellion Concept.

The HCD10 is a 2 door crossover SUV that looks sort of like a truck and sort of like a hatchback. Hyundai claims that the vehicle’s exterior styling was inspired by a ‘hard shell backpack’, and while that seems a bit too bizarre to be believed, a backpack is not an inaccurate metaphor for what the 2006 Hyundai HCD10 Hellion Concept brings to the table. Given its small size but rugged shape, the HCD10 would indeed be perfect for a weekend foray into the wilderness provided you didn’t need to bring along too much kit with you.



The front end of the Hellion Concept is somewhat bland, with a gently sloping hood framed by flared fenders that greatly resemble the Suzuki SX4 rally racer. Awkward looking doors give way to another flared rear section, and the hatch of the Hellion is located just above the large rear bumper. Interestingly, the roof is made of fabric and can be lifted off the reveal a skeleton of cross members that keep chassis stiffness at a safe level. Hyundai calls these ribs a ‘safety cage’, and they are visible from inside of the vehicle regardless of whether the top has been installed or not.



Inside the car, an LCD monitor entertains rear passengers while backpacks mounted on the rear of each seat can be released and used to actually carry items outside of the car itself. The Hellion also provides a ‘fluid reservoir’ for each seat which can be filled with the beverage of your choice and then accessed through an attached drinking tube. Just how sanitary this entire arrangement is, or what happens when you forget to empty the reservoirs before parking overnight in sub-zero temperatures was not explained.



The 2006 Hyundai HCD10 Hellion Concept is powered by a 3.0 liter diesel V6 making 236 horsepower and 332 lb-feet of torque. Electronic stability control, wireless internet and adaptive cruise control can also be found in the concept. A six-speed automatic transmission handles the shifting duties, and of course this off-roader is equipped with all-wheel drive.



It is fairly obvious that the 2006 Hyundai HCD10 Hellion Concept will most likely never be built or sold to the general public. However, it does indicate that Hyundai is interested in the mini-off road market that has been largely ignored ever since the Suzuki Samurai and Geo Tracker faded into the past.



These vehicles remain popular with drivers on the trail because of their short wheelbase and light weight, two features which make them highly maneuverable, especially when faced with obstacles in nature. Hyundai representatives also revealed that they find ‘mindset and attitude’ to be important factors when defining new automotive markets. While this may be partially true, efforts to sell vehicles in the past based entirely on the concept of ‘lifestyle’ have not traditionally met with a great deal of success. It would perhaps be better for Hyundai to remember that most often it is mindset and attitude within a market segment that is one of the primary determinants of success.

Source : www.sport-cars.org