Korea’s leading automaker marks the country’s first independently developed car
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor announced on June 8 that its first heritage exhibition ‘PONY, the timeless’ would start the next day at Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul.
The exhibition is presented as part of the newly launched Hyundai Heritage project that reflects on the past and future of the brand, according to the automaker.
The automaker also noted that the project was intended to herald the publication of RETRACE, a collection book and magazine series that would celebrate the brand’s heritage.
The opening celebration took place on June 7. The event included presentations about Hyundai’s Heritage project, the exhibition, and the RETRACE Series, and also featured a performance from the band Jannabi.
Joining the event were Chung Eui-sun, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, Chang Jae-hoon, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, and many former members of Hyundai who enabled the creation of Pony.
“In an age when artificial intelligence and robotics have a profound impact on the way we live and work, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on the core purpose of the company and the direction of our future,” Chairman Chung said.
“In seeking the answer, we looked back at our roots and what made us the company we are today. We realized that Hyundai Motor was shaped by the experience and mindset that we accumulated while developing the Pony, Korea’s first independently developed mass-production model.”
The exhibition follows the inaugural Hyundai Reunion event in Lake Como, Italy in May, where the restored Pony Coupe Concept was unveiled nearly 50 years after its debut at the 1974 Turin Motor Show.
‘PONY, the timeless’ emphasizes Hyundai’s human-centered philosophy that was established by the conglomerate’s founding Chairman Chung Ju-yung.
The exhibition is an opportunity to see how Hyundai Motor got started and grew over the years alongside the development of the country. Visitors are guided through Pony’s timeline from multiple angles in terms of historical background, archiving, design, and philosophy, Hyundai said.
The exhibition traces the Pony’s journey through time over several floors of Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul. It begins on the fifth floor, immersing visitors in the Pony era through videos, music, and paintings of the 1970s and ’80s.
Hyundai Motor has been actively communicating its brand heritage in various formats, including the Pony documentary film ‘The Next Chapter’ released earlier this month.
The company also newly released the film ‘A Pony Tale’ about a young man in the Netherlands who still drives the Pony for his daily commutes.
Advertorial materials are provided by Hyundai Motor. _ ED.
