Hyundai Heritage | Pony Documentary Film – The Next Chapter

In 1974, Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the Pony its first ever model produced on South Korean soil. Before the Pony, Hyundai had only ever overseen repairs and assembly so developing its own independent model was totally unknown territory. In fact, no South Korean manufacturer had ever mass-produced its own cars domestically before but Hyundai was undeterred. And not only that, they were determined to do it from scratch in just two short years. After searching the globe, Hyundai decided to take

a bet After searching the globe, Hyundai decided to take a bet on a young and renowned Giorgetto Giugiaro asking him to design a compact car based on the Mitsubishi Lancer not knowing that decades later, he would be named Car Designer of the Century. To some degree, I had to reconcile my desire to make a more advanced car with the reality that I was working with technology in a country whose automotive industry was only just getting organized. This is what made the birth of the Pony so signifi

cant. To work alongside Giugiaro Hyundai dispatched a team of product engineers to Italy. Assisting them was Mr. Chung Goo Lee, who later went on to become president of the company. Hyundai had a vision to develop a model from scratch. So we went on this business trip to Turin with no idea about what this process would entail. But we went there with a blank canvas, and started by drawing a dot on the canvas. Gradually, the dot turned into a line and the line became the shape. Still I didn’t

know where this road was going to lead us. Mr. Lee first came to Turin aged just 29 to start work on the Pony. And now, nearly 50 years later, he’s returned to meet Giugiaro. Giugiaro: You have arrived, my friend! Lee: It's been so long! Giugiaro: Many years since we saw each other! Giugiaro: Welcome! Our working relationship is quite a curious story because we had a gentleman from Korea who wanted to meet and talk to me about a car they wanted to make. So I visited this factory and I was a litt

le perplexed, to tell you the truth because we were talking about producing a mass market vehicle in a factory which was not well equipped. To get things up and running, they hired George Turnbull former Managing Director of British Leyland. He took a leap of faith to work on the other side of the world for a brand the world was yet to discover. They had made their minds up. They had made their decision to get into the motor industry in a big way. Founding chairman, Ju-yung Chung had this great

automotive vision Founding chairman, Ju-yung Chung had this great automotive vision so we started developing our own model and accumulating our own technology. so we started developing our own model and accumulating our own technology. Teams of local specialists were brought in and a roadmap to production began to unfold. One year ago this was a site with absolutely nothing on it. And in 12 months we built the factory which you can see around you today. We could see that the team of engineers M

r. Lee was working with were very determined to make a high-quality car very quickly. They achieved something that many countries took years longer to achieve. When it was displayed at Turin Motor Show, the excitement was enormous. The fact that we were able to design this masterpiece in such a short time and then export is unimaginable, even by today’s standards. We did it thanks to Giugiaro. Finally, the Pony had arrived bringing with it founder Ju-yung Chung's singular vision: to provide mobi

lity to the South Korean people. To put the importance of the Pony’s arrival into perspective only a few years before, just 1 in 500 Koreans owned a car. Whilst in the USA, half the population had one. The founder saw cars as the lifeblood of Korea. Mobilizing the Korean people, to help the country progress was his greatest ambition. So, when Hyundai introduced the small but robust and most importantly, affordable Pony, everyday Koreans could finally hit the road. And sales boomed. Before long,

4 in every 10 new cars sold in Korea were Ponys. It was so successful, Hyundai developed variations of the original design for drivers with different occupations and lifestyles from taxis and pickups to wagons and a 3-door model. There was even a sportier version the Pony Coupe concept also designed by Giugiaro. Although development of the project had to be halted in 1981 due to a global economic recession the Coupe concept showed Hyundai's willingness to shake up the industry. The Pony quickly

became a status symbol in South Korea. People would pose for photographs in front of theirs. It was a sign that you had made it. The Pony was so cherished, it earned itself the nickname Kook-mincha which translates to "the people's car." And the love for this little car has endured into the present day. I’ve always loved old cars, so I joined the Pony club as soon as it started. My father drove a Pony taxi when I was a kid so I have fond memories of the car. When I drive the Pony to meet my pare

nts, they love it and always seem really happy to see it. Nowadays, K-pop and other K-culture do a lot in promoting Korea. But in the 70s and 80s, there wasn't much to paint a picture of our country. So when the car was exported, it was also flying the flag for Korea. In 1976, the first Ponys left Korean shores for Ecuador followed by Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and many other countries. And shortly after, in the early 80s, production began on the second generation Pony. The restyled and ro

omier Pony 2 was not only one of the earliest models to employ lighter, plastic bumpers; it also marked Hyundai’s first steps into the North American market and exceeded all sales forecasts when it was exported to Canada with over 126,000 Ponys sold in just a few years. By the end of the 80s the Pony had become much more than a car. It was a cultural icon, loved far and wide and by all generations. The Pony’s success was the catalyst that pushed Hyundai forward from beginnings as an auto repair

shop, the company grew into a construction company, then a car manufacturer and ultimately, the global powerhouse it is today. And then in 2021, it was immortalised. The Hyundai Pony EV Heritage Concept. A one of-a-kind Pony modeled on the three door model and reimagined with ultra-modern features. A reinterpretation that remains faithful to the original design and pays homage to its history. While also giving us a glimpse into the technologies of tomorrow. Back in the real world, Hyundai’s ION

IQ 5 takes many of its design cues from the Pony. Whilst the 2022 N Vision Chil-Sa descends from the Pony Coupe concept a high-performance model, revamped with hydrogen fuel cell technology. In the words of Hyundai’s founder “In industrial terms, a country that produces cars perfectly can produce anything, even an aircraft.” Rethinking mobility is not about one decision but rather about adopting an ever-evolving mindset. With groundbreaking new innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics an

d sustainable technologies Hyundai continues to push the boundaries in making mobility accessible for all. Today, our founder's spirit is more evident than ever in the direction of our company. And now Hyundai is taking its vision of Progress for Humanity to new heights. Focusing on the future of mobility with the same challenger spirit that built the Pony and mobilized a nation. This is a story of passion, of perseverance and of pioneering vision. A story that endures to this day. And the firs

t chapter started with this little car: The Pony. In 1974, Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the Pony its first ever model produced on South Korean soil. Before the Pony, Hyundai had only ever overseen repairs and assembly so developing its own independent model was totally unknown territory. In fact, no South Korean manufacturer had ever mass-produced its own cars domestically before but Hyundai was undeterred. And not only that, they were determined to do it from scratch in just two short years.

After searching the globe, Hyundai decided to take a bet After searching the globe, Hyundai decided to take a bet on a young and renowned Giorgetto Giugiaro asking him to design a compact car based on the Mitsubishi Lancer not knowing that decades later, he would be named Car Designer of the Century. To some degree, I had to reconcile my desire to make a more advanced car with the reality that I was working with technology in a country whose automotive industry was only just getting organized. T

his is what made the birth of the Pony so significant. To work alongside Giugiaro Hyundai dispatched a team of product engineers to Italy. Assisting them was Mr. Chung Goo Lee, who later went on to become president of the company. Hyundai had a vision to develop a model from scratch. So we went on this business trip to Turin with no idea about what this process would entail. But we went there with a blank canvas, and started by drawing a dot on the canvas. Gradually, the dot turned into a li

ne and the line became the shape. Still I didn’t know where this road was going to lead us. Mr. Lee first came to Turin aged just 29 to start work on the Pony. And now, nearly 50 years later, he’s returned to meet Giugiaro. Giugiaro: You have arrived, my friend! Lee: It's been so long! Giugiaro: Many years since we saw each other! Giugiaro: Welcome! Our working relationship is quite a curious story because we had a gentleman from Korea who wanted to meet and talk to me about a car they wanted to

make. So I visited this factory and I was a little perplexed, to tell you the truth because we were talking about producing a mass market vehicle in a factory which was not well equipped. To get things up and running, they hired George Turnbull former Managing Director of British Leyland. Despite an attractive offer from Rolls-Royce he took a leap of faith to work on the other side of the world for a brand the world was yet to discover. They had made their minds up. They had made their decisio

n to get into the motor industry in a big way. Founding chairman, Ju-yung Chung had this great automotive vision Founding chairman, Ju-yung Chung had this great automotive vision so we started developing our own model and accumulating our own technology. so we started developing our own model and accumulating our own technology. Teams of local specialists were brought in and a roadmap to production began to unfold. One year ago this was a site with absolutely nothing on it. And in 12 months we b

uilt the factory which you can see around you today. We could see that the team of engineers Mr. Lee was working with were very determined to make a high-quality car very quickly. They achieved something that many countries took years longer to achieve. When it was displayed at Turin Motor Show, the excitement was enormous. The fact that we were able to design this masterpiece in such a short time and then export is unimaginable, even by today’s standards. We did it thanks to Giugiaro. Finally,

the Pony had arrived bringing with it founder Ju-yung Chung's singular vision: to provide mobility to the South Korean people. To put the importance of the Pony’s arrival into perspective only a few years before, just 1 in 500 Koreans owned a car. Whilst in the USA, half the population had one. The founder saw cars as the lifeblood of Korea. Mobilizing the Korean people, to help the country progress was his greatest ambition. So, when Hyundai introduced the small but robust and most importantly,

affordable Pony, everyday Koreans could finally hit the road. And sales boomed. Before long, 4 in every 10 new cars sold in Korea were Ponys. It was so successful, Hyundai developed variations of the original design for drivers with different occupations and lifestyles from taxis and pickups to wagons and a 3-door model. There was even a sportier version the Pony Coupe concept also designed by Giugiaro. Although development of the project had to be halted in 1981 due to a global economic recess

ion the Coupe concept showed Hyundai's willingness to shake up the industry and inspired the time-travelling Delorian from Back to the Future. The Pony quickly became a status symbol in South Korea. People would pose for photographs in front of theirs. It was a sign that you had made it. The Pony was so cherished, it earned itself the nickname Kook-mincha which translates to "the people's car." And the love for this little car has endured into the present day. I’ve always loved old cars, so I jo

ined the Pony club as soon as it started. My father drove a Pony taxi when I was a kid so I have fond memories of the car. When I drive the Pony to meet my parents, they love it and always seem really happy to see it. Nowadays, K-pop and other K-culture do a lot in promoting Korea. But in the 70s and 80s, there wasn't much to paint a picture of our country. So when the car was exported, it was also flying the flag for Korea. In 1976, the first Ponys left Korean shores for Ecuador followed by Bel

gium, the Netherlands, the UK and many other countries. And shortly after, in the early 80s, production began on the second generation Pony. The restyled and roomier Pony 2 was not only one of the earliest models to employ lighter, plastic bumpers; it also marked Hyundai’s first steps into the North American market and exceeded all sales forecasts when it was exported to Canada with over 126,000 Ponys sold in just a few years. By the end of the 80s the Pony had become much more than a car. It wa

s a cultural icon, loved far and wide and by all generations. The Pony’s success was the catalyst that pushed Hyundai forward from beginnings as an auto repair shop, the company grew into a construction company, then a car manufacturer and ultimately, the global powerhouse it is today. And then in 2021, it was immortalised. The Hyundai Pony EV Heritage Concept. A one of-a-kind Pony modeled on the three door model and reimagined with ultra-modern features. A reinterpretation that remains faithfu

l to the original design and pays homage to its history. While also giving us a glimpse into the technologies of tomorrow. Back in the real world, Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 takes many of its design cues from the Pony. Whilst the 2022 N Vision Chil-Sa descends from the Pony Coupe concept a high-performance model, revamped with hydrogen fuel cell technology. In the words of Hyundai’s founder “In industrial terms, a country that produces cars perfectly can produce anything, even an aircraft.” Rethinking mo

bility is not about one decision but rather about adopting an ever-evolving mindset. With groundbreaking new innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics and sustainable technologies Hyundai continues to push the boundaries in making mobility accessible for all. Today, our founder's spirit is more evident than ever in the direction of our company. And now Hyundai is taking its vision of Progress for Humanity to new heights. Focusing on the future of mobility with the same challenger spirit t

hat built the Pony and mobilized a nation. This is a story of passion, of perseverance and of pioneering vision. A story that endures to this day. And the first chapter started with this little car: The Pony.