It doesn’t happen often, but an automaker does sometimes steal an auto show. Every other brand will send out teasers of their vehicles early or, perhaps, send outlets all of the information early and under embargo. One brand, though, keeps quiet until right before and unveils something no one was expecting. I think Hyundai is up to that at the New York Auto Show.
There are some classic examples of this from the past. Ford, at the 2015 North American Auto Show, unveiled the most recent generation of Ford GT with essentially no warning. It was a car that was such a secret that few inside the company had even seen the GT before the unveil and, well, I’m sure other cars were showed that year, but I can’t remember a single one. GM did something similar in 2014 when Mark Reuss dropped the Alpha-platform Camaro Z/28 on a mostly unsuspecting crowd.
I’m starting to get those vibes from Hyundai’s event at the New York Auto Show, which comes with absolutely zero details. I even have a theory as to what it could be, although it’s purely a theory at this point.
Corners And Doors, Kid
I love this quote from the Detective Miller character from The Expanse TV show and the books. “Doors and corners, kid. That’s where they get you.” Basically, what he’s saying is that people tend to look in the obvious places for danger, but it’s when you rush into a situation that you find yourself in the most trouble.
When I got the schedule for next week’s New York Auto Show, I did what I think most writers probably do these days. I peeked at it to see what was there that was actually worth covering and then moved on with my day. There was something that itched, though. Something slightly off.
Here’s what the schedule looks like:
Ok, the World Car Awards are happening, but that’s no big deal. Kia is going to show the new version of the Seltos in North America for the first time. Subaru has already teased what is most likely its version of the new Toyota Highlander EV. Chrysler has the new Pacifica. Dodge has the new V8 Durango. I’ve got the Ford release under embargo, and all I’ll say is that it’s not going to break the Internet. I’m pretty sure Honda’s deal is its micromobility delivery thing, Infiniti already showed the QX65, and Volkswagen told us that it’s going to be a new Atlas.
Hyundai is the one bit on the schedule I don’t know, and that’s even more amusing because Hyundai has invited a ton of journalists to the auto show (myself included) to stay at a hotel, meet with designers, and see… something. CEO José Muñoz is even going to be there doing a panel right afterward. I’ve polled fellow journalists on this trip and no one knows anything. It’s all a secret. Hyundai’s PR is also being tight-lipped.
My spidey sense tells me something is up.
I Think It’s Probably A Truck Or A Bronco/Wrangler/4Runner Fighter, But There Are Other Options
Source: Hyundai
There are a lot of things this could be, and I think the one that makes the most sense to me is the early concept for the Hyundai midsize truck or the more production-ready Hyundai Crater SUV. As I said yesterday, Hyundai is planning to announce 36 new or refreshed models in the next four years. One of those models will definitely be an EREV truck, and another might be the production version of the Crater.
We’re at a sort of weird place in the calendar where the next major car show in the United States isn’t until Los Angeles in November, so this is the last show for nearly half a year to show off an American-specific vehicle as opposed to a global one. Because of the Chicken Tax, any truck made by Hyundai is probably going to be made in the United States.
But what if it’s not that?
Photo credit: Hyundai
The Hyundai N 74 Vision is supposed to go into production, eventually, and maybe Hyundai has a more production-intent concept or details on the powertrain (unless it’s going to continue to use hydrogen). That doesn’t feel right to me, but it’s a possibility.
A bit more boring would be the 2027 Elantra, but that’s a global car that’s likely to get a global reveal. The new Tucson? Maybe, but I’d expect embargoed information about that. You don’t keep those cars a surprise before you launch them. Hyundai does have an eVTOL air taxi via Supernal, and robots via Boston Dynamics, so it could be something along those lines. I’ve personally been clamoring for the Hyundai Staria van. Hyundai makes great vans and New York is a great place to show van.
Or it could just be a trim of something and I’m getting excited for nothing. Any guesses? Am I right or am I fishing for excitement?