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Sketching Sonata
When cars are introduced to the media at auto shows, the general approach, although one that changes with varying levels of the proverbial smoke and mirrors of show business, is to have the vehicle on stage under a sheet, an executive holding forth about it, and then, voila!, the vehicle is revealed as the sheet is pulled away. Hyundai did something significantly different for the introduction of the 2018 Sonata at the New York International Auto Show this past April.
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Rather than just talking about and pointing at the new sheet metal—the car features a new “cascading grille,” that will become the new face of Hyundai, a modified profile, and an all-new back end, including slim taillights—Chris Chapman, chief designer, Hyundai North America Design Center, and his colleague at the facility, design manager Eddie Lee, were on stage with a sketch pad and markers and they proceeded to draw the key features of the car.
We’ve secured those drawings from the Javits Center to give you an exclusive look at the sketches by Chapman and Lee of the 2018 Sonata.
(A few points about the car. The new front fascia features vertical LED daytime running lights and the narrow headlights will be available with LED illumination. There are chrome accents under the headlamps. The Sonata Sport and 2.0T models have a mesh grille, gloss-black window trim and unique front and rear diffusers. The rear license plate holder has been moved into the bumper. The Hyundai badge on the trunk lid houses the trunk button release. There are 16-, 17- and 18-inch wheels.)