I hadn’t even begun reading the news release on this Hyundai Veloster Grappler concept before deciding, unequivocally, that Hyundai can take my money. Hell, this thing could be a shell of a car without so much as a driver’s seat or an engine inside, and I would’ve signed up to buy four of them before I noticed.
Sell it, Hyundai. We dare you.
Hyundai calls the theme of this concept, which is no more than a concept for now and is headed to the SEMA show soon, “functional ruggedness.”
But ignore that branding term because it’s silly and meaningless, while the Grappler itself certainly is not. SEMA is known for its ridiculous mods and vehicle displays, and a Veloster ready to take on the apocalypse fits right in.
Hyundai said in the release that the Grappler concept “boasts increased ground clearance,” which, duh, and that it’s meant to take on “unpredictable” terrain—whatever that means. There are lights on top of lights, oversized all-terrain tires, a utility basket on the roof that’s also a base mount for a removable solar panel, a carbon-fiber hood, a roll bar, and a full-size spare wheel and tire.
There are also a bunch of brands listed in the press release, along with barely decipherable phrases like “visceral audible resonance,” because this is, at the end of the day, a branding exercise. But a nice branding exercise it is, because I don’t often look at brand-new cars in the year 2019 and think, “I’ll take four.”
Sadly, there is only this one photo so far, but we’re holding out to see more.
But good on you, Hyundai, for creating something that I, a person who is too frugal to turn on lights at home during the night despite running into walls on occasion, would likely buy four of, dealership markups and all.
If only you’d put it into the lineup.
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