Frankfurt green news: Hyundai ix-Metro
Concept cars are meant to be flights of fancy, a chance for designers to exercise their creative muscles. Hyundai has definitely given its designers carte blanche with the ix-Metro, which has myriad details to delight. Amazingly, this concept will also inspire a production model within the next two years.
What's all the fuss about?
Hyundai has not entered the hybrid market so far, but the ix-Metro indicates that it won't be long before it does. This concept furthermore shows the general direction Hyundai's styling will be heading in over the coming years. Hyundai has also strongly hinted that the ix-Metro, which it calls a CUV (compact utility vehicle), will give rise to a small off-road SUV from the Korean firm sometime over the next two years.
What makes it so green?
Hybrids are the most popular solution at present to lowering emissions and the ix-Metro uses this technology to good effect. A turbocharged 1.0-litre engine works in conjunction with a small electric motor to produce 123bhp in total. This gives the ix-Metro supermini performance but with much lower emissions and greater economy. Helping this is Hyundai's first ever DSG twin-clutch gearbox, which saves energy and changes gear quicker than a standard manual gearbox can.
When can I buy one?
It's unlikely you'll ever be able to buy an ix-Metro as the concept stands in Frankfurt. However, its styling will make its way on to road-going Hyundais over the next few years. There's also a firm promise that the ix-Metro will inspire a small SUV that will go on sale in the UK before 2012.
Frankfurt green news: Hyundai ix-Metro pictures
