Carmakers aren’t strangers to April’s Fools gaffs – remember the convertible Toyota Hiace with a built-in oven? History has taught us to never trust anything announced on April 1, so colour us surprised when Hyundai said that this bonkers-looking track car concept, called the Insteroid, is not actually an April Fools’ joke.
Insteroid is a portmanteau of “Inster”, the name of the electric compact crossover the concept is based on, and “steroid”, because everything is truly dialled up to 11 here.
Hyundai says that the Insteroid is “gaming-inspired”, and by that they meant giving the urban-friendly EV a metric buttload of outlandish styling touches you’d only expect to see in a game – things like the hilariously oversized fenders, the massive rear wing, F1-rivalling rear diffuser and front splitter, and the giant air vents on the wheel arches that we’re sure actually offer aerodynamic benefits and aren’t just for show…
Inside, as you’d expect in a “race car”, is spartan as always – but here, it’s also been given a fresh coat of paint that emphasises on the concept’s gaming-inspired aesthetic, including a unique retro-styled instrument cluster, a massive boost button on the steering wheel, and even something called the “integrated Beat House sound system” that looks like a DJ deck you’d find in Fortnite.
The Korean carmaker says that the Insteroid will also come with a unique sound signature to give drivers a “multisensory experience”, whatever that means.
ALSO READ: The RN24 is why Hyundai might just be the coolest car brand on earth today
We don’t know what the Hyundai Insteroid is powered by, and we probably won’t know given that it’s only destined to be a concept car. Hyundai does say that it’ll come with Drift Mode, so we’re pretty sure it’ll be a lot more than the 115 hp the production car can muster from its 49 kWh battery pack.
Hyundai says it created the Insteroid to “captivate a new generation of drivers”. To that end, the company will be unveiling a “time attack-style” game featuring the Inster and Insteroid sometime this month. Additionally, the Insteroid Kart will also be made available in the Kartrider Rush+ game.
RELATED: The new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N DK Edition loves corners, not straights
For us old hags, the Hyundai Insteroid will be on display from April 3 to April 13 at the Seoul Mobility Show, as well as at “major auto events” in Korea and Europe, both of which are key markets for the production Inster.
Hyundai says that the Inster will also be rolled out in more countries in 2025, including select markets across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Central and South America regions – could Malaysia be in the plans?
ALSO READ: Hyundai to open RM2.16b assembly plant in Kulim in 2025 – 7 CKD models planned for next 5 years
GALLERY
