Hyundai Crater Concept Previews Future XRT Models

Where automotive enthusiasts once dreamed of racing on the circuits of the world, just as many now dream of tackling the toughest trails of the world. And automakers have responded by offering more and more off-road trims. Hyundai is no exception with its XRT line, and the future of those models has been revealed with the Crater Concept.

Revealed at the LA Auto Show today, the model is purely a dream machine sketched up by Hyundai’s designers. As such, it isn’t really based on any current vehicle in its lineup, though the automaker has said that it's a compact unibody crossover and some of the ideas expressed here are likely to find their way into the automaker’s lineup someday.

Naturally, some of the more extreme design cues — such as the pixelated lightbar, the removable rearview cameras that can be used as flash lights, the limb risers (those are the cables that extend from the roof rack to the front of the hood to help sweep branches out of the way), and the wide skid plates that protect the vehicle’s underside — are unlikely to find their way into a production vehicle.

Same goes for the 33-inch all-terrain tires, though the 18-inch hexagonal wheels (designed to look like the crater that occurs after a hexagonal asteroid crashes to earth, according to the brand) may hint at something upcoming, as may the bottle opener embedded in the recovery hooks on the front bumper. The chiseled body, too, is an extreme expression of Hyundai’s “Art of Steel” design language and as we all know, the automaker isn’t afraid to put wacky designs onto the road.

Rear coach doors, though fun, are better suited to the auto show floor than the real world and here they open to reveal a highly conceptual interior. Equipped with a full roll cage, a tubular steel dashboard-cum-crash pad affixed with straps, a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approach to the infotainment setup, and a windscreen-wide head-up display all seem bold for a production vehicle.

While those seats, with their tubular headrests, and the centre console (that looks like a collection of spare go-kart wheels) is appealing to look at they’re also unlikely to be economical for the mainstream brand. However, the black leather and Alcantara upholstery complemented by orange lighting may hint at the vibe the automaker is going for with future XRT vehicles. The topographical etchings in the rubberized floor mats are also a likely contender for production vehicles.

The matte green-gold exterior paint colour may also be on its way to customers. Dubbed Dune Gold Matte, it’s inspired by the rugged terrain of California’s coastline where sagebrush and wild grasses grow on windswept dunes.

While we can only guess at the design elements that will actually make it into production, and which are pure auto show floor fantasy, the Crater Concept is certainly an attractive model, and paints a positive picture of what’s to come for Hyundai’s XRT line.