

2024.09.04 Hyundai Motor Company
Automobiles are a reflection of their times, incorporating popular designs, new technologies, and social characteristics into their construction. As such, we often find ourselves reminiscing about childhood memories when we see the now-rare or completely vanished features of old cars—things like manual roll-up windows or cassette tape players.
Many features have disappeared over time, replaced by new technologies, and now serve as symbols of a bygone era. By exploring photos of Hyundai's heritage models, we can rediscover some of the features that were once common but are now unique to older cars. Let's take a trip down memory lane together.
Born in 1975, Hyundai’s first independently developed model, the Pony, showcases the sleek designs of the 1970s. A distinctive feature of cars from that era is the round headlamp. But why did cars from the 1970s almost exclusively use round headlamps? The reason lies in the regulations of the time. In the 1940s, the U.S. standardized automotive headlamps to be round. Until 1974, when rectangular headlamps were added to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, only round headlamps were permitted.
This regulation applied only to the U.S., but given that the U.S. was the largest car market at the time, automakers worldwide followed suit. The global trend in automotive design reflected this as well. Many of the cars designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign in the 1970s, including the Pony, featured two round headlamps on either side.
Nowadays, however, it’s rare to see round headlamps. The U.S. revised its safety standards in 1983 to allow non-standard-shaped headlamps, giving designers more freedom. As automotive design evolved to meet new environmental and pedestrian safety regulations, round headlamps became less practical, affecting aerodynamics and safety. Thus, the round headlamps of the Pony remain a symbol of the design trends of that era.
Introduced in 1982, the Pony2 came in both passenger and pickup models, with the Pony2 Pickup featuring fender mirrors—something also found on the original Pony. The main advantage of fender mirrors is that drivers can check behind them with only a slight shift in gaze, reducing blind spots and requiring less head movement than today’s side mirrors.
However, fender mirrors have largely disappeared from modern cars due to inherent limitations. They are harder to see if made small due to their distance from the driver, and they pose a safety risk to pedestrians in the event of a collision. Modern vehicles prioritize designs that minimize injury to pedestrians, and fender mirrors pose a hazard if they strike someone.
Another nostalgic feature is the in-car cassette tape player. Introduced in the late 1960s, cassette tape players were popular because their durability against vibrations and shocks made them ideal for in-car use. Even after the superior audio quality of CDs became available, cassette players remained widespread, and for a time, car stereos that could play both cassettes and CDs became common.
The Pony2 CX had a unique journey to market. The ‘CX’ stands for ‘Canada Export, as this model was developed to meet Canadian safety regulations, marking Hyundai's successful entry into the North American market—the first Korean car to do so. The Pony2 CX featured the ‘5-mile bumper,’ which was designed to comply with U.S. regulations from the early 1970s requiring that bumpers withstand impacts at speeds up to 5 miles per hour (about 8 km/h) without damaging safety-related components.
Automakers developed special bumpers to meet these regulations, and the Pony2 CX’s bumper was no exception. The accordion-like impact absorbers at the ends of the bumper hint at the painstaking work the engineers put into developing this North American-specific feature.
Introduced in 1983, the Stellar garnered attention in the mid-size sedan market with its refined exterior design and functional interior, representative of the 1980s. Inside, you’ll notice a now-rare 4-speed manual transmission. In the 1980s, 4-speed manual transmissions were common, with high-end models offering 5-speed manuals. Automatic transmissions became more widespread in the 1990s, and today, manual transmissions are hard to find.
Another relic of the past is the window crank, often affectionately called a “chicken leg” due to its shape. While most cars today are equipped with power windows that raise and lower windows using electric motors, many models of the past required drivers to manually crank the windows. In some luxury cars, front windows were power-operated, while rear windows still used the crank.
The Sonata, introduced in 1985, was a luxury variant of the Stellar and marked the beginning of what has become an iconic presence in Korea’s mid-size sedan market. It was a model that redefined the performance and convenience features of the Stellar into a more luxurious package. One of the standout features was the "5-SPEED" emblem on the side of the Sonata. This was a notable element at a time when 4-speed manual transmissions were the norm, highlighting the advanced 5-speed manual transmission.
At that time, it was common to have speakers exposed on the rear shelf rather than embedded within it. The large speakers displayed on the shelf were a symbol of a high-quality audio system, which was considered a hallmark of luxury cars.
The Scoupe, launched in 1990, was Korea’s first domestic coupe, drawing significant attention. It was built on the platform of the compact Excel, launched in 1989, but was designed with a sporty look that appealed to younger consumers. The Scoupe was also notable for being equipped with Hyundai’s first independently developed "Alpha engine," which made headlines in motorsports. To commemorate this, the Scoupe proudly featured the "α-12V" lettering on its trunk, symbolizing the Alpha engine.
Here’s what exactly the "α-12V" lettering meant; the early Alpha engine in the Scoupe had a Single Overhead Camshaft (SOHC) configuration with three valves per cylinder, using a Multi-Point Injection (MPI) system to optimize performance and efficiency. The "12" in the α-12V lettering referred to the number of valves in the engine (4 cylinders x 3 valves = 12 valves). Notably, SOHC became less common in the 2000s as Dual Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) and variable valve timing technologies became necessary to meet stricter fuel efficiency and emissions regulations, which were difficult to achieve with a single camshaft.
In the 1980s, Hyundai made significant strides in vehicle design and engineering, developing a range of original models such as the Pony 2, Stellar, and Pony Excel. Following these advancements, the company focused on engine development. In September 1983, Hyundai established the "Engine Development Department" and launched the "Alpha Project" to create a proprietary engine for small cars. By 1991, the Alpha engine was unveiled. Hyundai went to great lengths to ensure its durability, producing around 300 engine prototypes and 150 test vehicles that were driven a total of 4.2 million kilometers—equivalent to circling the Earth 105 times—across Arizona and Ontario.
Starting in 1991, the Scoupe equipped with the Alpha engine offered an enjoyable driving experience. The Scoupe Turbo, in particular, was the first Korean passenger car to feature a turbocharger, delivering impressive performance. In 1992, the Scoupe Turbo, driven by Rod Millen, won the 2WD unmodified production car category at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the U.S. with a time of 13 minutes and 21.17 seconds, further proving its value in motorsports.
Introduced in 1991, the Galloper set the standard for SUVs in Korea with its distinct performance and durability. The "Galloper Odyssey" TV commercial series, launched to celebrate the first anniversary of the Galloper in 1992, showcased its durability by featuring the vehicle’s successful 70,000-kilometer expedition across 35 countries over 288 days, led by the famous world traveler / honorary professor Kim Chansam from Sejong University. The Galloper pictured in the ad was one of the three used in this expedition.
But not many remember the Galloper was equipped with blackout lights; ‘blackout’ refers to the practice of turning off all city lights during wartime to protect against air raids. However, situations could arise where vehicles, such as SUVs, needed to be used during these conditions. To accommodate this, these vehicles were fitted with blackout lights that emitted a very dim light. A cover on top of the light prevented it from being spotted from the air, and optical devices were installed to alter the light’s appearance depending on the distance, helping friendly forces identify the vehicle.
From 1984 to July 1999, South Korean law required civilian SUVs to be fitted with blackout lights, as they could be requisitioned by the military during wartime. This is why the Galloper had these lights. Although the requirement for blackout lights has since been lifted, vehicles that can be mobilized during wartime are still designated annually, with relevant documentation issued to manage these vehicles.
There is a certain romance in technologies of the past, special emotions that can only be felt by those who lived through and experienced that era. However, just like our lives, automobiles evolve. The special features we love in today’s cars will one day become a part of history. But there's no need to be too wistful. Just as Hyundai built upon the knowledge gained from its first independently developed Alpha engine, today’s technology will serve as the foundation for the innovations of tomorrow.
Pony by Hyundai Motor Company
2023.08.03 8min read