Hyundai Challenges the Renault 5 Turbo 3E!

Hyundai pushes the boundaries once again with the unveiling of its concept car INSTEROID, revealed today in Seoul.

This model embodies Hyundai’s bold approach, combining gaming influences and advanced customization to appeal to a new generation of drivers. Derived from the Hyundai INSTER, a compact urban electric SUV launched last year, INSTEROID takes the sporty design and user experience even further. Finalist for the 2025 World Car of the Year award, the INSTER laid a solid foundation for this quite radical project.

Developed secretly by Hyundai’s European design team, INSTEROID is a true concept car. Its name combines the playful spirit of INSTER with the power of steroids, reflecting its dynamic and muscular character. “INSTEROID is a celebration of pure automotive pleasure, says Simon Loasby, senior vice president of Hyundai Design Center. We explored new ways to evoke emotions through its appearance, sound, and sensations it provides.”

Long live fun and sporty electric!

With its video game-inspired design, INSTEROID features a wider silhouette, optimized track wheels, a massive rear wing, and complex aerodynamic elements. The ultra-minimalist interior offers bucket seats, a safety cage, and a race-style dashboard, reflecting the spirit of a customizable vehicle. A Drift mode further enhances its playful character.

Following the Renault 5 Turbo 3E presented in March, here is a second idea of what the future of mainstream electric sports cars could look like. We can even imagine both models racing on asphalt and dirt in the World Rally Championship! After all, Hyundai is already there, and Renault dreams of returning. The question is whether the Korean manufacturer will have the courage, to say the least, to turn this concept into a production model. We won’t play it too French, but Renault dared!

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