Just as we were chatting with John Krafcik, vice president of product development at Hyundai Motor America about when the Portico concept will go into production, spy photographers captured the crossover out testing. How fortuitous!
With little cladding to hinder our analysis, it appears the design has changed, but not too substantially from the concept first shown at the 2005 Chicago auto show.
The grille has lost its flowing-water-and-zen-like pattern. The shape also has become conventional, dropping an outline that was a cross between a butterfly and a cartoon character’s mustache. The headlamps have been revamped, and we prefer the creases on the hood of the concept to the new lines here.
Under the hood we expect to see Hyundai’s 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V-6s, and perhaps a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The vehicle will be available with front- or all-wheel drive.
The Portico likely will begin assembly in Korea in the fall of 2009 for sale as a 2010 model. It is one of seven new vehicles the automaker is introducing over the next two years as part of a product onslaught it dubs 24/7 Version 2.0. The first 24/7 program oversaw the launch of seven new vehicles in a 24-month period beginning in 2004.
