Hyundai Pony

The Hyundai Pony (Hangul: 현대 포니), was a small rear-wheel drive automobile produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai from 1975 to 1990. The Pony was South Korea's first mass-produced car.

Background

When Hyundai wanted to develop their own car, they hired George Turnbull, the former Managing Director of Austin Morris at British Leyland in 1974. He in turn hired five other top British car engineers, Kenneth Barnett body design, engineers John Simpson and Edward Chapman, John Crosthwaite as chassis engineer and Peter Slater as chief development engineer. With Turnbull's experience with the Morris Marina, engines and transmissions from Mitsubishi, some parts from the Ford Cortina they were already producing, and a hatchback body styled by Italdesign Giugiaro, they developed the Hyundai Pony.

First generation (1975–1982)

The Pony was presented at the Turin Motor Show in October 1974, and the car was introduced in December 1975 as a 4-door sedan to compete with the Saehan Gemini and Kia Brisa. A pickup version was added in May 1976, an estate in April 1977, and a 3-door hatchback in March 1980.