Decades before Hyundai began dominating the sales charts with an array of capable SUVs like the Palisade, the company came to be known via its first mass-produced vehicle, the compact Pony. It's a car that wasn't initially sold in North America (it later was under the Excel name) but remains an integral part of the Korean marque's history. In honor of the original Pony, Hyundai has come up with a stunning electric restomod coupe. Based on the original Pony, it has been referred to simply as the 2021 Pony heritage and was shared on Instagram by a Hyundai designer named Yang Gu-rum.

While the sharp, dainty lines are clearly from a bygone era, they've been smartly embellished with modern details like the rear, block-shaped LED taillights. The detailing here reminds us a lot of the recently unveiled Hyundai Ioniq 5, one of the brand's most daring new designs. In front, there are rounded headlights and these, combined with the slim rectangular grille, have a hint of Dodge Challenger about them. The rearview mirrors are positioned extremely far forward on the fenders. It looks delicate and sporty at the same time and instantly makes many newer vehicles appear needlessly fussy. Another retro-inspired vehicle, the cute Honda E, springs to mind with its similarly clean execution.

As for the electric powertrain, no technical details of it have been shared, but with Hyundai's recent advancements in this area, there's no reason that the Pony heritage shouldn't have the performance to back up its appearance. This restomod is said to be on display at the Hyundai Motorstudio in the seaside city of Busan. Hyundai wants this venue to be a source of enrichment and inspiration through bold design, and the Pony restomod more than lives up to this. Sadly, it's likely to remain a one-off creation and you'll never be able to drive one off the showroom floor. But we're glad Hyundai took the time to make it.