Disney celebrates its centennial in 2023 and has chosen Hyundai as its exclusive automotive partner in North America to help celebrate.
Those who watched the latest Academy Awards saw a TV commercial featuring the Hyundai Tucson and IONIQ 5 along with several popular characters from the entertainment giant. This week at the New York Auto Show, the magic continues in the form of a concept called the IONIQ 5 Disney100 Platinum.
You should know that this is the first time that Disney has opened the doors of its Imagineering design studio to a car manufacturer and allowed it to use its characters as part of an artistic collaboration. The result is also quite different from the Minnie Van Odyssey created by Honda in 2017.
Photo: Julien Amado
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 Disney100 Platinum initially stands out with its exclusive “Gravity Gold” bodywork with a matte finish on which appear “Disney100 Platinum Edition” badges.
Then there are unique alloy wheels with a pattern inspired by Mickey Mouse ears, as well as screens with sparkling animations on the headlight and taillight strips.
Photo: Julien Amado
Inside the vehicle, there are “Disney100” logos on the floor mats, front head restraints and center console. The silhouette of Mickey’s face is reproduced in series on the doors. Then, upon startup, the center screen comes alive with the same “Disney100” logo, classic Disney music, and the Wizard Mickey from Fantasia.
As finishing touches, a synchronized play of light adds a new dimension to the ambient lighting, while the roof glass is reminiscent of the stardust that makes Peter Pan fly.
Photo: Julien Amado
Hyundai plans to produce a very limited amount of the IONIQ 5 Disney100 Platinum (with a few different specs, of course), but only for the US market. Hyundai Canada’s communications manager, Jennifer McCarthy, confirmed to us that Canada will not be eligible.
If you want our opinion, we much prefer the magic of the future IONIQ 5 N, a high-performance version of around 600 horsepower that will arrive with us as a 2024 model. Keep in touch for more details!