Hyundai Ioniq 9 BigTime Idea Brings Retro Filth Readiness to SEMA : Automotive Addicts

Automotive

Hyundai is leaning into the off-road wave at SEMA with assist from YouTube duo BigTime, and the result’s a three-row EV that appears able to chase sundown trails. The Ioniq 9 BigTime idea begins life as a Calligraphy trim and trades its metropolis slicker posture for taller suspension, chunky tires, and a dose of Seventies type that feels equal elements campsite and automotive present.

If the names Jeremiah Burton and Zach Jobe ring a bell, it’s as a result of the pair constructed a following wrenching on formidable tasks and telling the story with a mixture of curiosity and good humor. Teaming with Hyundai, they aimed to provide the model’s flagship EV a bit of filth cred with out dropping the clear design that makes the Ioniq 9 stand out on the freeway.

Below the arches sit knobby BFGoodrich all-terrain tires mounted to white OZ Racing wheels. It’s a easy change that transforms the stance and alerts intent earlier than the sunshine bar even glints on. The lifted setup seems beneficiant sufficient to clear ruts that may in any other case threaten the 6.9 inches of inventory floor clearance, and the white wheels lend the large Hyundai an sudden rally vibe.

Powertrain {hardware} stays true to the Calligraphy spec, which implies a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup with 422 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The Ioniq 9 is a quiet rocket in manufacturing facility kind, and right here the additional trip top and tire sidewall ought to assist it take in washboard roads with out rattling enamel. Anybody aware of EVs on tough terrain will recognize how prompt torque and one-pedal management could make threading by rocks really feel virtually serene.

The aesthetic is the place BigTime’s persona shines. The brown and tan wrap channels late 70s cool with period-perfect heat, punctuated by a daring Hyundai wordmark on the hood and bubbly BigTime graphics alongside the flanks. That shade combo was impressed by a 1977 Kenworth cabover the pair picked up for the channel, and it brings simply sufficient nostalgia to offset the trendy edges of the Ioniq 9’s design.

Up prime, a roof-mounted gentle bar guarantees to show night time runs into daylight. The remaining is pleasingly restrained. No roof tents or ladder racks. No fake beadlocks. This construct retains the give attention to the necessities and lets the form of the Ioniq 9 do a lot of the speaking.
Will Hyundai spin this precise spec right into a seller choice? Unlikely. What feels extra believable is a catalog of tasteful equipment and a wink towards house owners who need to discover forest roads with out stepping right into a full overland conversion. The Ioniq 9 already leans premium, with the Calligraphy trim beginning at $76,590, and this idea exhibits how a number of good adjustments can broaden its playground with out muddying the mission.

As SEMA one-offs go, the Ioniq 9 BigTime strikes a pleasant steadiness. It seems to be enjoyable, it provides functionality the place it counts, and it respects the EV’s upscale bones. If Hyundai’s aim was to point out how its largest electrical SUV can put on mountaineering boots, contemplate the purpose made.

Darryl Taylor Dowe is a seasoned automotive skilled with a confirmed monitor document of main profitable ventures and offering strategic session throughout the automotive trade. With years of hands-on expertise in each enterprise operations and market improvement, Darryl has performed a key position in serving to automotive manufacturers develop and adapt in a quickly evolving panorama. His perception and management have earned him recognition as a trusted knowledgeable, and his contributions to Automotive Addicts mirror his deep data and fervour for the enterprise aspect of the automotive world.