Hyundai has been killing it lately. Once the Korean automaker’s offerings were regarded as bargain-basement low-quality vehicles, today, Hyundai is a top choice among consumers. To celebrate the long path they’ve traveled, Hyundai is paying homage to one of its first flagship vehicles.

The Hyundai Grandeur resto-mod breaks the internet

Hyundai is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the 1986 Grandeur sedan by recreating it in what they call “retro-futuristic resto-mod” fashion. Hyundai’s design team decided to reinterpret the Grandeur as an EV, and for a good reason. Considering the industry’s overall shift to EVs, we have to imagine that if Hyundai were to produce the Grandeur today, it would release it as a pure electric vehicle.

The exterior of the Grandeur resto-mod borrows heavily from boxy design from the original ‘86 model. The “boxy” style from the 80s era remains, but the addition of the “pixel-style” headlights and taillights give the Hyundai Grandeur resto-mod a “cyberpunk” aesthetic.

The dish-style covered wheels with large sidewall tires play their part in harkening back to 1986 as well. However, onlookers may argue that the front grille and side claddings are what tugs on the 80s nostalgia strings.

We would not be surprised to see a car like this parked in the background while watching Back to the Future II.

The Grandeur concept blew up on Twitter

The Hyundai Grandeur concept caught the eye of notable personalities online with their reactions being mostly positive.

Even highly successful tech reviewer, Marques Brownlee felt compelled to comment on the Grandeur’s design. He suggested that it could “finally bring electric car and classic car enthusiasts together.” Could he be right?

The interior combines nostalgia and modern infotainment

The interior of the Hyundai Grandeur resto-mod might be the most nostalgic aspect of the concept car. Passengers are greeted by seats adorned in burgundy velvet which was a staple of car interiors in the 80s. However, to add a modern touch, there are panels of Napa leather stitched in.

South Korean sound designer Guk-il Yu conceived the Grandeur’s audio system. The system features 18 speakers within custom enclosures. The center console and dashboard are both designed with “concert hall acoustic theory” in mind. There is even a touch screen piano feature allowing passengers to sample the soundscape of the audio system.

The dashboard is the most obvious juxtaposition of 80s vintage and current tech. While the dash maintains an 80s structural design, analog gauges are replaced with an ultra-wide touch screen.

If the burgundy velvet and bronze lighting aren’t enough to stir your nostalgia, the single-spoke steering wheel is bound to bring back memories from the 80s (assuming you were alive in that decade).

This resto-mod may be a sign of things to come

The Hyundai Grandeur concept might be more than just a fun one-off to celebrate the automaker’s past. Comments from Hyundai’s design team suggest that the Grandeur concept could preview design elements that could be seen in the future.

“As our designers conceive the future, it’s important to look back on what we’ve created in the past and find inspiration in it,” said Hak-soo Ha, Head of Interior Group at Hyundai Design Center. “With the Heritage Series Grandeur, our designers have reinterpreted an important part of Hyundai’s history as a wonderfully unique blend of vintage and contemporary that reflects the boundless possibilities of our EV era.”

That is not necessarily confirmation that the Hyundai Grandeur concept will go to production, but it could mean that future vehicles might have the same design flair. We’ll just have to wait and see.