Digital Artist Revives Pontiac Aztek With Inspiration From… Hyundai?
The Pontiac Aztek simply won’t fall into oblivion, it appears. Not only is Pontiac the discontinued car brand Canadians miss the most according to a survey from last year, but for some strange reason people out there maintain a fascination for its controversially styled SUV (we’re being polite, here) that was axed in 2005.
Remember that blacked-out Aztek transformed into a Firebird Trans Am? Now, check out this new interpretation of the ill-fated Pontiac SUV from a digital artist who goes by the name ottomadiq on Instagram.
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The result is still largely recognizable as an Aztek, but with a more contemporary and more rugged twist—in line with the current trend of adventurous, off-road-ready SUVs. See the evolution:
While retaining various design cues from the past, the artist seems to have drawn plenty of inspiration from an unlikely source, more specifically the hydrogen-powered Hyundai INITIUM concept that made its global debut in late October and will resurface at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. In case you don’t know what we’re talking about, here’s a picture:
The body creases on the door panels, the massive cargo rack on the roof and pretty much the entire rear-end design (including the windows) are virtually identical. Same thing for the cameras replacing the side mirrors.
What do you think? Would the Pontiac Aztek have survived or could it make a comeback—hypothetically, of course—with this more sophisticated and less offensive design? You can hit up our Facebook page and let us know.