First look: Hyundai Arnejs takes Bangle angle

DETERMINED not to have its forthcoming Elantra five-door hatch derivative swamped once the doors open at the Paris show this month, Hyundai has released an official image of the car, known as the Arnejs concept.

The official shot comes just one week after Hyundai issued a sketch of the car.

Here it is – showing more than a little bit of influence from BMW designer Chris Bangle’s radical "flame surfacing" school of thought.

A South Korean 1 Series anyone? According to Hyundai insiders, the Arnejs is expected to be offered with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel, and even a hybrid is possible.

The car was styled by Hyundai's European styling studio at Russelsheim in Germany.