Hyundai wanted to show the world how resistant the new generation i30 is, and for that, nothing better than 40 monkeys to assess the posture of the Korean hatchback.
The South Korean brand has decided to place the i30 next to a cluster of baboons ready to unintentionally test the vehicle's strength both outside and inside. In other words, a real quality control test was done…
This unusual case took place at Knowsley Safari Park, England, and it turns out that these little monkeys often damage the park's visitors' vehicles. Of course, Hyundai didn't create this car with the park's visitors in mind, but taking advantage of the fact that the new i30 is a family model, they carried out an extreme test to prove the car's resistance.
Inside, these primates (just like children do) pressed buttons, jumped around, opened and closed doors, knocked on windows and soiled fabrics while they ate. Outside, the monkeys put the car's paint to the test, scraping and soiling everything that was foreign to their eyes.
In the end, the car was left with the interior “very clean”, the steering wheel chewed up and the exterior with some brave scratches, even so, Hyundai guarantees that the car behaved very well, without any damaged items. “We chose the monkeys to simulate the wear and tear caused by children in real life,” said Felicity Wood of Hyundai. “These baboons are incredibly curious, they dig around until they find the car's weak spot… For a baboon, having a car to play with for an entire day is a godsend,” said Park official David Ross.
Text: Tiago Luís