Hyundai ready for Veloster rapture
New cut-price Korean coupe to be uncovered at Paris Motor ShowHyundai's Tiburon sports coupe is now well past its used-by date. The Korean manufacturer desperately needs a new entry-level coupe to fill the void -- and if rumours circulating through Hyundai blog sites are anything to go by, fans anxious to take the wheel of a new cut-price coupe may soon be in for a bit of a treat.
According to one enthusiast website, Hyundai is set to unveil its Veloster sports coupe at this year's Paris Motor Show. The Veloster was first seen at the Seoul Motor Show and again at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2007. Sporting bold, chunky hind quarters and an aggressive stance, the Veloster concept car was not dissimilar in profile to the Honda CR-Z or Volkswagen Scirocco.
It's likely the production Veloster will be powered by a (105kW) 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as standard (as found in the Hyundai i30 SX), with a higher output, turbocharged (148kW) 2.0-litre unit also reported to be under consideration. Diesel and hybrid versions may also follow, depending on the market, with Europeans quick to opt for diesel power.
At this stage it's unclear as to whether or not Hyundai will retain the Veloster name on the production variant, though CEO John Krafcik has previously stated the front-wheel drive coupe will be an 80 per cent representation of the show car, and with our spy photos lending credence to his claims, it's likely the striking new coupe could be somewhat of an anti-climax -- at least in terms of shape -- when the covers are lifted in September.
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