Hyundai Veloster Grappler concept is real

No, this is not a computer-generated flight of fantasy like the bananas Ford Focus RS X, but a bona fide concept car built from the ground up by Hyundai of America.

Indeed, the Hyundai Veloster Grappler concept has a bit of Mad Max going on; a car with so much resilience coursing through its veins it even comes with an over-sized shovel.

If the apocalypse eventuates, cars like this will popular.

The madcap mud-slinger retains its oddball four-door layout (two doors on one side, one on the other, and boot door) only now its some serious off-road chops.

Set to make its global premiere at the 2019 SEMA show in Las Vegas in November, the unorthodox ultra-rugged vehicle features a Baja-style spare tyre on the roof and serious reinforcements, as is evidenced by the macho front bash plate and under body protection.

The Grappler isn't just a dune-jumper either. It's designed to reach remote locations and stay there for extended periods of time if necessary.

Beyond the off-road upgrades, such as chunky all-terrain tyres, unique front and rear bash plates and a lift-kit to improve ground clearance, the Hyundai Veloster Grappler concept comes with a roof-mounted Thule basket that's fitted with useful adventure gadgets.

A high-output LED light bar has a range of different outputs, from basecamp work lights to long-range night-time spot lights. The roof basket also gets a removable solar panel hooked up to a portable power station to plug in a plethora of peripherals.

Inside there's plenty of goodies that allow the Hyundai Veloster Grappler to get lost and stay lost for extended periods of time, such as an over-sized utility shovel, first aid kit, outdoor dome tent and roadside assistance kit.

The idea is that the jacked-up bush-basher can take occupants to remote locations and sustain their needs for several days.

Although the Korean company hasn't revealed what's under the vented bonnet – presumably a modified 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine that bangs out 300hp (this is SEMA, after all!) – the car does feature up-spec Recaro sports seats, a roll bar, sports pedals and gearstick.

By and large, the Hyundai Grappler concept car appears geared-up for high-performance – on and off-road. With allegedly excellent approach and departure angles, the car also features a beefed-up Borla exhaust system.

The second-generation Hyundai Veloster has just been launched in Australia priced between $29,490 and $41,990. The quirky front-wheel drive sports car is powered by 2.0-litre (110kW/180Nm) and 1.6-litre turbo-petrol (150kW/265Nm) engines.

Hyundai revealed a tough-looking Veloster N Performance Car in Korea earlier in 2019 and there is also a high-performance Hyundai Veloster N available. The latter is powered by the same fiery 202kW/353Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine as the popular i30 N hot hatch.

As it stands however, the Hyundai Veloster N model is unlikely to be offered in Australia in the near term.