Hyundai CEO Says Veloster Coupe Coming in 2011 with 140HP 1.6-liter Engine

Following the successful launch of the rear-wheel drive Genesis Coupe, Hyundai is now focusing on the development of a front-wheel drive replacement for the Tiburon sports coupe which is known simply as the Coupe in Europe and other markets. In an interview with Inside Line, Hyundai Motor America's CEO John Krafcik revealed some juicy new details on the forthcoming small coupe which he claimed will look 70-80 per cent like the Veloster Concept that was unwrapped at the 2007 L.A. Show.

Krafcik said that the production version of the Veloster, which by the way, is among the names being considered for the new model, will pack a surprise bodystyle feature never seen before in the category. "It might be doors or a unique roof or something with the hatch. But it won't be like anything out there before in the small car segment."

In terms of size, Krafcik mentioned that the Tiburon's successor will be quite compact. "It's Accent-sized. Think of it like a 4-passenger Honda CRX," he said. "It'll be a little car you can take out and ring its neck and still get good mileage. Fun and economical, with a great power to weight ratio."

In a previous interview back in March, the American CEO had revealed that the Veloster would be offered with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder petrol engine. This time Krafcik went into more details. "It'll be powered by a 1.6-liter four cylinder with Direct Injection making 140 hp. And it'll get over 40 mpg US (5.8lt/100km or 48mpg UK)," he told IL.

We're guessing that in other markets such as Europe and South Korea Hyundai will most likely offer the Veloster with diesel engines also, maybe even with the Korean firm's new 184HP 2.0-liter oil-burner that is available on the 2010 facelifted Santa Fe.

"There's just nothing out there right now with that kind of Eco-sport positioning" said Krafcik adding that the Veloster will arrive at Hyundai's dealerships before the end of 2011.

Via: Inside Line

Malignant Rumors: The Boys at Hyundai are Coming on Strong

In accordance with the most recent Initial Quality Study performed by J.D. Power and Associates, Hyundai's getting better and better (and that's no rumor). The numbers are in, and Hyundai came in 4th overall, falling behind Lexus, Porsche, and Cadillac, while beating Honda, Mercedes, and Toyota. Building on its drastically improved - and still-rapidly-improving image, it seems as if Hyundai is pumping more and more into its market offensive.

According to just about everyone, Hyundai is happy with it's up-sized vehicles (the Genesis sedan and Coupe) for the moment and feels the need to expand and improve its smaller ones. I agree; it's about time to replace and upgrade cars like the Sonata, Tiburon, and Tucson with cars befitting the new Hyundai.

Over the next few years Hyundai will supposedly be releasing a slew of small and mid-size products, like the Tiburon replacement, a new small CUV, the next Sonata , and a couple of MPVs based on the i20 (which the US market doesn't get) and i30 (the States' Elantra Touring).

The Tiburon replacement will supposedly take themes from the Veloster concept (we can hope), which is a huge improvement over any of the Tiburons to date. This is significant because it will give Hyundai a sporty, affordable, FWD car that will slot in below the RWD Genesis Coupe while taking on the Civic Si and any number of European hot hatches.

The new compact-sized CUV, rumored to be based on the 2009 Geneva Show ix-onic concept, is going to be Hyundai's second volley over the Germans' bow. The ix-onic would make one hell of a replacement for the Tucson (no one actually takes those things off-road anyway, so why not look good?).

Then there's the next-gen Sonata. Everyone seems to be thinking it's going to move up and tackle cars like the Passat and Camry, which would be interesting. If this is the case, we've got to ask ourselves what the point of the Azera is. Maybe it'll be phased out, now that the Genesis is the big-dog full-size Hyundai (and since the Azera is based on the Sonata's platform). If the spy shots are any hint, the 4-door coupe theme is being adopted, and the wagon could end up looking like the slick Genus concept.

What about those MPVs? Well, people are theorizing the States could be getting one. It'll probably be the smaller, i20-based model (if at all), so as not to get too close to the next Tucson. That, and the smaller MPV could be built alongside the Kia Soul, which utilizes the same platform.

As for the engines, the only real solid info is that Hyundai had a 1.6 liter GDi turbo four-cylinder with 175 hp in the ix-onic concept, and it was mated to a double-clutch 6-speed auto. This mill, in one form or another, will probably end up finding its way under the hood of the Tiburon/Veloster and ix-onic/Tucson, and maybe even the Sonata (if they keep those numbers, the Sonata's mid-range engine could be the Genesis Coupe's 2.0T). That means the Sonata's V6 would probably be bumped up to the Azera's Lambda 3.8 liter with 275-horses, putting it just under the Genesis and squarely against the aforementioned Passat and Camry.

At the end of the day this column is still called Malignant Rumors, meaning what's found within is speculation lathered with hopes and dreams. I just wonder if it's really possible for Hyundai's potential future lineup to elevate the brand's status even further (that is, from wannabe-contenders with a few lucky shots to big-time players)? I guess we're about to find out.

By Phil Alex

Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985, yet for reasons unbeknownst to him moved to South Carolina. He graduated with degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had a strange obsession with cars and travel. When not back in Sparkle City, he resides near Japan's international airport in Narita. He makes no apologies for his articles and welcomes all feedback, as long as it is adamantly worded. Oh, and if for any reason you are inclined to vent some more, check out more of his posts on the Examiner here.

Hyundai Nuvis Hybrid Concept opens up its Gullwing Doors in NY

The wraps are off the Hyundai Nuvis crossover concept that made its world premiere at the 2009 New York Auto Show. Hyundai's futuristic proposal for a small three-door crossover is the eleventh concept car to come out of the company's Design Center in Irvine, California. According to the Korean automaker, apart from showing off various technologies such as the firm's proprietary parallel hybrid drive system, the Nuvis also hints at a possible design direction for a future-generation crossover. Though don't expect to see the gullwing doors nor the 22'' alloys finding their way into production.

"Our goal was to create a living machine, constantly moving, that the driver and passengers could be part of," said John Krsteski, Hyundai Design manager. "There are no lines on or in this car that are standing still."

Other notable features aside from the gullwing doors, is the protective roof that looks like its floating atop of the body and the 'super-duper' futuristic interior with its blue ambient lighting that will never see the... light of production.

Underneath the fancy-pancy sheetmetal, the Nuvis sports homegrown Hybrid Blue Drive architecture that mates a 2.4-liter Theta II four-cylinder gasoline engine to a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 30kW (205 Nm) electric motor. Like the Prius, the system allows the wheels to be powered by the gasoline engine, or the electric motor, or both together.

The hybrid system stores its electrical charge in a 270V lithium polymer rechargeable battery (5.3Ah/270V) that is housed in the crossover's trunk.