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

Hyundai Slashes Price of Coupe by Almost 30 Percent in the UK

Truth to be told, whenever we hear about automakers announcing huge discounts on new vehicles, we tend to think about their previous, huge profit margins... But anyways, Hyundai's UK division announced today that it is offering a massive £5,035 ($8,170 US or €5,800) or 28 percent deduction off the price of the 2.0-liter Coupe, bringing it down to just £12,995 ($21,100 or €15,000) on the road. That makes the 141HP two-door coupe £2,600 cheaper than the first generation model which was launched in 1996.

According to Hyundai, the Coupe is now more affordable than many superminis like the three-door, 1.4-liter Vauxhall Corsa Design.

Despite the massive discount, the basic 2.0-liter Coupe is well equipped packing leather upholstery, climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, twin exhausts, cruise control and heated front seats as standard.

The range-topping Coupe TSIII version also comes with a discount of £5,220, making it available for just £14,295. Standard features include anthracite-finish alloys, quad exhaust tailpipes, a larger boot spoiler, quilted leather sports seats and Eibach sport springs.

In addition to these discounts, buyers can also receive a further £1,000 price cut under the government's scrappage scheme.