Hot Hyundai Veloster spied

Text: Eliott Farr / Photos: Automedia

04th July 2011

These are the first pictures of a high-performance version of the Hyundai Veloster.

As the spy shots reveal, the hot version of Hyundai's coupe – which is set to rival the Volkswagen Scirocco - will be marked out by a new nose with deeper front air intakes and front spoilers, hinting at its sporty nature. It will also benefit from aggressive new side skirts, while at the rear a pair of large exhausts will complement its already squat stance.

There's a chance this Veloster could get a different suspension set-up to the standard car too, with Hyundai's engineers still tuning the final ride and handling for the entry-level model.
 
Power will come from a 1.6-litre petrol engine, with forced induction boosting its power output to around 200bhp – 80bhp more than the standard car. That means it should be able to sprint from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 135mph.
 
A large part of the standard model’s appeal is its efficiency, with an average fuel economy of 45mpg and 148g/km of CO2. Hyundai will be keen to keep the running costs of its more powerful version on a par with its rivals.

On the inside expect the sporty theme to continue, with heavily bolstered front sports seats, leather trim and even more kit than the standard car.

Hyundai has yet to announce when the hot Veloster might go into production, but it is likely to debut at the Detroit Motor Show early next year.