Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster is a compact sport coupe set to begin sales in the Summer of 2011. It was released on January 10, 2011, at the Detroit auto show, and will fill the void left when Hyundai discontinued the Tiburon after the 2008 model year. Hyundai states the production model is to receive a direct-injected 1.6 liter 138 hp (103 kW), 123 lb·ft (167 N·m) (@ 4,850 rpm) torque, 4-cylinder engine. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard while a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters is also available as an option. The DCT transmission is developed by Hyundai and is the first dual-clutch transmission from the company. The Veloster will achieve an estimated 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) fuel economy, but does not yet have an official EPA rating. A turbocharged version will be available later on. The car includes 17 inch wheels and 4-wheel disc brakes as standard features. A turbocharged 1.6 Gamma GDI was introduced in the 2011 Seoul Motor Show. It generates 208 hp at 6,000 rpm with 195 ft-lbs of torque from 1,600-5,000 rpm. This engine will be available in 2012.

2012 Hyundai Veloster @ 2011 Detroit Auto Show

The car is different from many competitors as it has one door on the driver side and two on the passenger side in U.S.-bound models. European models will have four regular doors. The Veloster will also use Hyundai's new BlueLink system, which is similar to OnStar used in GM vehicles, providing customers with automatic crash notification, vehicle diagnostics, etc. Pricing is expected to start around US$17,000. While the car was being showcased at the Detroit auto show, it had already been tested and reviewed by "wheels", a car magazine based from UAE. The Hyundai Veloster concept, a 1+2 three-door, glass-roofed hatchback concept car, was unveiled by Hyundai at the 2007 Seoul Motor Show. It is the third in a series of cars styled by the company at its Namyang Design Center in Hwaseong, Korea. Its name is a combination of the words "velocity" and "roadster". The platform is based on the same front wheel drive ones in Hyundai Accent and Hyundai Elantra. The car concept was unveiled in 2007 Seoul Motor Show with the final production version released on January 10 at the Detroit Auto Show.



Under the hood is an all-new small (for North-America) 1.6-liter direct injected gasoline engine called "Gamma". It produces an estimated peak output of 138 hp (103 kW) at 6,300 rpm and maximum torque of 123 lb-ft (167 Nm) at 4,850 rpm. It also features Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT), an electronic throttle control, a roller timing chain, variable induction and innovative anti-friction coatings such as CrN Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating and Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating. Pretty high-tech, but it doesn't stop there. The Gamma can be mated either to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Dual-clutch transmissions keep most of the fuel-economy benefits of manuals, but with the convenience of automatics. Pretty much a win-win. "This powertrain also has an Active Eco mode which modifies engine and transmission control for improved fuel economy that translates into more than a seven percent improvement in real-world fuel economy." The Hyundai Veloster weights 2,584 pounds, more than 400 pounds lighter than the Scion tC. I would really have liked to see a stop-start anti-idling system to improve city MPG, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards for now.