Fresh from winning the North American Car of the Year award for the Elantra, Hyundai Motor America presented two new turbocharged cars at the North American International Auto Show.
The 2013 Veloster Turbo will begin arriving this summer. It’s the first vehicle in Hyundai’s “7/11″ product initiative that calls for seven new or redesigned models in the next eleven months.
Under the hood is a new, 1.6-liter T-GDI (Turbocharged-Gasoline Direct Injection) engine that delivers 201 horsepower @ 6000 PRM working through either an automatic or manual six-speed transmission. Hyundai says the Veloster Turbo offers a better power-to-weight ratio than a Mini Cooper or Volkswagen GTI. Estimated fuel economy is 38 miles per gallon highway with the manual transmission.
Setting the Turbo apart from lesser Velosters are features like a unique front fascia, foglights and ground effects; special matte gray paint, projection headlights with LED accents, side mirrors with integral turn signal repeaters and LED taillights. The Turbo also gets 18-inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts.
On the inside is an exclusive graphite black interior with blue accents, leather seating, heated front seats and what Hyundai calls a “supervision cluster” mounted in the instrument cluster, right where it should be. There’s Pandora radio, something that’s becoming more common these days, and Hyundai’s own Blue Link connectivity technology.
“The Turbo further broadens Veloster’s hero role in the Hyundai line-up to attract our next generation of buyers,” said Mike O’Brien, HMA v-p for product and corporate planning. “It’s powerful, high-tech and fuel-efficient, attributes which we think make Veloster Turbo the ultimate innovation in the sport coupe segment.”
The 2013 Veloster Turbo arrives in the Summer of 2012, facing off against worthy competitors such as the Volkswagen GTI, Honda Civic Si and Mini Cooper/Clubman S with a better power-to-weight ratio than all of them, and a unique sport-tuned steering and suspension hardware set.
Sharing the stage with the Veloster is the upgraded, rear-wheel-drive 2013 Genesis Coupe. The refresh includes more aggressive styling, an improved interior and enhanced engine performance. The 3.8-liter V6 now has direct-injection; the 2.0-liter turbo gets a twin-scroll turbocharger and larger intercooler. New eight-speed automatic transmissions offer optional paddle-shifting.
Exterior spotting features include a new front fascia, grille, hood and fog lamps as well as new 18- and 19-inch wheels. LED taillights are included and front LED daytime running lights are optional.
Inside there’s a telescoping steering wheel, driver’s seat lumbar support, new center stack and the standard array of telematics.
Hyundai’s come a long way from those early cars that tended to shed trim pieces in automatic car washes. Through brilliant marketing, backed by steadily improving quality, the brand is becoming a real powerhouse that sets sales records so frequently that it’s only news when they miss.