Hyundai readies Veloster

HYUNDAI’S Tiburon coupe is all but dead and buried, but another compact sportscar from the Korean car-making king should replace it next year.

Previewed by the slinky Veloster concept at the 2007 Seoul motor show and likely to be based on the same platform as Hyundai’s super-successful i30 small car, the belated replacement for the two-door Tiburon is believed to be just months away from emerging.

That means that if it doesn’t debut at the Los Angeles motor show on December 2, the Detroit show on January 11 or the Geneva show on March 2, it is certain to make its public premiere at the Seoul motor show next April.

Hyundai’s Australia sales and marketing chief Kevin McCann confirmed a new model based on the Veloster would eventually replace the Tiburon, which is now out of production.

“The Tiburon is gone, but it’s a hole that will definitely be filled – and the magic word is Veloster,” said Mr McCann.

“I don’t know what final form, it will take, but I expect that if you look at the trends in Europe that kind of swoopy, low-slung hatchback is very appealing to the generational equivalent of people why bought two-door coupes.

“I suppose it’s an affluent Gen Y car, if you like, so it’s only my opinion but I think that’s the way it’ll go.”

Hyundai last month sold two examples of the Tiburon for a grand total of 50 this year. A handful of Tiburons remain available within Hyundai’s Australian dealer network.