HYUNDAI’S UPCOMING 2012 coupe, a replacement for the front-wheel-drive Tiburon being developed to sit beneath the Genesis Coupe in the company’s line-up, will look “70-80 percent” like the popular Veloster concept, Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik told Inside Line this week.

Krafcik went on to say that the coupe - the final name of which has yet to be finalised - will feature styling unlike anything before it.

“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,” he said.

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The new Hyundai coupe was previously believed to be built on the Elantra platform, although Krafcik has since revealed that the new coupe is “Accent-sized.” Whichever platform it uses, like its Tiburon predecessor, it will be front-wheel-drive only.

Krafcik had previously revealed that a 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine was likely, but until now, nothing was known of the likely output or fuel injection.

“It’ll be powered by a 1.6-liter four cylinder with direct injection making 140 hp. And it’ll get over 40 mpg,” Krafcik told Inside Line.

“There’s just nothing out there right now with that kind of Eco-sport positioning.”

[via Inside Line]