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2011 Hyundai Veloster To Debut At Detroit Auto Show

HYUNDAI VELOSTER

Hyundai's Tiburon-replacing Veloster, originally set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in September, has today been confirmed for a January launch at the Detroit Auto Show.

With sales in its home market initially scheduled to


HYUNDAI VELOSTER

Hyundai's Tiburon-replacing Veloster, originally set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in September, has today been confirmed for a January launch at the Detroit Auto Show.

With sales in its home market initially scheduled to begin this month, Hyundai is understood to have postponed the Veloster's unveiling in order to give more focus to the Korean-market launch of its next-generation 2011 Accent last week.

For now, recent spy photos continue to be our sole source of clues as to the styling of Hyundai's latest sports car, which will enter the company's line-up below the overseas Genesis Coupe.

Hyundai's new Theta II GDI 1.6 litre direct-injection petrol engine will power the car, producing around 105kW and 165Nm of torque.

Speaking at a media event in the US, Hyundai America boss John Krafcik claimed that the Veloster will achieve fuel consumption figures of 40mpg (5.8 l/100km) on the highway, bettering the 6.4 l/100km of Honda's CR-Z petrol-electric hybrid sports car.

While it is fair to say that Honda has never declared world-beating fuel consumption as its ultimate goal for the CR-Z, the Veloster's claims might at least merit some crowing from Hyundai's marketing department.

Boasting better fuel economy and, according to Krafcik, a significantly roomier interior and luggage space, the Veloster is likely to be an appealing prospect.

Without the dollar-kick that comes with a hybrid powertrain, it will likely enter the market at a much lower price point than its Honda-badged counterpart.

Krafcik says that all variants of the Veloster will feature an oversized display panel in the centre stack (shown in our interior spy photo below) as a part of Hyundai's push to pull younger, more tech-oriented buyers to the brand.

Last year Mr Krafcik confirmed that the Korean carmaker will introduce the new coupe in 2011 as a successor to the Tiburon. 

A 2+2 coupe, the Veloster will be based on the new Accent's underpinnings and, unlike the Korean automaker's Genesis Coupe, will be front-wheel-drive only.

Both LHD and RHD production is planned, meaning an Australian release is likely.

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