Hyundai goes bonkers with performance Velosters

 by: Seyth Miersma

Hyundai's news that it would be producing a new Re:Mix edition of the Veloster was passingly interesting, at least for fans of the sprightly hatchback. But that wasn't the only Veloster we saw at the SEMA show this year... far from it.

Much more pulse pounding is this Veloster Turbo Velocity Concept, a fire-breathing, Cosworth-tuned, free-breathing, turbocharged beast of a thing that outputs some 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Full details on the Hyundai Velocity Concept were reported here, though we suggest you take in all of its be-winged glory in our gallery of live images first.

While you're at it, have a gander at the Velosters presented by ARK Performance and the JP Edition Concept, as well. The "JP" in question stands for John Pangilinan, a mainstay of the tuning community, and his Veloster features a Mint Green shade of BASF that wouldn't look out of place on a Tiffany's box, as well as various fashionable interior and exterior upgrades.

Meanwhile, the ARK "Alpine" Concept has been sorted to accommodate the lifestyles of extreme winter sports athletes. That means an interior designed to stand up well to wet gear that's composed of Alcantara, WeatherTek material and some leather.

Hyundai shows SEMA-bound Veloster by Ark Performance

by: Chris Tutor

 
Want your car to reflect as well as enable your active lifestyle? Then you may want to check out the ARK Performance "Alpine" concept coming to this year's SEMA show.

Ark began with standard 201-horsepower Hyundai Veloster Turbo and, using various bits from the Ark catalog, ramped power up to 232 horses with a torque boost to 240 pound-feet. The extra oomph comes from an ARK exhaust, test pipe and turbo up-pipes, a K&N intake, Nitrous Express Proton kit, Ark oil cooler and a Koyo radiator.

Beneath the coupe is an Ark coilover system, big brake kit and strut bar. The wheels are Gram Light 57Xtremes.

But SEMA is as much about looks as it is about fast. An Ark/Adro body kit and CF Rally Wing was covered in Custom Pearl White by Beyond Coachworks. JPM Coachworks outfitted the Veloster with a matching "Alpine Edition" interior featuring custom seats, instrument panel, steering wheel and headliner. Alcantara, mildew-repelling Italian leather and WeatherTek material. A Seibon Carbon hood and deck lid are accented by 180 Customs head and tail lights.

Hyundai CEO Krafcik on production Veloster: "Think of it like a four-passenger Honda CRX"

By: Jeremy Korzeniewski

Last February, we revealed that a production version of the Hyundai Veloster was in the works and would likely hit the market as a late 2011 or 2012 model. At the time, we were hoping for a modern reincarnation of the classic Honda CRX, and it seems like Hyundai may be answering our calls.

Speaking to Inside Line, Hyundai of America's President and CEO John Krafcik says the new machine will look 70% to 80% like the Veloster concept that we saw firsthand at the LA Auto Show in 2007, and it will feature some sort of unique styling element. Says Krafcik, "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."

Krafcik goes on to say the car will be significantly smaller than the firm's own Genesis Coupe (not to mention the Kia Forte) and it will be powered by a 1.6-liter four-banger fortified with direct injection that will offer up 140 horsepower while returning over 40 miles per gallon.

"Think of it like a four-passenger Honda CRX. It'll be a little car you can take out and wring its neck and still get good mileage," he said. "Fun and economical, with a great power-to-weight ratio." Sounds like a winner. All that's left to figure out is the car's name, which may or may not end up being either Veloster or Tiburon.