hyundai veloster

hyundai veloster

hyundai veloster

hyundai veloster

hyundai veloster

hyundai veloster

Hyundai Makes Music, Art For Veloster

Until very recently, Hyundai had nothing to offer younger new-vehicle shoppers in the way of a protean small car -- that quasi sports car, do-everything machine for Gen Y consumers who were not financially ready just yet to own a Genesis, the automaker's higher-end sports sedan/coupe. Yes, there was the Tiburon coupe, discontinued around four years ago, but that 2x2 configuration coupe was -- to be kind -- "meh" in the flexibility department.

But the new three-door 2012 Hyundai Veloster coupe is intended to deliver on all the above, and the automaker isn't taking chances on positioning. Instead of a more traditional campaign with TV leading off, followed by the usual media flotilla, the automaker has been delivering the Veloster gospel with a digital/social-focused music, video, film, game, and collaborative art strategy. Overseeing the efforts on the agency side is AOR Innocean Worldwide Americas.

Yes, Hyundai has Veloster integrated in Microsoft and Xbox, and Action Sports games, plus a giant billboard digital game in New York’s Times Square that allows people in the area to race Velosters on the billboard using their smartphones. But arguably, the maypole of the Veloster push is social-friendly music and art initiatives, such as the “Re:Generation” Music Project that launched a few weeks ago. The project -- a partnership with the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and its Grammy Awards -- epitomizes Hyundai's approach for the car, involving as it does a set of collaborations between emerging DJs and iconic musicians and performers. It culminates in a feature film to be screened in around 125 theaters next year.

"Music is a very big platform," says Steve Shannon, VP of marketing at Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Hyundai Motor America. He tells Marketing Daily that the project allowts Hyundai to populate social sites like YouTube with trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, music and more. "And we are on TV, but even that is non-traditional. We did 15-second spots, each kind of an appetizer, focusing on specific features: 40 mpg, or the vehicle's three-door configuration. Those ran for six weeks, and in keeping with our target, they were on channels like MTV, Fuse TV and Versus."

The YouTube content about the film, which debuts during the Grammy week, has garnered around five million views, according to Shannon, who adds that earned media from RollingStone.com and other music Web sites has helped drive views and buzz. It also helps that one of the acts featured in the film has garnered several Grammy nominations this year.

Shannon says Veloster is off to a fast start, having sold around 7,100 units since the U.S. launch in September. "Frankly, we are limited by capacity. We can only get so many, and it has the lowest day’s supply of any [Hyundai] model right now," he says. “I have phone calls every Monday from the regional guys. 'White hot' is the term they're using." The Veloster buyers are the youngest in Hyundai's range, around 40 years of age on average, per Shannon. Yes, the car is skewed to Gen Y - 19 -to-23-year-olds -- but that's an ideal, as most young consumers buy pre-owned, get their parents' cars, or are beneficiaries of their parents’ largesse.

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/164737/hyundai-makes-music-art-for-veloster.html#ixzz1jBJPc89d

Hyundai Dealers in Chicago

Video Find: 2012 Hyundai Veloster Goes Interactive in Times

With all the foot traffic, it’s hard to get a car around Times Square in New York City, let alone go racing. But Hyundai is giving iPhone users a chance to do just that – it has released a new interactive ad called Hyundai Race on its Times Square billboard that lets people race digital 2012 Velosters using their smartphones.

Players can download the Hyundai Race app from the iTunes App Store to play. Using the app, the iPhone becomes the controller to the oversized, LED screen right in the middle of The Great White Way. Players race a Veloster around a road course, and compete for the fastest lap time. The automaker’s billboard spans two screens, letting up to two people play at once. Hyundai Race will stay on the billboard through the end of this year, and Hyundai says it will replace it with another interactive experience next year.

Hyundai first obtained its billboard spot in the middle of Times Square above the TKTS stairs at 47^th Street and Broadway in 2009. Check out the video below to see Hyundai Race in action; if you’re in Times Square this holiday season, take it for a test drive!

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/video-find-2012-hyundai-veloster-goes-interactive-in-times-square-151413.html#ixzz1jBHTy8AO

Chicago Hyundai Dealers

Left Lane News - Review: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

But after spending a week with the car, we’ve had a longer chance to become acquainted with each other.

Come along for the ride as we rediscover the 2012 Hyundai Veloster .

What is it?

Hyundai claims its new Veloster is an example of “the coupé, redefined.” Seeing that most others are trying to convince the buying public that four-door, swoopy designs are the equivalent of a four-door coupe, we ask “why not?”

As it is, the Veloster is a four-seat, three doors-and-a-hatch coupé that appears to be just the ticket for first-time buyers, college students, retirees, and just those who are looking for a little fun in a stylish, if a bit quirky, ride.

In spirit, Veloster kind of replaces Hyundai’s departed Tiburon, a less-than-loved sporty-looking coupe. With only a 1.6-liter engine, it slots in well below the dynamically impressive but hardly big-selling Genesis Coupe.

What’s it up against?

The Ford Fiesta , Mini Cooper, Honda Fit , Fiat 500c, Scion tC and perhaps the Volkswagen Beetle , are all players in the field that can potentially give the Veloster fits.

Essentially it comes down to your taste in style, size, and the thickness of your wallet, since no car in this segment really cuts the same shadow.

Any breakthroughs?

Did we mention that passenger-side rear door? Oh right, we did. That design move alone puts the Veloster in a rare place, especially for a Korean automaker: That of an innovator. We think it was a conscious effort to keep things safe for rear seat passengers by making the door available only on the passenger side. Sure, a passenger can still enter through the left side by flipping the driver seat forward.

Hyundai even claims that at 40 mpg, the Veloster achieves better highway mileage than Honda ’s CR–Z hybrid. A standard Blue Link Telematics system is included for other standard, and optionally available features. Every vehicle whether equipped with navi or not, gets a standard multi–function LG-brand seven-inch touch–screen monitor for control of the in-car entertainment as well as videogame console connectivity.

How does it look?

The new Veloster appears as though it’s the love child of the Genesis Coupe and Aston Martin ’s new One-77 supercar. Featuring the same front fascia–mounted intakes (although not functional here) the Veloster appears to really be trying to flatter the Aston Martin. The look mostly works. From the side, and with its blacked-out A-pillars it manages to channel its inner Bell Helmet.

Read More: http://www.leftlanenews.com/hyundai-veloster-review.html#

Hyundai Confirms Turbo Veloster and More-Powerful Genesis Coupe for Detroit Auto Show

Our long national nightmare is over: A 1.6-liter turbocharged Veloster—spy photos of which can be seen here—has been confirmed for America. The forced-induction version was known to be on the way even before the base car dropped at the 2011 Detroit auto show, but it’s taken until now for the company to show its hand. Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik announced the car tonight at an event on the eve of the 2011 SEMA show in Las Vegas.


Krafcik promised the car would debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show in January alongside a face-lifted Genesis coupe. An output announcement wasn’t part of the deal, but word recently slipped out of Korea that the turbocharged 1.6-liter four would make 204 hp. The Veloster’s current turbo-free 1.6-liter makes 138 hp; it isn’t quick, hitting 60 in 8.5 seconds, but the bigger issue is that the car as a whole isn’t particularly involving.

If the 204-hp number proves accurate, that would put the top-dog Veloster precariously close to the base Genesis coupe‘s 210-hp figure. But Krafcik added that that the latter’s 2.0-liter turbo four would “have its knob turned to the right” to create more separation, and that the 306-horse, naturally aspirated V-6 would follow suit. The Veloster’s front-wheel-drive layout and super-wacky door arrangement apparently aren’t enough to delineate the models.

In addition to more power, the 2013 Genesis coupe will get a more Veloster-like nose. Because, you know, Hyundai wants to differentiate the two.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/hyundai-confirms-turbo-veloster-and-more-powerful-genesis-coupe-for-detroit-auto-show/

Chicago Hyundai

Hyundai and ARK Performance Boost the Veloster for SEMA

Hyundai’s new Veloster is certainly different-looking, but’s hardly more exciting to drive than an Elantra. Hoping to boost its sport compact cred at next month’s SEMA show, Hyundai has enlisted the help of a tuner called ARK Performance to dress its odd duck with a parts-catalog worth of rally-inspired show and go bits.

Under the hood, ARK strapped a twin-scroll turbocharger to the Veloster’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine heating things up to 210 hp. While this application is pure aftermarket, we expect to see similar results once Hyundai unleashes it’s own factory-blown Veloster sometime next year.

A coil-over suspension, improved control arms, front and rear sway bars, and a front strut tower brace should help to sharpen the car’s reflexes and improve roadholding. Stopping power is increased thanks to ARK’s big brake kit, which includes a pair of six-piston calipers for the front. Outside, matte grey and ecto green paint cover the car’s wide-body transformation, which includes a wide-mouthed front fascia, flared fenders, new side skirts, a spoiler bolted to the hatch, and four polished exhaust tips shooting out the back. Because no rally car is complete without one, the interior features a rally-style roll-cage. And because no SEMA car is complete without it, Alcantara wraps nearly every surface to be found.

Usually, hot-rodded SEMA cars aren’t indicative of any actual production plans from manufacturers; in fact, many cars that appear at the show are there trying to overcome a perception of performance and fun. (See: Honda’s fleet of slammed Insights last year, for example.) Let’s hope this one’s a bit different.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/hyundai-and-ark-performance-boost-the-veloster-for-sema/

2012 Hyundai Veloster First Ride and Video

Our driver threads the white 2012 Hyundai Veloster through light midday traffic on the northbound Pacific Coast Highway. Traffic is a mix of Aston Martins, new Porsches and rental Mustang convertibles.

"The most important part has to be the way it drives," he says. "It has to be fun to drive. You can add the technology items afterward to any car."

Those were the priorities given to Hyundai's development team. First, it had to make the 2012 Hyundai Veloster fun to drive. If anyone knows this, it's this guy behind the wheel. He's John Krafcik, CEO and president of Hyundai Motor America.

We're riding shotgun in the Veloster while Krafcik wheels it to our chosen lunch spot, a ramshackle restaurant in Malibu that serves fish so fresh it'll pinch your backside in the kitchen. Our time in the passenger seat is the closest anyone outside of Hyundai proper has come to driving the squat hatch.

Veloster in the Wild
Krafcik nudges the console selector backward to command a downshift and points the Veloster's puggish nose down the sun-drenched blacktop. The car he brought is a preproduction prototype loaded with all the trick bits it has to offer, including a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

"That's one difference between this prototype and the production one," says Krafcik. "All production [DCT-equipped] Velosters will have steering wheel paddles, but this car doesn't have them."
Then he woods the throttle and the direct-injected 1.6-liter four spins sweetly toward its 6,700-rpm redline as we reel in traffic. The little 138-horsepower mill is quite smooth and seems to relish being wrung out. It could use more aural personality, an area Krafcik acknowledges they're still working on.

For sure, the Veloster won't pin you to your seatback; it's not that kind of car. Instead, Hyundai has built a latter-day Honda CRX. That very car — in second-generation, 1988-'91 guise — came under heavy scrutiny during the Veloster's gestation, an association that Krafcik is eager to share: "We benchmarked the CRX. Fantastic car, not just from a dynamics standpoint but the overall package, and what that car was to the marketplace at the time. We saw a huge opportunity to capture some of that."

Light Weight Is the Key
Another couple taps of the console selector and the revs drop to cruising speed. The gearchanges of this dry-clutch automated manual gearbox aren't the quickest we've experienced but are totally devoid of shift shock. For a prototype, this Veloster is pretty well finished. It feels tight. Solid. The cabin is said to be production-representative, and it's quieter than we expected for a car that starts right around $17,500. Conversation in the cabin at freeway speeds requires no raised voices or concerted effort at all, even from the backseat.

This kind of lateral thinking used to be the bastion of Honda. Is Hyundai the new Honda?

Krafcik continues, explaining that lightness is an integral part of the Veloster experience. No, not quite CRX light, as that car wouldn't have a prayer of meeting the crash regulations faced by modern cars. Think current  Mazda MX-5 light. That's a noteworthy feat for a car that seats two adults in true comfort up front and two more in relative comfort in the backseat.

We've been driving for almost 30 minutes and Editor in Chief Scott Oldham, who stands a strapping 6 feet tall, still claims to be comfortable back there, with plenty of head- and legroom.

More Light Weight
Hyundai's in-house steel-making capability gives the company a built-in cost advantage in using tailored steels to pare vehicle mass. Weighing 2,584 pounds with a manual gearbox and 73 pounds heavier in DCT guise, the front-wheel-drive Veloster — built on a heavily revised version of the Elantra platform — is skewed toward agility rather than outright speed. That its trimness helps garner a predicted 30 city/40 highway mpg means its arrival couldn't have been timed better.
As if on cue, Krafcik whipsaws the tidy steering wheel in an impromptu slalom on the Pacific Coast Highway as we pass an antique shop. The car transitions brightly, juking instantly from lane to lane with genuine spunk.

Its steering is quite quick, Krafcik's hands moving very little to yank the Veloster's leash around. "I think the Caterham Super 7 has the best steering of any car ever made," ponders Krafcik. "That was my own personal reference point [for the Veloster] from the steering point of view. We didn't quite get to Caterham levels, but no car ever has." This is tougher to dismiss as mindless patter when you consider that Krafcik keeps a Caterham Super 7 in his home garage alongside a Porsche 911 (997).

Then we come up on a beautifully restored Honduras Maroon 1962 Corvette. Top down. Krafcik starts spouting specs. "327. T10 four-speed. Nice." But the guy in the Vette is all over the Veloster. We have a moment, exchange a wave and move on.

Later it occurs to me. I'd bet my first born there isn't another CEO at an OEM who knows what engine and transmission came in a '62 Corvette. Including Akerson at GM, and they made the thing. Krafcik is a real car guy and it's one of the reasons Hyundais and Hyundai are red-hot right now.

Feeling the Hardware
After the Corvette, we start talking hardware.

Light weight has obvious advantages when it comes to vehicle dynamics, which works out in the Veloster's favor as its suspension underpinnings are not at all exotic. MacPherson struts and twin-tube dampers support the front end, and a torsion beam and monotubes locate the rear.

"Early in the program, our engineers knew what the development brief was, and they got to work to make the most sporty torsion beam ever," boasts the CEO. The Veloster's long 104.3-inch wheelbase provides a primary ride that has a natural gait with none of the hobby-horsing you experience in, say, a Fiat 500. That car wasn't on Hyundai's radar when it dreamt up the Veloster, but it'll surely compete for the same dollars.

Scion tC and the two-seater Honda CR-Z were the intended targets, and the Korean hatch is more firmly suspended than its contemporaries, in line with its sporting intent. It rounds off the road's sharp edges well, although there's also an underlying busyness to this prototype's ride that suggests that additional refinement of the dampers' valving is needed. We're told that the development team is still in the process of finalizing the suspension, steering and transmission calibrations, so there's still some fiddle room remaining.

The base Veloster will roll on 17s. This preproduction prototype is rolling on the optional 18-inch wheels and Kumho Solus all-season tires measuring 215/40. Summer tires will be available on the turbocharged Veloster, which Inside Line confirmed is heading for production back in January at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. It'll be powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbo motor making 208 hp at 6,000 rpm.

Sharp Cabin and All the Tricks
While Krafcik slices around a lawn truck, I peruse my surroundings. The center stack is really tidy, its concentric HVAC controls serving to make the most efficient use of space possible. The 7-inch touchscreen is sharp and bright, and there are enough storage nooks to keep most pack-rats happy.

Its crisscross dashboard graining and chunky, silver-accented door handles and vent rings mesh well with the angular motif inside. There's a welcome lack of reflective trim, and comfort is easy to find in the front seat. Rear-seat passengers will find decent space and will be baked through the glass overhead on sunny days, though the additional light imparts a sense of spaciousness to the cabin.

Hyundai wisely didn't aspire to Caterham-grade interior austerity, as the Veloster's cabin is striking and well-appointed. This particular example is chock full of all available goodies and would be at the very upper end of Veloster pricing at around $22,700 were it to reach a showroom in September with other Velosters. It includes both option packages, Style and Tech, and among the highlights are keyless ignition, navigation and a panoramic sunroof. The DCT will be a stand-alone $1,200 option over the six-speed manual gearbox. The Hyundai Veloster will even let you play Xbox video games directly through its multimedia screen.

What's With the Doors, Though?
 You can call the Veloster's signature door configuration a gimmick, but there's real function here. The single door on the driver side is long for easy ingress, and for tall drivers, the rearward B-pillar improves visibility through the side glass. You can also easily slot your man-purse or regular purse behind the seat.

The sedan-style doors on the passenger side facilitate multiple passengers more easily than a coupe without the drawbacks of a suicide door. "[Suicide doors are] the way that many unsuccessful coupes and pickups have been done," says Krafcik. "You get that thing in a parking lot and you have to send out a search party to find the poor person who's stuck in the middle since you have to open the front door to get the rear door open. It's really never worked in practice."

This kind of lateral thinking used to be the bastion of Honda. We press Krafcik. Is Hyundai the new Honda? "Hyundai is the new Hyundai. Honda's a great company. Maybe they're going through a rough patch right now but with the engineering talent they have I'm sure they're gonna be back strong and fighting. And their powertrains are just absolutely terrific.

"We've been consciously upping the ante of the innovation side and we've been taking a lot of risk, frankly." Not so much risk that they'll let a journalist drive the Veloster just yet, but that will come in time.

500HP Hyundai Veloster Rally Car Makes its Way to the Chicago Auto Show

Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) go back a long way and their partnership has been further cemented at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the Veloster rally car which is powered by a specially tuned four-cylinder turbocharged engine capable of 500-horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque.

A production version 2012 Veloster provided the base for the competition model, which was built by twelve RMR employees. The hatchback was stripped to bare metal and had its chassis stitch welded, increasing structural rigidity. In order to keep the weight down, Millen’s crew replicated many standard body panels out of carbon/Kevlar, such as the hood, doors, quarter panels, front and rear fascia. The finished product tips the scales at just 2,656 pounds or 1,205 kg.

An additional rear wing increases downforce, while the custom suspension allows for a lot of travel, needed for the typical rallycross jumps. Stopping power is provided by 14-inch front and 12-inch rear Alcon rotors with six piston calipers, complemented by custom built 18-inch HRE alloys, wrapped around in 245/40 Hankook racing tires.

The interior has been stripped of all comfort features and fitted with eight-point safety cage, firewall and Sparco racing buckets.

A total of three cars will be built, the first of which will be raced by Rhys Millen himself in the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship. A second all-wheel drive model will be shared between rally champion Marcus Dodd and world record freestyle motorbike rider Robbie Maddison at the Summer X Games, while a third one will compete in the 2WD class of the U.S. Rallycross Championship, with celebrity drivers at the wheel.

By Csaba Daradics

HYUNDAI VELOSTER RALLY CAR

Curb weight: 2,656 pounds
Engine: Hyundai 500-horspower four-cylinder turbocharged
Transmission: Xtrac six-speed sequential
Transfer case: Xtrac four wheel drive
Front and rear differentials: Xtrac
Suspension: Proflex jumbo coil over
Front Brakes: 14-inch Alcon rotors with 6-piston Alcon calipers
Rear Brakes: 12-inch Alcon rotors with 6-piston Alcon calipers
Wheels: 18 x 8.5-inch HRE Tires: 245/40-18 Hankook racing tire
Seats and harnesses: Sparco

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Hyundai Veloster Rally Car to Land at 2011 Chicago Auto Show

Hyundai is certainly not wasting any time with its plans for the Veloster. Less than a month after the world premiere of the sporty three-door model at the Detroit Motor Show, and the South Korean firm released a teaser photo of a rally-prepped version, complete with Red Bull livery that will break cover at next week's 2011 Chicago Auto Show. Being a teaser, we don't get any additional information whatsoever with Hyundai pointing us towards its press event in Chicago on February 9 for more details.

We'll remind you that in the beginning of March, South Korea's largest automaker will also reveal the European specification Veloster at the Geneva Motor Show. It remains to be seen if we'll also see the rang4-topping version with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine kicking out 208-ponies that we first told you about in our scoop story here.

Source: Hyundai via Jalopnik

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Hyundai Releases First Real Life Photo of the New i40 Mid-Size Model

Hyundai today gave us a new sneak peek of its upcoming i40 mid-size model with the release of the first real life image of the car, which is scheduled to receive its world premiere at the Geneva Salon on the 1st of March. The new i40 will replace the older generation Sonata in Europe competing in the D-Segment with the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat. At Geneva, we'll see the estate version of the model (probably named i40 CW) with the four-door sedan variant to follow before the end of the year.

Up until now, South Korea's largest automaker had only released a set of illustrations of the i40 CW (CrossWagon). The new photo shows off the interior of the i40, and in particular the dashboard with its sculpted shapes.

There's a big screen display mounted high up on the middle of the dash flanked by a pair of small air vents, underneath which nestle a bank of push buttons for ventilation and minor controls.

The company claims that new i40 "will move the company towards a ‘modern premium’ positioning that will bring high-end features and vehicle quality to Hyundai customers at accessible prices."

Hyundai has not released any details on the engine line-up, but it is believed that at launch, the i40 will be offered with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol with direct injection and an output of around 170-horsepower, plus two variants of the a 1.7-liter turbo-diesel with 115 HP and 136 HP.

The new i40 will be joined in Geneva by the European specification of the Veloster sports model (see our scoop photos here) and the Curb small crossover concept study, which we first saw at the Detroit Motor Show this past January.

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Hotly-Anticipated New 2012 Cars - Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster – It’s a cross between a coupe and hatchback in compact form, with the fuel economy of a sporty hybrid (Hyundai says up to 40 mpg highway), and the 2012 Hyundai Veloster is just getting started. Power comes from a direct injected 138-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated with either a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox or six-speed manual transmission. Lighter than a MINI Cooper, Hyundai’s Veloster should be a hoot to drive. Get more information by checking out the Veloster preview and Detroit Auto Show Veloster quick look.

Read More: http://www.familycarguide.com/blog/1054151_five-more-hotly-anticipated-new-2011-2012-cars

Hyundai Dealers

SCOOP: European Hyundai Veloster Coupe Shows its Face, will get 1.6-liter Turbo with 208HP

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now that Hyundai unveiled its Veloster coupe at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show. So, what's with the 'scoop' title of our post, we here you ask? Well, this here example is the European spec Veloster and it was caught undisguised by our spies in Germany ahead of its debut at the at the Geneva Salon in the beginning of March.

The only visible styling changes over the North American model concern the use of clear indicators up front, all-red tail lamps at the back and the newly styled alloy wheels. Unfortunately, our spies couldn't get close enough to the prototype to snag the interior, but don't expect to see any significant modifications other than trim and color options.

Up until now, we were in the dark about the engine lineup of the European model. However, we just learned from an official source that the Veloster will be offered with two gasoline engines including a flagship turbocharged four banger.

The Veloster will launch in Europe with the same 1.6-liter direct-injection four-banger as the NA-spec model, producing 140-horsepower and 167 Nm of peak torque for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of under 10 seconds. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox, or an optional dual-clutch transmission.

Europeans will also get a Blue Edition version that pairs the 140-horse motor with a start-stop system and some additional fuel-saving features, which help drop CO2 levels from 138 g/km to 129 g/km.

The crown jewel of the Veloster lineup will be a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology and an output of 208-horsepower, allowing the car to complete the standard sprint in around 7 seconds. We don't know if or when Hyundai will offer this engine in North America.

The naturally aspirated models will go on sale in most European countries this April, with the UK following later in the year. The Veloster 1.6 Turbo will be added to the range in early 2012.

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