Hyundai teases all-new Veloster

HYUNDAI has released a series of renderings teasing its all-new, second-generation Veloster coupe/hatch ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in the second half of 2018.

Little has been revealed about the underpinnings and powertrains of the new Veloster, but the darkened images show a vehicle that remains true to the original, while developing its own style with some distinctive changes.

At the front, the Veloster looks to have retained the large, hexagonal grille of its predecessor, which is also found across other models in the range including the i30 and Elantra.

A prominent front splitter is seen on the outer flanks of the front bumper, which will possibly be coloured black across the centre to match the grille.

Side air intakes will probably sit underneath the headlights, which have also undergone a change.

The new headlight cluster features an LED daytime running light signature along the bottom not unlike that on the Volkswagen Golf, while the edgy, winged look of the previous headlights look to be gone in favour of a softer, more rounded design.

In profile, the new Veloster remains true to the original, with its quirky three-door arrangement, rearward-sloping roofline, roof spoiler and muscular wheelarches.

At the rear, the Veloster will retain the twin-exit central exhaust from the current model, which will likely be offset by a sporty rear diffuser.

Tail-light design has changed significantly, with a new LED signature consisting of three lights, while the rounded look of the old headlights has been shed for a more angular look.

A single rendering of the interior shows a sporty theme with a striking centre console and dashboard design, that is a big departure from the existing car.

The V-shaped infotainment cluster is gone in favour of a horizontally oriented design, with a display screen sitting above a thin, minimal button cluster and air-conditioning unit.

Other design highlights include the flat-top and bottomed sports steering wheel, sweeping dashboard and manual gear shifter.

No clues have been given as to what powertrain will motivate the Veloster, however the carry-over 150kW/265Nm turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine in the SR variants is likely to be retained.

There is also the possibility of a more powerful version, given Hyundai is set to launch its N performance division this year with the release of the i30 N, which packs a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine in two states of tune, 184kW/353Nm and 202kW/353Nm mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

An eight-speed dual-clutch auto is expected to become available in 2019.

In 2017 Hyundai sold 1935 examples of the Veloster, marking a 13.3 per cent dip over 2016.

Its sales performance was enough to place it second in the sub-$80,000 sportscar segment, behind the hugely popular Ford Mustang with 9165 sales.

Hyundai has not confirmed where or when the new Veloster will be revealed, but it could show up at next week’s Detroit motor show.