Hyundai Confirms Development of Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car
Photos
Is Koreas Number One Automaker Pushing Its Sports Car Upscale?
Having just opened an all-new factory in Alabama, launched three completely updated cars, in the Accent, Sonata, and Azera, and previously juiced up its standard warranty, Hyundais plans for world domination appear to be proceeding with utmost efficiency.
Koreas number one carmaker is on target to continue its global expansion, which was revisited in the theme of the corporate display at this years Seoul Motor Show. In its presentation, the company dropped a major hint of a forthcoming rear-wheel drive vehicle that is described by Hyundai executives as a “serious sports car.”
Although the idea of a true performance Hyundai sounds too good to be true, the cars development was addressed during its press conference there. Executive Senior Vice- President, Hyun Soon Lee, responded to the press eager questions with a surprising answer. “Yes, we are developing rear-wheel drive for the next sports car,” he admitted.
This remark not only caught the press, show-goers and enthusiasts off guard, but also other company executives who had been keeping the project under wraps.
The development of a halo sports car is seen as beneficial for brand image, giving consumers something to look up to. By building a capable performance sports car, Hyundai would effectively increase its appeal to younger generations who arent as interested in quality or reliability as they are in image.
According to insiders, this rear-wheel drive sports machine will become the fourth-generation Tiburon, which is set to make a global debut sometime during 2007. Having received tremendous positive response from the all-wheel drive HCD-8 sports tourer concept car that the South Korean automaker showed off at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, its thought that the new Tiburon will be similarly shaped, carrying the same bold grille, up-turned headlamps and sporty three-door liftback design. A body similar to the 2+2 HCD-8 would do wonders for the brands image; it has organic curves, clutter-free surfaces and a high metal-to-glass ratio, reinforcing a more mature, high-end sports car look, like that of the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35 Coupe.
By entering into the field of RWD performance coupes, Hyundai would effectively be targeting a loftier breed of vehicles compared to sports compacts like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Acura RSX, its usual competition. Its an odd thought, but this is the kind of vehicle Hyundai hopes will target the Mazda RX-8 and Infiniti G35.
In order to successfully compete, it will need a serious upgrade in power from the current 2.7-liter DOHC V6 found in top model Tiburons. Its unlikely that Hyundai would go through the process of supercharging the V6 as it did with its HCD-8 concept, but it is likely that the company will opt for its new Lambda-type engine series, which includes 230-horsepower 3.3-liter and 265-horsepower 3.8-liter V6s, which debuted in the new Sonata and Azera/Grandeur respectively.
The knowledge that a rear-wheel drive chassis is being developed for a sports car opens the doors to another radical possibility - that Hyundai is considering developing a large rear-wheel drive vehicle to sit above the recently-introduced Azera. The upscale RWD sedan could effectively put Hyundai in a position to contend in the high-end executive market currently filled by BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, among others. Such a model, or models, would probably be developed in a similar method to Nissans F-MR architecture, sharing critical components such as the suspension, structure and drivetrains, granting the ability to create different-sized vehicles with unique driving characteristics.
Hyundai has long built a large luxury sedan for its home market and other global markets, named Equus. A large car concept that went by the same name and the designation HCD-7, stunned auto show goers in 2002, showing that the Korean carmaker could indeed build something to rival top-tier brands, and now that its cars and SUVs are gaining respect for outshining the likes of Honda and Toyota, as well as Lexus now that Consumer Reports announced the Sonata as the most reliable car available in the U.S., the thought of a luxury Hyundai, or a separate premium fighting brand, doesnt seem out of the question.
The development of a rear-wheel driven sports car would be the first step. The vehicles very premise is also something thats quite remarkable for a company that has spent the majority of its efforts concentrating on quality and reliability in mainstream segments.
The Tiburon is the brands only “niche” vehicle, and can be traced back fifteen years to the S-Coupe, a two-door notchback coupe based on the X-2 Excel, one of Hyundais first front-wheel drive cars. Hyundais intentions to make the S-Coupe a pseudo-sports machine came to fruition after launching the Turbo model, a cult classic that helped Hyundai launch its rally car program. The S-Coupe evolved in 1995 to become the first generation Tiburon, based on the J2 (Elantra) chassis. Two evolutions along, the Tiburon has become a formidable competitor, elevating Hyundai to a position where it competes head-on with Acura and Volkswagen, and their respective RSX and GTI models.
To fill in the gap left by shifting the Tiburon upscale, Hyundai is considering a high-performance all-wheel drive sports compact loosely based on the MC4 (next-generation Accent) platform. The small sporty car should arrive within three years time. The next-generation Tiburon, in combination with a new large sedan and the potential small sports car, should contribute significantly to Hyundais plans to become one of the worlds top five manufacturers by the decades end.
Recently Added To Our Network
| 1998 Hyundai Accent GS | Pacoima, CA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 1998 Hyundai Accent L | Waterloo, NY | Price: $898 | |
| 1998 Hyundai Accent GL | Reading, PA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 1999 Hyundai Accent GL | Idaho Falls, ID | Price: $4,995 | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent GL | Gresham, OR | Price: $3,995 | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent L | Holyoke, MA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent GS | Memphis, TN | Price: $3,988 | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent GS | Las Vegas, NV | Price: $3,988 | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent GS | Conshohocken, PA | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2000 Hyundai Accent GL | Denville, NJ | Price: $5,499 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Orchard Park, NY | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Huntingdon Valley, PA | Price: $4,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Portland, OR | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent L | Colorado Springs, CO | Price: $5,988 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Colorado Springs, CO | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent L | Saint James, NY | Price: $3,950 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | Ballwin, MO | Price: $4,200 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | Bloomington, IL | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | East Brunswick, NJ | Price: $3,988 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | York, PA | Price: $4,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | New Bern, NC | Price: $4,988 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | Downingtown, PA | Price: $3,990 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Pinellas Park, FL | Price: $3,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | Algonquin, IL | Price: $3,995 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GS | San Jose, CA | Price: $3,449 | |
| 2001 Hyundai Accent GL | Delray Beach, FL | Price: $5,991 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GL | Austin, TX | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GS | New London, CT | Price: $8,995 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GL | Tinley Park, IL | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent L | Lynnwood, WA | Price: $2,870 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GS | Pinellas Park, FL | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GL | Council Bluffs, IA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GL | Hartford, CT | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent L | Colorado Springs, CO | Price: $3,285 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent L | Longmont, CO | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent GS | Las Vegas, NV | Price: $5,488 | |
| 2002 Hyundai Accent L | Roseville, CA | Price: $4,991 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | East Petersburg, PA | Price: $5,980 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Mesa, AZ | Price: $5,988 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Springfield, PA | Price: $7,990 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Roswell, GA | Price: $6,480 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Peoria, AZ | Price: $5,791 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent | Saint Peters, MO | Price: $3,995 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent | Ortonville, MI | Price: $4,998 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Katy, TX | Price: $4,493 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Hamburg, PA | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Everett, WA | Price: $5,999 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Toms River, NJ | Price: $5,537 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Mamaroneck, NY | Price: $5,977 | |
| 2003 Hyundai Accent GL | Denville, NJ | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Duluth, GA | Price: $6,988 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Milwaukee, WI | Price: $7,996 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent | Kirkland, WA | Price: $4,042 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | San Juan Capistrano, CA | Price: $5,190 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent | Springdale, AR | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Cottonwood, AZ | Price: $8,700 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent | Kaysville, UT | Price: $7,499 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Comanche, TX | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Carlsbad, CA | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Troutdale, OR | Price: $6,589 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Phoenix, AZ | Price: $4,988 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Longmont, CO | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Colorado Springs, CO | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Olympia, WA | Price: $6,590 | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Santa Rosa, CA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2004 Hyundai Accent GL | Hurst, TX | Price: $5,973 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Farmington, NM | Price: $5,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Olympia, WA | Price: $8,360 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Norristown, PA | Price: $7,999 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Houston, TX | Price: $6,526 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Wesley Chapel, FL | Price: $5,868 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Cornelius, NC | Price: $7,988 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Yuba City, CA | Price: $7,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Lynnwood, WA | Price: $4,990 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | New Port Richey, FL | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Crystal River, FL | Price: $7,954 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Jacksonville, NC | Price: $6,900 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Reading, PA | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Gresham, OR | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Vallejo, CA | Price: $6,988 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Huntington, WV | Price: $8,650 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Olympia, WA | Price: $8,499 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Olympia, WA | Price: $7,490 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Conway, AR | Price: $6,988 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | New London, CT | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | National City, CA | Price: $5,998 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Lynnwood, WA | Price: $6,488 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Irving, TX | Price: $6,450 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Denville, NJ | Price: $5,699 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Alexandria, VA | Price: $6,995 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Colorado Springs, CO | Price: $7,494 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Tacoma, WA | Price: $7,988 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Miami, FL | Price: $6,991 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Renton, WA | Price: $6,993 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Redding, CA | Price: $8,988 | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Springfield, IL | Price: Contact Seller | |
| 2005 Hyundai Accent GLS | Ocala, FL | Price: $97,887 | |
| 2006 Hyundai Accent GLS | Dublin, CA | Price: $6,998 | |
| 2006 Hyundai Accent GLS | Baton Rouge, LA | Price: $8,234 | |
| 2006 Hyundai Accent GLS | Norristown, PA | Price: $8,999 |