Hyundai Veloster on the cards

The car named after a shark has been cruising below the waterline for a while now, with sales slowly sliding away, but now it's been harpooned and is about to be gutted.

The Tiburon is into run-out in Australia and there is solid news from Europe about a replacement based on Hyundai's 2007 concept car, the Veloster.

The American-focussed Genesis coupe is a definite no, because it is only built in left-hand drive, but the Veloster is firming fast as the new Tiburon. Still, there is little news on a new coupe and even Hyundai Automotive cannot add much to the talk.

"The Tiburon is now considered to be a discontinued model. There are not too many left. We're just running out the stock we have," admits Hyundai spokesman, Stephen Howard.

Tiburon sales in June fell to just 44 cars, compared with 96 in the same month last year, and the half-yearly showroom total is down from 96 to 44 cars. This compares to the latest Nissan 370Z at 237.

But Howard says there is no plan yet for a Veloster. "We have had no confirmation from HMC in Korea. It's probably dependent on business cases and due diligence. It depends on whether the numbers stack up."

But he definitely ruled out the US coupe, even though Hyundai has displayed one in Australia. "Genesis coupe? It's only produced for left-hand drive markets. And it's currently in Korea and America."

The Veloster was unveiled in Seoul in 2007 and is similar in size and style to the Volkswagen Scirocco, which would be its major rival in Europe. It shares much of its mechanical package with the i30, Hyundai's showroom spearhead in that part of the world.

It is expected to be on sale at the start of 2011, although there is no confirmation of any solid detail — if the concept car's Mini Clubman-style asymmetrical design, with two doors on one side and one on the other — despite a likely production preview at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.