Hyundai Tiburon 2009 News

After months of lobbying by right-hand drive markets around the world — including Australia — Hyundai's head office has caved in to the pressure and will announce that a right-hand drive version of the Genesis Coupe, winner of the North American car of the year, will be made. While nobody within Hyundai is willing to go on the record to confirm the move it is understood that the decision to give a right-hand drive program the go-ahead was made in Korea within the last couple of weeks with an intention of announcing the move either at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month or the Geneva Motor Show in March. Hyundai Motor Company Australia this week declined to offer any comment on the news but is on the record as saying it would take the stylish coupe in a heartbeat as a replacement for the ageing Tiburon. It is believed that production of a right-hand drive Genesis Coupe will begin early in 2011. It would be logical for the program to include the sedan derivative of the Genesis — although there has been no word out of Korea on plans to that effect. A twin-pronged Genesis program would offer Hyundai Australia the opportunity to enter a modern, stylish large family car into the local market as an alternative to the Grandeur, for which there is no confirmed RHD program for the next generation. The sleek Genesis styling was launched just on 18 months ago to rave reviews. But at the time Hyundai was adamant that it was for left-hand drive countries only, predominantly the huge North American and European markets. Demand across the world increased when the Genesis became the first Korean-designed and manufactured car to win North America's hugely prestigious Car Of The Year award at the New York Motor Show late last year. The Genesis, both Coupe and Sedan, came out of the company's California design studio under the stewardship of Joel Piaskowski who is credited as being almost single-handedly responsible for the improved styling language sweeping through the Hyundai model range. Unfortunately for Hyundai, Piaskowski was poached by Mercedes-Benz last December to head up its North American design operation. Widely considered to be the logical replacement for the ageing Tiburon Coupe, the Genesis Coupe takes Hyundai into new territory with its rear-wheel-drive architecture and sports performance. Powering the top end Coupe is an all-aluminium 231kW 3.8-litre DOHC V6, while at the entry level the engine is a 166kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four. The V6 features dual continuously variable valve timing and with 361Nm of torque on tap the car will set behind a 0-100km/h sprint 6.3 seconds. The V6 is mated to a six-speed ZF automatic. A six-speed manual is also available and features a short-stroke shifter, optimised gear ratios and triple cone synchronisers. The optimised chassis makes for dynamic handling and more accurate steering. Dual MacPherson struts control the front and the rear has a five-link set-up. High strength steel gives a stiffer, lighter body structure. Safety fare is likely to include anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, six airbags and active headrests.  

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.

In what may well be a world first, a Korean car company has unveiled an attractive, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Hyundai ripped the covers from its Concept Genesis Coupe at the Los Angeles Motor Show earlier this month and, like the name suggests, it's a new beginning for the company. Looking a lot like the next Tiburon, the Genesis Coupe claims to be a two-plus-two coupe and the company is using phrases like 'high performance' and 'hard-core driving.' There's no doubting the intent of the styling. The concept car is still in the evaluation stage before a production version going on sale in the U.S. in 2009. Hyundai says the aggressively styled Coupe signals the company's intention to appeal to 'hard-core driving enthusiasts,' with strong performance, rear-wheel-drive handling attributes and look-at-me stunning styling. Measuring 4666mm in length, 2820mm in wheelbase, 1902mm wide and 1386mm tall, the Coupe is longer, wider and slightly taller than the current Tiburon, and it has a longer wheelbase. And it's destined for a production line; hopefully with the styling and engine outputs intact and a chassis to match; with Hyundai suggesting it will be the most affordable performance car in the market. Hyundai chief designer Joel Piaskowski says the most dynamic model yet from Hyundai was created as a pure performance car. “We wanted a design that would capture the imagination of hard-core automotive enthusiasts,” he says. The concept sits on 20 inch wheels and gets a black carbon fibre bonnet, roof and spoilers. Hyundai expects the alloy 3.8-litre V6 powerplant, capable of 224kW of power, to deliver a sub-six-second zero to 100km/h time, although other engines also are under consideration. Hyundai Australia spokesman Tiffany Junee says Hyundai's Australian arm is looking seriously at the Coupe.   What are your thoughts on the Hyundai Concept Genesis? Could this be a step forward for Hyundai in the sports car category?  

Only five years ago, car showrooms were jam-packed with coupes such as the Holden Monaro, Ford Mustang, Toyota Celica, Ford Cougar, Nissan 200SX, Honda Prelude, Dodge Viper and, oh yes, the Hyundai Tiburon. But of that glamorous crowd, almost all have been consigned to that great big car park in the sky, leaving only the comparatively humble Hyundai on sale. It may have had the least sporty pedigree of the bunch, but it certainly is a survivor. Not that today's Tiburon — the name means “shark” in Spanish, and indeed there is something predator-like about the shape of its snout — is exactly the same car as went on sale back in March 2002. It has been dressed up and freshened up this year, featuring a new-look nose and a sizeable wing on its rump. No quibbling about the standard equipment list when a slinky-looking, amply powerful, sub-$35,000 sporty car like this comes with stability control system, anti-lock brakes, front and side airbags, alloy wheels, six-speaker sound system, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, leather and cloth upholstery and dial-a-temperature airconditioning. Apart from high-priced models (the Porsche 911 is as old as Uluru) the Honda Integra is the only coupe which has been around longer than the Tiburon. The Integra these days starts at $38,490 with a 118kW four-cylinder powerplant and five-speed manual gearbox, which shows how well-stocked the Tiburon is - packing a 123kW six-cylinder engine and six-speed gearbox, yet costing just $34,990. So it is a good-value buy, as coupes go, and doesn't feel at all aged. Good looks are top priority here, along with the buzz you get from driving something that stands apart from the crowd.