Dizamn!! Next Generation Hyundai Tiburon to be RWD

[NFS4]

Pics of the concept car

Hyundai is movin' on up:

"FUTURE Driven" Hyundai will abandoning front-wheel drive for its next Tiburon.

Due to be unveiled towards the end of 2007 before a local debut the following year, the rear-wheel drive coupe will be a "serious sports car", according to a senior Hyundai Motor Company executive.

Although details are scant, it is believed the Tiburon replacement will be a three-door coupe featuring many of the styling cues as well as the general proportions displayed on the HCD-8 Concept Car, which made its global debut at the 2004 Detroit motor show and has since appeared in Melbourne.

The HCD-8, as it stands, is powered by a supercharged version of a current 2.7-litre DOHC V6 with a six-speed manual gearbox.

However, variations of Hyundai's new-generation 3.3 and 3.8-litre V6 engines are expected to debut in the 2+2 seater sports car, with the latter one likely to be the range-topper.

"Yes, we are developing rear-wheel drive for the next sports car," was the surprising response from Hyun Soon Lee, Executive Senior Vice President for Hyundai Motor Corporation.

This remark came after a suggestion from the gathered press at the opening of the 2005 Seoul motor show in South Korea that the company seek the passionate sports car route to increase its global youth appeal, rather than simply focus on quality.

Mr Lee's remark even caught out other Hyundai executives.

It is a surprising development for a model that started out as the very unsporty two-door derivation of the front-wheel drive Hyundai X2 Excel of 1990 called the S-Coupe.

That car's predecessor jumped up to the 1995 J2 Lantra platform to become the SX, FX and SFX Coupe until the current, sharper - but still front-wheel drive - Tiburon came into the fray in 2002.

A rear-wheel drive sports car is in line with Hyundai's desire to push its vehicles further upmarket.

Such a model willl probably share many components with a rear-wheel drive sedan in much the same way that Nissan's 350Z has spawned a range of mostly-US market Infinity products such as the G35.

There has been speculation for some time that Hyundai was considering releasing a luxury line of vehicles above the current, Sonata-derived Grandeur - which has just had a complete makeover and is the star of Hyundai's stand at Seoul.

Adding further credence to Hyundai's sports image push is its re-entry into the World Rally Championship from 2008.

The company says it will field an all-wheel drive "sports car" very loosely derived from the yet-to-be released Accent replacement, the front-wheel drive MC4 small car.

Credit: TCL

 

[z0mb13]

with choices like toyota, honda, nissan and mazda who would want to buy a hyundai??

 

[Jumpem]

Interesting. Honda should figure this out too. The Integra and RSX should have been rwd.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Would be nice if ALL cars went back to RWD!

(Or AWD...no FWD!)

 

[Baked]

Nice, but how much?

 

[Demo24]

What a rip off of a Lexus. Geez cant they come out with something original for once?:|

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

wow, sweet

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
with choices like toyota, honda, nissan and mazda who would want to buy a hyundai??

Quality ratings rivaling Honda and Toyota, build quality/materials quality near or matching the Japanese, low pricing and 10 year warranties? It'll sell

And what 2+2 RWD coupes do Toyota and Honda have for under $30,000?

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
What a rip off of a Lexus. Geez cant they come out with something original for once?:|

c'mon, it's hyundai. give them a little credit for coming out with something that's at least decent looking

 

[Pepsei]

would it still be cheap?

 

[computeerrgghh]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
What a rip off of a Lexus. Geez cant they come out with something original for once?:|

IMO looks more like an Aston...

Now to see if it performs well

 

[Kishan]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
What a rip off of a Lexus. Geez cant they come out with something original for once?:|

and you call lexus original?! they are the copiers of the automobile industry.

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
with choices like toyota, honda, nissan and mazda who would want to buy a hyundai??

You obviously have no clue as to progress Hyundai has made past few years.

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
What a rip off of a Lexus. Geez cant they come out with something original for once?:|

And Lexus is original? :roll:

 

[jEct2]

This thread alone is the proof that the company is paying dearly for their old reputation.

No matter how good they are now, people are ignorant to accept their improvement. That's just the mindset of the masses.

Poor hyundai... they kick ass...

 

[tfinch2]

That thing is hideous.

 

[Apex]

Wow, big BIG improvement. I hope they pull it off.

 

[BW86]

Very nice! :thumbsup:

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: jEct2
This thread alone is the proof that the company is paying dearly for their old reputation.

No matter how good they are now, people are ignorant to accept their improvement. That's just the mindset of the masses.

Poor hyundai... they kick ass...

Do you know what sh!tboxes Toyotas (err, Toyopets) were when they first came here? The only difference is that Hyundai is doing what Toyota and Honda did at about 5x the speed.

 

[AnyMal]

sexy! :thumbsup:

 

[BooGiMaN]

i dont understand why hyundai doesnt come out with a new brand name like toyota/lexus, honda/acura, nissan/infiniti the brand name i think is hurting them

 

[Kadarin]

Not bad, but I bet it loses a LOT in translation from a concept car into a production car. I don't like the back end, as it echoes a similar ugliness displayed by the current generation 300ZX (or is it 350ZX? not sure..)

 

[IBuyUFO]

I like the lights. So many. So shiny. so,....

 

[boyRacer]

I like it. Looks cool... :thumbsup:

 

[huesmann]

Production cars NEVER look like concept cars.