Surprise! Hyundai to phase out Tiburon
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon.
The news came courtesy of John Krafcik, Hyundai's product development veep, who told Automotive News that the 2008 model year of the Tiburon would be its last. However, that doesn't mean the Tiburon is down for the count. Krafcik is insistent that the Genesis Coupe, which will be coming out about the same time the Tibby is euthanized, isn't a Tiburon replacement. "We are seriously looking at a small front-wheel-drive coupe to replace the Tiburon," Krafcik told AN, but he wouldn't give a time frame for its replacement. He did say that the Veloster coupe concept that debuted at the Seoul motor show last April would be the inspiration for Hyundai's new FWD, two-door offering. Hopefully, when the production version of the Veloster is unveiled, it'll carry the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot found in its RWD sibling.
Gallery: 2008 Hyundai Tiburon
Gallery: Hyundai Veloster Concept
Gallery: Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe
[Source: Automotive News via Autoweek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Guenther 12:38PM (4/18/2008)
As long as the replacement is once again styled exceptionally well, while perhaps dropping 200#, it will be well received. Light weight with a 2liter and 2 liter turbo is all you need to have a fun scoot.
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jsjs 11:44PM (4/18/2008)
Yeah, the Tib and the 456 look so much alike that I can't tell them apart (sarcasm).
HotRodzNKustoms 12:44PM (4/18/2008)
The current Tiburon is Hyundai's best looking car to date. Not including the new Genesis lineup.
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Roost3r 2:06PM (4/18/2008)
The 2003-2006 Tiburons had an amazing design for such a budget priced car, not to mention a lot of fun to drive. And Menice.. to answer your question. Collector's Item. ;)
Derek 5:39PM (4/18/2008)
It doesn't count as Hyundais design when they shamelessly copied most of a Ferrari 456.
It IS the best looking car that Hyundai has sold to date.
Jenni 7:25PM (4/20/2008)
It may be the best looking, but I lived with that horrible car for 5 long, painful years! Maybe I got the lemon of the product line, and the rest of the line was fine, I don't know, but what I do know is that the '03 Tiburon ruined Hyundai for me, possibly for good.
Jacob 12:50PM (4/18/2008)
Not surprising at all. The car hasn't been updated for a long time. The recent gimmicky facelit doesn't count. Isn't Hyundai now working on an RWD coupe anyways?
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Todd 1:13PM (4/18/2008)
no.
Derek 5:39PM (4/18/2008)
Todd = wrong
Dausman 3:26PM (4/18/2008)
Yes
Genesis Coupe...RWD.....probably next spring(2009) as a 2010.
111 inch wheel base which is shorter than the Genesis Sedan.
Believe it will be powered by either a 2.0L 4 cyl Turbo or a 3.8liter V6......your choice......HP will vary for both depending on which fuel you use...regular or premium gasoline.
300Kid 12:52PM (4/18/2008)
Now that the Genesis is coming, they should just take the Elantra line and make a coupe of it. It'd compete directly with the Civic coupe and countless others like the Scion TC. Offer it with the standard Elantra engine as a base and the turbo 4 for a Civic Si competitor. For that matter, they could drop the turbo 4 in the Elantra sedan and compete against Honda's entire Si line.
All of this also could be shared w/that new Kia coupe concept to save them money.
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Seoultrain 3:59PM (4/18/2008)
wow, that just makes too much sense.
psarhjinian 12:54PM (4/18/2008)
Reasonable idea, although it'd be better if they threw Kia (their budget/sporty brand, supposedly) a bone here.
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jgp 1:12PM (4/18/2008)
Yeah. Let Hyundai have the Genesis coupe, and give Kia the Tibby replacement.
Bruxell 12:59PM (4/18/2008)
I'll miss this car, it was proof the Koreans could build something interesting without having to import a production line from Britan. It wasn't really a great sportscar, but it had a big heart.
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tankd0g 1:01PM (4/18/2008)
Will we see that KIA Koup concept with a Hyndai badge perhaps?
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PAT 1:07PM (4/18/2008)
Saw a guy the other day with a brand new Tiburon, felt sorry for him.
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Dude 1:15PM (4/18/2008)
You feel sorry for people driving nice cars?
I suppose you openly weep whenever you drive alongside a Porsche.
Todd 1:25PM (4/18/2008)
So I take it Dude was driving the tib Pat saw?
psarhjinian 4:36PM (4/18/2008)
Why? It's an attractive car (less so now than in the 456GT lookalike form that preceded it) that's reasonably fun to drive and doesn't cost much. It's easy to tune, too.
Other than a total lack of headroom, it's a great car for it's segment.