Autoblog

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.




[Source: Automotive News via Autoweek]

Click image for a gallery of the Hyundai Coupe TSIII

Hyundai UK has announced that it's offering a lightly-modified special edition Hyundai Coupe (that's "Tiburon" in 'Merican English... or Spanish, really). The Coupe TSIII sounds like it was named by a doo-wop group ("Tee-ess-ay-yay-yay"), comes in four colors and gets new exhaust tips (possibly attached to new mufflers, since a "sportier engine note" is mentioned), Eibach springs, anthracite-finish wheels, quilted leather appointments, a new spoiler, and super-special badging. Power, however, comes from a 141-horsepower 2.0L four. Hey, at least it looks fast.


[Source: Hyundai]

click above image to view more pics of the 2009 Hyundai BK Coupe

New Tiburon Forum member anthony718 just posted some pics of the new Hyundai Coupe totally undisguised. Saying he got the pics from "a friend," he details how the photos came from a market research event back in June. According to the info given, the Coupe would have two engine options, a 2.0L turbo with 215HP and 217 ft-lbs of torque, or a 3.8LV6 with 300HP and 280 ft-lbs. Prices were given as $19,900 for the 4 or $25,900 for the V6. While we have good reason to believe there will be a genuine V8 in the engine bay when we see the car in LA next week, this event was held back in June and changes could have been made since that time.

Hyundai is pitching this new Genesis Coupe as a Mustang fighter, so it's no surprise to see the Coupe sitting next to the Ford in these photos. We've discussed this 2009 model Hyundai quite a bit and now that we have some clear pics, it really looks like it's been worth the wait. Attractive in an Accord or G37 Coupe kind of way, the RWD Korean should make a splash in the sports/GT market when it reaches dealers next year. The looks and specs seem to indicate a worthy competitor, with rumored features like iPod integration in the center console, Bluetooth with the stock head deck, a sunroof, limited slip and possibly even a Brembo brake upgrade. We'll have more details about the car after we see it at the LA Auto Show, but for now, check out the best pics in our gallery below.

Thanks for the tip, Jose!

[Source: New Tiburon Forum]

We've had rumors and spy shots before, but up until now we really didn't have any confirmation that Hyundai's new Tiburon replacement would switch from a pull-me to a push-me. With the new rwd platform that the company recently developed for its Genesis luxury sedan, it was expected that the next generation of affordable sports car from Korea would ditch its fwd layout and get some true sports car manners. Well, Hyundai just confirmed that when that car shows up in late 2008 or early 2009, it will indeed be rear-wheel drive.

As predicted, the car will share its rwd platform with the already-announced Genesis sedan, which we should see in about a year. The Tiburon replacement should show up half a year to a year after the sedan, and might even come as a convertible. In fact, there is also a suggestion that we'll be seeing several models based on this platform. We're not sure if the coupe will share the sedan's new V8 in addition to the expected V6, but it would make an interesting competitor for the Mustang if it did. Hyundai has officially said no, but there are still whispers, and if not a V8, some kind of boosted V6 in the top models might suffice.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]

The lengths people will go to to turn a somewhat ordinary vehicle into something that pretends to be so much more always amazes us. Ferrari seems to be a favorite marque for many to emulate, in fact. Whether it's the simplest Scuderia shields on the fenders, or a full-on Fiero or MR2 rebody, it seems like a lot of folks really wish they had a prancing horse in their garage instead of a Hyundai.

Today's example comes via craiglist, and it's a bit different. What you see above is apparently a real Ferrari... body. It's genuine Maranello aluminum stretched around a custom frame, with some real Ferrari bits here and there, all powered by a Hyundai Tiburon V6. Done up in Ponzi Blue, this shark has 44,000 miles on the clock and looks halfway decent in the two pixelated pics provided. If this sounds like your kind of thing, the going price is "just" $37,500.

[Source: craigslist]

The Hyundai Coupe (otherwise known as the Tiburon in the U.S. and Asia) may have launched officially at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China earlier this year, but that didn't stop Hyundai from putting it on its stand at the Paris Motor Show to show off Hyundai's 2007 front-wheel drive sports coupe.

John grabbed these pictures from the peanut gallery of Hyundai's stand, and according to him, the Coupe wasn't even out at the show until the second day of press preview. Earlier in the year as spy shots of the vehicle surfaced, this was initially thought to be the 2008 model, but Hyundai has since corrected us with publicity information indicating that it's the 2007 model.

Fans of earlier models will note that the body style hasn't changed much, with the exception of harder angles on the hood and sides, new headlights, a fatter and flatter nose and cool vender vents. Under the body panels, the vehicle has changed even less -- Hyundai is still offering the same 1.6 and 2.0 liter four-cylinders and 2.7L V6 under the hood, the first of which will likely not be available in the U.S.

Hyundai has freshened up the interior, however, with blue LED instrumentation, extendable sun visors and other goodies.

More pics and press information after the jump.

Related Posts:

• http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/24/new-hyundai-coupe-tiburon-debuts-in-china/
• http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/14/2007-hyundai-tiburon-magically-appears/