Hyundai PassoCorto coming to Geneva

Hot on the tailpipes of the Kia GT4 Stinger's debut in Detroit comes word of an even racier-looking two-seater from parent company Hyundai – the PassoCorto.

Built by and for Gen Y car enthusiasts, the PassoCorto was styled by 16 students in the Master's program of transportation design at the Istituto Europeo Design (IED) in Turin. The students were tasked by Hyundai Design Center Europe with making “…the car that would be on top of their list for buying and driving.”

We don't know any Gen Ys who could fork over close to $60,000 for a car, the cost of the similarly-sized Alfa 4C, but we know plenty who would like to have one. The PassoCorto is within inches of the dimensions of Alfa's mid-engine entry coupe, at 157 inches long, 74 wide, 45.7 high and riding on a wheelbase 96.5 inches long. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder twin turbo engine sits behind the cockpit and drives the rear wheels with 266 hp.

So far, there is nothing wrong with this picture.

We'll have more details next month when we see it on the show stand in Geneva. Until then, bella macchina, Hyundai.

By Mark Vaughn