Hyundai Veloster Turbo confirmed for UK

Hyundai Veloster Turbo confirmed for the UK

Just the other day – ahead of the SEMA show – Hyundai’s US boss confirmed that the new Veloster will be coming as more than just a pedestrian coupe, with plans to launch the Hyundai Veloster Turbo in to the US.

Hyundai UK were unable to confirm the UK would get the Velsoter Turbo at the time, but hot on the heels of the news overnight that Hyundai will take the Velsoter Turbo in Australia, we’ve had an email confirming the UK too will see the turbo version of the Velsoter on offer when it hits the UK in 2012.

Which changes the whole game for Hyundai in the UK.

Hyundai has done a great job of getting its hugely improved cars in front of the car buying public, and in the UK showed exactly how to cash-in on an opportunity with its terrific marketing during the scrappage scheme.

The scrappage scheme – both here and in Europe and the US – made people realise that Hyundai’s may be something of a bargain, but they’re no longer a bargain at the expense of build quality and design.

And now, with the news that the Veloster Turbo is to make it to the UK and Europe, we can realistically expect Hyundai to start making inroads in to a market currently dominated by the Germans for quick, smaller cars.

We have no idea what sort of performance Hyundai will manage to extract in the Veloster from the 1.6 litre 204bhp  twin-scroll turbo when it arrives, but it wouldn’t be too far out to think in terms of a 0-60mph in around 7.0 seconds, which will put it on a par with cars like the Scirocco and Megane.

And if that works, it seems likely we’ll get to see a Veloster Turbo R (for want of a better moniker) with power biting at the heels of the Scirocco R and Renaultsport Megane.

Won’t that be interesting?

(5 photos – click any thumbnail for full size)

By Cars UK