Hyundai: Veloster new star in Hyundai universe

Hyundai's new three-door is aimed at the younger market. Photo / Supplied

Hyundai has announced that its three-door Veloster will be re-engineered to suit both right- and left-drive markets, despite the enormous additional cost required. The coupe has three hinged doors, but the third will now open to the pavement in every market - unlike the Mini Clubman, in which the extra door opens to the traffic in right-drive vehicles.

Veloster - which replaces Hyundai's aged coupe - is a two-plus-two car that will share parts of the front-drive i30 platform. It will be powered by a range of four-cylinder engines from 1.6 to 2.0litres in capacity, and the 1.6 turbo with stop-start from Hyundai's ix-onic concept is also under consideration. Hyundai NZ says the car will also get the 156kW 2.0-turbo from the Genesis coupe.

Veloster's focus will be very similar to VW's Scirocco - a hatch with cutting-edge looks and a sporting flavour to its everyday abilities.

The car - named from a combo of "velocity" and "roadster" - aims to impart a younger flavour to the brand. The concept variant first appeared in 2007, with the production car expected at September's Frankfurt Motor Show.