- The Hyundai Veloster has been discontinued without a successor, but an independent digital artist envisions its return.
- The fictional render depicts a two-door coupe borrowing styling traits from the recently facelifted Hyundai Elantra sedan.
- While it is highly unlikely for Hyundai to put something like that in production, the company could offer an affordable performance EV which sounds just as exciting.
Hyundai‘s current lineup is largely limited to SUVs, four-door sedans and five-door hatchbacks, but what would happen if the company plotted a successor to the discontinued Veloster and Tiburon? Digital artist Theophilus Chin answered this question with a render of a mainstream yet sporty model, imagined as a new generation Veloster.
Theottle applied Hyundai’s latest styling language on a two-door bodystyle, using traits from the recently facelifted Elantra sedan. Interestingly, the designer based his vision for a future Hyundai Veloster on the 2013 Audi Sport Quattro concept which never made it to production. This weird connection explains the unconventional shape of the fictional model that is blurring the lines between a compact coupe and a sporty hatchback.
More: Hyundai Kills ICE-Powered N Models In Europe, Shifts To Hot EVs
The aggressive face, the edgy profile, and the full-width LED taillights of the Elantra look surprisingly balanced on the significantly shorter body of the rendered vehicle which is reminiscent of the forgotten BMW 3-Series Compact. In today’s automotive landscape, the only rivals we can think of are the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ twins, or the BMW 2-Series Coupe, although a Hyundai badge would probably translate to a more affordable price tag.
With the vast majority of automakers discontinuing sports cars from their lineups, it is highly unlikely that such a model would ever get the green light for production. Customers don’t appear to be interested in stylish yet impractical bodystyles, which is why the mainstream coupe segment won’t be making a comeback anytime soon.
Illustrations Theottle
Thankfully, Hyundai keeps offering performance-focused derivatives of its popular models – including the Elantra N. Furthermore, as proven by the Ioniq 5 N, the Korean brand plans on continuing this strategy in the future, and is actively looking into developing an affordable performance EV.
The Sad Ending Of The Veloster
The original Hyundai Veloster debuted in 2011 as an indirect replacement to the discontinued Tiburon coupe. The unconventional model came with two doors on the passenger side and a single door on the driver side, effectively making it the only four-door hatchback in existence – at least until the Fiat 500e 3+1 arrived.
The second generation of the Veloster followed in 2018 with a completely redesigned body that retained the asymmetrical layout in a more stylish manner. Unfortunately, the sexier brother of the i30 hatchback was short-lived, largely due to the lack of customer demand. Hyundai initially discontinued the regular trims from its U.S. lineup in 2021, while the Veloster N flagship got axed after the 2022 model year.
Note: This story includes renderings that are not affiliated with nor endorsed by Hyundai.