Our long national nightmare is over: A 1.6-liter turbocharged Veloster—spy photos of which can be seen here—has been confirmed for America. The forced-induction version was known to be on the way even before the base car dropped at the 2011 Detroit auto show, but it’s taken until now for the company to show its hand. Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik announced the car tonight at an event on the eve of the 2011 SEMA show in Las Vegas.
Krafcik promised the car would debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show in January alongside a face-lifted Genesis coupe. An output announcement wasn’t part of the deal, but word recently slipped out of Korea that the turbocharged 1.6-liter four would make 204 hp. The Veloster’s current turbo-free 1.6-liter makes 138 hp; it isn’t quick, hitting 60 in 8.5 seconds, but the bigger issue is that the car as a whole isn’t particularly involving.
If the 204-hp number proves accurate, that would put the top-dog Veloster precariously close to the base Genesis coupe‘s 210-hp figure. But Krafcik added that that the latter’s 2.0-liter turbo four would “have its knob turned to the right” to create more separation, and that the 306-horse, naturally aspirated V-6 would follow suit. The Veloster’s front-wheel-drive layout and super-wacky door arrangement apparently aren’t enough to delineate the models.
In addition to more power, the 2013 Genesis coupe will get a more Veloster-like nose. Because, you know, Hyundai wants to differentiate the two.
