Aside from the existing Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the Korean carmaker may have another, smaller sports car in the making, and it may be an entry-level model, by the looks of it. And it may turn out to be a global release that may take part in the world of motor sports, if an outgoing Hyundai executive is to be believed.
According to former Hyundai Chief Operating Officer Allan Rushforth, the new sports car may be similar in concept to the discontinued Tiburon, but ultimately different despite the similarities. “Cars like these, such as the Audi TT create a huge demand when they’re new, but then that dies off quickly,” said Rushforth in an interview Autocar. “It’s about demographics, too. The buyers of the old (Tiburon) no longer want these cars.”
The new Hyundai sports car may be closer in look and in feel to the PassoCorto concept that was launched earlier in 2014 at the Geneva auto show. The car was reportedly powered by a 1.6-liter twin-turbo I4 with 262 horsepower, though merely intended as a design study and not a teaser for a production model. Hyundai’s new project, though, may be more than that; aside from selling as a global model, Rushforth suggested to Autocar that the vehicle may have some “opportunities” in the World Rally Championship and “other motorsport ambitions.”