Hyundai confirms turbo Veloster for Oz

And asymmetric-bodied sports hatch gets the tuner treatment at SEMA
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Hyundai Australia has announced that the turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine reported by motoring.com.au last month will definitely find a place in the local Veloster lineup.

Naturally-aspirated Veloster will reach Australia first, early next year. The turbocharged version will follow, but the importer is not revealing precisely when. Nor is there any word on what sort of transmission(s) will be offered with the high-performance engine, although we'd place money on Hyundai's sequential-shifting dual-clutch job being offered.

News of the turbo Veloster heading Down Under coincided with the unveiling of aftermarket-modified versions at SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas.

The pictures here show the Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster (in front of grandstand), REMIX Veloster Tech (in white), REMIX Veloster Gaming 1 (green), PM Lifestyle Veloster (blue) and ARK Performance Veloster (grey).

For the show, the ARK Performance Veloster's turbo engine was tweaked to 157kW, Nitto tyres were fitted and the car itself has been cosmetically enhanced to resemble a rally car prepared for a bitumen event. The PM Lifestyle car also features cosmetic enhancements, including a carbonfibre bonnet, Konig Deception wheels and a leather interior custom-made. Lightweight body panels that also reduce aerodynamic drag are the key features of Rhys Millen Racing's 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster. Also turbocharged, like the ARK Performance car, the RMR Veloster delivers startling output peaking at 224kW of power and 406Nm of torque.

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