Photo: Kolesa/Nikita Chuiko
Predating the Genesis rear-wheel-drive sports coupe by 12 years, the front-wheel-drive Tiburon launched in 1996 to much critical acclaim. Also known as Coupe in Europe, this model was offered until 2008 over two generations with underpinnings from the lowly Elantra.
Preceded by the Excel-based Scoupe, the Tiburon came exclusively with four-cylinder engines connected to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai improved its sensibly-priced coupe in 2001 with the advent of the second generation, which leveled up to a six-speed manual and a slightly larger engine, namely the 2.7-liter Delta V6.
Retail sales improved overnight in the United States, with the Tiburon selling 21,242 units in 2003, its first model year in this part of the world. But alas, retail sales kept falling from there on in. Come 2008, when the Tiburon was on its last legs, it moved only 9,111 units.
Despite gaining a better transmission and a more powerful and torquier engine, the Tiburon flopped because demand for this kind of vehicle just wasn’t there. The financial crisis also forced Hyundai to buckle up for a bumpy ride, namely a period of unrest that saw plenty of automakers get in financial trouble. GM and Chrysler asking for the government’s assistance come to mind.
Hyundai weathered the storm just fine, and over the years, it has improved from just another challenger to the Japanese establishment to a thorn in the sides of Toyota and Honda. More successful than ever before, the Hyundai Motor Company doesn’t intend to resurrect the Tiburon, given the billions over billions of dollars the manufacturer is currently investing in electric vehicles.
There’s no case to be made for a third-generation Tiburon, but nevertheless, Nikita Chuiko of Kolsa imagined the 2024 Hyundai Tiburon using a selection of styling cues from the Elantra N. The front end integrates the coast-to-coast LED light bar of the Staria minivan, which isn’t sold stateside due to a lack of demand for this kind of vehicle. The rear lighting mirrors the design up front, and the generously-sized rear windows are more than adequate for the rear occupants on the long haul.
Further gifted with flush door handles and N-specific design elements in red, the speculative rendering wouldn’t have been complete without a deck lid spoiler. It’s a fine-looking design study, and considering its Elantra N chassis and oily bits, it should be sufficiently powerful as well, thanks to a turbo four-cylinder lump.
Be it the standard manual or the optional double-clutch gearbox, the Elantra N produces 276 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute and 289 pound-feet (392 Nm) of torque between 2,100 and 4,700 revolutions per minute. Opting for the dual-clutch transmission unlocks 10 more horsepower for 20 seconds at a time in N Grin Shift mode, bringing the grand total to 286 peak horsepower.
Retail sales improved overnight in the United States, with the Tiburon selling 21,242 units in 2003, its first model year in this part of the world. But alas, retail sales kept falling from there on in. Come 2008, when the Tiburon was on its last legs, it moved only 9,111 units.
Despite gaining a better transmission and a more powerful and torquier engine, the Tiburon flopped because demand for this kind of vehicle just wasn’t there. The financial crisis also forced Hyundai to buckle up for a bumpy ride, namely a period of unrest that saw plenty of automakers get in financial trouble. GM and Chrysler asking for the government’s assistance come to mind.
Hyundai weathered the storm just fine, and over the years, it has improved from just another challenger to the Japanese establishment to a thorn in the sides of Toyota and Honda. More successful than ever before, the Hyundai Motor Company doesn’t intend to resurrect the Tiburon, given the billions over billions of dollars the manufacturer is currently investing in electric vehicles.
There’s no case to be made for a third-generation Tiburon, but nevertheless, Nikita Chuiko of Kolsa imagined the 2024 Hyundai Tiburon using a selection of styling cues from the Elantra N. The front end integrates the coast-to-coast LED light bar of the Staria minivan, which isn’t sold stateside due to a lack of demand for this kind of vehicle. The rear lighting mirrors the design up front, and the generously-sized rear windows are more than adequate for the rear occupants on the long haul.
Further gifted with flush door handles and N-specific design elements in red, the speculative rendering wouldn’t have been complete without a deck lid spoiler. It’s a fine-looking design study, and considering its Elantra N chassis and oily bits, it should be sufficiently powerful as well, thanks to a turbo four-cylinder lump.
Be it the standard manual or the optional double-clutch gearbox, the Elantra N produces 276 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute and 289 pound-feet (392 Nm) of torque between 2,100 and 4,700 revolutions per minute. Opting for the dual-clutch transmission unlocks 10 more horsepower for 20 seconds at a time in N Grin Shift mode, bringing the grand total to 286 peak horsepower.
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