Hyundai Veloster 1.6 T-GDI with 208 HP Coming to New York?

From the first second we laid eyes on Hyundai’s Veloster, we were impressed with its good looks and original 3-door arrangement. But the normally aspirated 1.6-liter GDI engine under the bonnet didn’t have the performance to take on the Scirocco 2.0 TSI or a Mini Cooper JCW.

It seems that Hyundai wants to rectify this issue by introducing a more powerful turbocharged version of the unit that can go head to head with its rivals after the unveiling at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.

According to the enthusiast site Hyundai-Blog, the new 1.6-liter T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) four-cylinder engine will produce 208 hp (155kW) of power at 6000rpm and 264Nm (187 lb-ft) of torque between 1600-5000rpm. This would give the Veloster the same power output as the Golf GTI but 16 Nm less torque. However, the current Hyundai sports coupe (the one without a turbo) only weighs 1172 km (2583 lbs), which is 188 km (414 lbs) less than the Golf GTI.

It seems that Hyundai might also want to lead the segment when it comes to efficiency, as the GDI-turbocharger combo will provide improved low speed efficiency. We can’t tell you any performance figures at the moment, but a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of around 7 seconds looks like a given.

The new 1.6-liter T-GDI will arrive under the Veloster bonnet starting from 2012 and will make its way over to the upcoming 2013 Hyundai ix30 and next-gen Kia cee’d.

Expect to find out more about the performance figures, as well as the added trim that should accompany it, at the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show.