2013 HYUNDAI TURBO VELOSTER
Thank goodness Hyundai decided to
offer a Turbo for the 2013 Veloster for our recent test drive of the base model
proved that it is a wonderful vehicle but lacking the power the turbo offers.
Hyundai Motor America introduced the all-new 2013 Veloster
Turbo that has 201 horsepower in a world debut at the North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS).
“The
Turbo further broadens Veloster’s role in the Hyundai line-up to attract our next generation of
buyers,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, product and corporate planning,
Hyundai Motor America. “It’s powerful, high-tech and fuel-efficient, attributes
which we think make Veloster Turbo the ultimate innovation in the sport coupe
segment.”
The
2013 Veloster Turbo arrives in the Summer of 2012, facing off against worthy
competitors such as the Volkswagen GTI, Honda Civic Si and Mini Cooper/Clubman S with a better power-to-weight ratio than all of them,
and a unique sport-tuned steering and suspension hardware set.
Powered by a new 1.6-liter
Turbocharged-Gasoline Direct Injection (T-GDI)
engine and in-house six-speed
automatic or manual transmission.The201horesepower
is delivered at 6000 RPM with 195 foot pounds of
torque coming in at 1750 to 4500
rpm. It has best-in-class highway fuel economy estimated at 38
mpg (M/T); best-in-
class specific output at 125.6
horsepower per liter plus best-in-class weight to power
ratio of 14 lbs/hp.
The
1.6-liter turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine in the 2013 Veloster Turbo
produces 201 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 195 lb-ft of torque from 1750 – 4500
rpm with regular fuel. The Veloster Turbo is estimated to deliver 27 mpg city
and best-in-class 38 mpg highway for manual transmission models. Hyundai’s 1.6-liter
Gamma turbocharged engine features a twin-scroll turbocharger that when
combined with the GDI system, results in instantaneous power delivery. Twin-scroll
turbochargers have traditionally been used on more expensive high performance
engines, but Hyundai has brought this technology down its line-up from the
Sonata 2.0T.
Twin-scroll turbocharger
designs have two exhaust gas inlets divided by split walls inside the turbine
housing, with both gas passages controlled by a waste-gate. A twin-scroll turbo
recovers even more energy from the exhaust than a single-scroll turbocharger,
thanks to a divided manifold. The twin-scroll design separates the cylinders
whose exhaust gas pulses interfere with each other, resulting in improved
pressure distribution in the exhaust ports and a more efficient delivery of
exhaust gas energy to the turbocharger’s turbine.
The
twin-scroll turbocharger design has several advantages over traditional,
single-scroll turbocharging
systems, including. It has low engine speed efficiency with
cooler cylinder
temperatures. It also gets better pressure
distribution in the exhaust ports
and more efficient delivery of
exhaust gas energy to the turbocharger's turbine.
Thanks to the integrated stainless-steel turbine housing with the
exhaust manifold, not only is the weight and cost of the casting dramatically
reduced, the durability of the turbine housing is also improved. In addition, heat
energy recovery and thus turbo efficiency is significantly improved based on
the fact that a traditional two-piece design effectively insulates some of the
heat energy at the joint/gasket area.
A GDI fuel delivery system
contributes to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The fuel is
injected by a camshaft-driven, high pressure pump that operates at pressures up
to 2175 psi. Direct injection also utilizes a higher-than-normal 9.5
compression ratio, while achieving a best-in-class 125.6 horsepower-per-liter.
The piston heads are “dished” to increase combustion efficiency in the
cylinder.
One of the most popular sport bike upgrades is to modify the exhaust. Hyundai designers stated they have removed the Veloster’s trapezoidal center exhaust and replaced it with two larger free flowing circular pipes.
One of the most popular sport bike upgrades is to modify the exhaust. Hyundai designers stated they have removed the Veloster’s trapezoidal center exhaust and replaced it with two larger free flowing circular pipes.
The
Turbo model has a bolder hexagonal
front grille, through the sculpted side skirts and new dynamic rear bumper with
prominent diffuser vents in the lower fascia setting it aside from the base
Veloster model.. A set of 18-inch gray wheels with chrome inserts completes the
Veloster Turbo’s recognized style.
Veloster
Turbo features a quicker ratio steering rack and a revised steering calibration
to match, which both give drivers precise cornering, feedback and control. All
Veloster Turbo’s ride on Kumho Solus KH25 215/40R18 85V tires designed to
extract the best performance out of the car without compromising the ride.
All
Velosters are fitted with a McPherson strut front suspension, coil
springs, gas shock absorbers and a 24 mm diameter front stabilizer. The rear
suspension is a light-weight V-torsion beam, a Hyundai-first with an integrated
23 mm stabilizer bar to allow bracing of the arms for greater stiffness and to
further control body roll. The rear suspension also uses monotube shock
absorbers for ride comfort.
All
Velosters feature electric power steering that adjusts assistance instantly to
changing driving conditions while improving fuel economy over a conventional
steering system.
The seats provide exceptional
support and comfort. An exclusive Supervision Cluster offers the driver information
in a larger, clearer and more interactive format. This is due to the
Supervision Cluster’s two TFT screens located between the tachometer and the
speedometer. Heated front seats are also standard on the Turbo version. The
center stack and controls also resemble a sport bike fuel tank and incorporate
a push-button starter and alloy pedals.
The
Veloster Turbo is paired with a standard six-speed manual transmission or a
six-speed automatic transmission. Both transmissions were developed in house at
Hyundai. The manual features a wider gear ratio spread (5.71 vs. 5.25) to
handle the additional torque output. The high-revving turbo helps during
acceleration, especially at highway speeds.
The
Veloster Turbo like the base model can be mated to a six-speed automatic
transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifter and and Shiftronic®
controls rather than the base Vesloster’s EcoShift DCT
At just 2,800
pounds, Veloster is 77 pounds lighter than the Honda Civic Si Coupe and 234 pounds
lighter than the Volkswagen GTI. This priority on weight efficiency allows the
Veloster Turbo to deliver a great combination of agility, performance, and fuel
efficiency.
The Veloster Turbo has the same a 104.3-inch wheelbase as the base model. However Hyundai stated that the Turbo is 1.2 inches longer (167.3 inches) and .6 inches wider (71.1 inches).
The Veloster Turbo has the same a 104.3-inch wheelbase as the base model. However Hyundai stated that the Turbo is 1.2 inches longer (167.3 inches) and .6 inches wider (71.1 inches).
Torque
steer is minimal thanks to Hyundai’s electronic VSM system. It detects any condition of the front wheel driving
breaking traction and sends a signal to the MDPS to apply steering assist. VSM
counters the pull and automatically provides up to eight Newton meters of
counter steering. VSM reacts the same way during sudden lane changes or fast
cornering.
All
Velosters feature six airbags—including dual front, front seat-mounted
side-impact, and front and rear side curtain airbags.
Velosters
have four-wheel disc brakes and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including
Brake Assist, which provides maximum braking force when a panic stop is
detected, and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), to automatically
adjust the braking force to front and rear axles based on vehicle loading
conditions.
Velosters come standard with a multifunction seven-inch touch-screen display. At engine start-up, the screen comes to life with a Veloster image and a unique sound. There are three interface layouts the user can choose from.
Velosters come standard with a multifunction seven-inch touch-screen display. At engine start-up, the screen comes to life with a Veloster image and a unique sound. There are three interface layouts the user can choose from.
Pandora
internet radio is integrated into all Velosters. The display screen has a
Pandora icon to stream internet radio from an iPhone or Android. Pandora can
also be viewed on the display screen and songs can be given the familiar
Pandora thumbs up or thumbs down. (By selecting the thumbs down icon, that
particular song will never be played again.)
Pandora, the leading internet
radio service, gives people music they love anytime, anywhere, through
personalized radio stations available on a wide variety of connected devices.
Gracenote
improves how Veloster drivers access and manage their music, using enhanced
voice recognition commands in concert with your iPod®. Gracenote MediaVOCS®
technology improves the accuracy of the system’s voice recognition capabilities
for music search, letting drivers pinpoint artists, album and genre.
With
video games being an important element of entertainment, Hyundai integrated an
RCA cable and an available 115-volt power outlet in Veloster to support gaming
consoles for ultimate gaming sessions when parked or watch videos on the
seven-inch multimedia touchscreen.
Veloster
Turbo features a standard 450-watt Dimension Premium Audio system with eight
speakers including an eight-inch subwoofer, external amplifier and iPod®/USB/auxiliary
input jacks. An XM
Satellite Radio interface is also integrated into the head unit and features
channel logos and XM Data services, such as XM NavWeather®, XM Stock
Ticker and XM Sports Ticker.
A
Bluetooth hands-free phone system with voice recognition, address book download
and audio streaming is standard. Onboard navigation is optional. The system
also integrates a rear-view camera and backup warning sensors.
“Blue Link combines safety, service and infotainment into a complete package that works to both help simplify Hyundai owners’ lives and reduce distracted driving,” said Barry Ratzlaff, director of customer satisfaction and service business development, Hyundai Motor America. “We’ve carefully studied how drivers rely on smart phones and navigation systems as an innovative link to the outside world. Blue Link brings that seamless connectivity directly into the car with technology like voice to text messaging, POI web search download, turn-by-turn navigation, and monthly vehicle reporting. Our agent-assisted advanced voice recognition system offers a 21st century solution to performing POI searches in the vehicle. This unique and innovative approach enables Hyundai to deliver fast, accurate searches and downloads of POIs to vehicles without traditional operator-only type systems of our competitors.”
“Blue Link combines safety, service and infotainment into a complete package that works to both help simplify Hyundai owners’ lives and reduce distracted driving,” said Barry Ratzlaff, director of customer satisfaction and service business development, Hyundai Motor America. “We’ve carefully studied how drivers rely on smart phones and navigation systems as an innovative link to the outside world. Blue Link brings that seamless connectivity directly into the car with technology like voice to text messaging, POI web search download, turn-by-turn navigation, and monthly vehicle reporting. Our agent-assisted advanced voice recognition system offers a 21st century solution to performing POI searches in the vehicle. This unique and innovative approach enables Hyundai to deliver fast, accurate searches and downloads of POIs to vehicles without traditional operator-only type systems of our competitors.”
All 2013 Velosters will be available in
three new colors, including Elite White, Hydrate Blue and Kona Orange.
At
many of the Daytona tuner events we have attended the tuners have taken the
base models from Honda, VW, Audi, Mazda, Toyota and developed amazing vehicles.
The three door Veloster will be welcome at any of the events and upgrading will
certainly be minimal.
I
await our first test drive in the TURBO VELOSTER.
Bruce Hubbard
Bradley Hubbard
Bonnie Lynch
Auto Advisor Group
Brucehubbardphotography.IFP3.com
Photos by Bruce Hubbard