Hyundai Confirms Development of Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car

According to insiders, this rear-wheel drive sports machine will become the fourth-generation Tiburon, which is set to make a

A body similar to the 2+2 HCD-8 concept would do wonders for the brand's image. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

global debut sometime during 2007. Having received tremendous positive response from the all-wheel drive HCD-8 sports tourer concept car that the South Korean automaker showed off at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, it's thought that the new Tiburon will be similarly shaped, carrying the same bold grille, up-turned headlamps and sporty three-door liftback design. A body similar to the 2+2 HCD-8 would do wonders for the brand's image; it has organic curves, clutter-free surfaces and a high metal-to-glass ratio, reinforcing a more mature, high-end sports car look, like that of the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35 Coupe.

By entering into the field of RWD performance coupes, Hyundai would effectively be targeting a loftier 'breed' of vehicles

This is the kind of vehicle Hyundai hopes will target the Mazda RX-8 and Infiniti G35. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

compared to sports compacts like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Acura RSX, its usual competition. It's an odd thought, but this is the kind of vehicle Hyundai hopes will target the Mazda RX-8 and Infiniti G35.

In order to successfully compete, it will need a serious upgrade in power from the current 2.7-litre DOHC V6 found in top model Tiburons. It's unlikely that Hyundai would go through the process of supercharging the V6 as it did with its HCD-8 concept, but it is likely that the company will opt for its new Lambda-type engine series, which includes 230-horsepower 3.3-litre and 265-horsepower 3.8-litre V6s, which debuted in the new Sonata and Azera/Grandeur respectively.