Hyundai Veloster Midship concept shows what the Veloster could be

The Hyundai Veloster Midship concept has been revealed at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea as a mid-engined Hyundai Veloster with 296bhp.

The Hyundai Veloster is actually a perfectly capable – if slightly quirky – sports car, which promises much but doesn’t actually deliver in terms of performance.

In fact, when we  reviewed the Hyundai Veloster a couple of years ago with its 1.6 litre petrol engine, we wondered if Hyundai would have been better giving the Veloster a diesel lump instead, which would at least have made its paucity of power less of a problem with more torque to play with.

And the Veloster Turbo isn’t a huge amount better, only offering 184 bhp and taking 8.4 seconds to get to 62mph; figures we would have expected from the base Veloster if it were to be a properly credible competitor in the sector.

But the promise the Veloster offers could come to fruition if the Veloster Midship Concept – which debuted at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea this weekend – is anything to go by.

Hyundai are making it clear that the Veloster Midship isn’t the herald of a new mid-engined Veloster, but it should be.

With 296bhp from a 2.0 litre turbo petrol sat behind the driver – and within the Veloster’s wheelbase – new lightweight suspension components and a body kit from motorsport, the Veloster Midship would make a brilliant performance car for Hyundai, making the Veloster what it should have been and cashing in on Hyundai’s WRC exploits (the Midship was primarily designed by Hyundai’s WRC bods).

Go on, Hyundai – be bold and build the mid-engined Veloster.