Take our a membership to the Great Escape Club before Christmas and save up to

Filed under: Convertible, Budget, Hyundai, Design/Style

The Hyundai Veloster has been a bit polarizing since it went on sale last year. And the debate could get more animated if the Korean company does what we think it’s thinking about doing.

At a recent gathering of reporters and Hyundai executives in Ann Arbor, MI, where the annual Rolling Sculpture Car Show takes place every summer, we asked Hyundai Motors America chief John Krafcik what he planned to bring this year (the college town is also home to Hyundai America Technical Center). Last year, they showed off the new Veloster.

Redone Azera? New Santa Fe? Neither seems appropriate for the tone of the event. So, we threw this out: “How about chopping the top off the Veloster and see the reaction?”

Krafcik and PR man Jim Trainor started trying to make poker faces, indicating to us that we may well have stumbled on to a future project, Rolling Sculpture or no. But we aren’t sure.

Some thought the Veloster was an answer to a question that nobody had been asking, but the unique coupe is proving to be a great sales and image success for Hyundai. Krafcik has shown a great instinct for design and engineering the Hyundai lineup to successful heights: redesigns of the Sonata, Elantra, Accent and now Santa Fe. He also had a lot to do with the cleanup of the Azera, and, of course, the Genesis and Genesis Coupe. A former product development executive at Ford, it’s hard to think he would not be the current product development chief in Dearborn had he stayed, and not been scooped up by Hyundai a decade ago.

Hyundai’s sales have been supply constrained on many of its models, including the Veloster. Given a finite supply of Veloster models that it can source from Korea, Krafcik plans to emphasize production of the upcoming Turbo model. That strikes us as a smart move.

We’re excited about the turbo, but we couldn’t resist asking a rendering artist to imagine the Veloster sans roof. What do you think? Is topless a good thing in this case?

View Poll

Could the Hyundai Veloster go topless? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/20/could-the-hyundai-veloster-go-topless-w-poll/

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As a Ford Fiesta rival, the i20 certainly has its work cut out winning customers for the Hyundai brand.

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Hyundai_i20_roadtest.html?id=1760

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Visitors to www.performancemotorcare.com now have access to a range of quality car and motorcycle leather repair kits and products aimed at motor enthusiasts. Developed by

Source: http://feeds.volkswagen.co.uk/~r/volkswagen-uk-news/~3/H_a0odjfk5A/382

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We’ve moved our East of England to a much more central and convenient location just outside Cambridge city centre. Easier to reach, more to see, much better facilities…

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=184

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As a Ford Fiesta rival, the i20 certainly has its work cut out winning customers for the Hyundai brand.

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Hyundai_i20_roadtest.html?id=1760

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LOCOG (The London 2012 Organising Committee) has appointed BMW to supply the official support vehicles for the 2012 Olympic Games. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/BMW_news.html?id=12058

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The Aygo has been facelifted for 2012, so can it compete with its more modern city car rivals?

Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/281746/toyota_aygo.html

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Bentley’s Mulliner division is creating 60 special edition Mulsannes to celebrate each year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Bentley_news.html?id=12057

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Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Etc., Dodge

Ever wish your 1971 Plymouth Barracuda had just a wee bit more power and the ability to negotiate curves? Got an extra $180,000 laying around? That’s what this Vipercuda will cost you on eBay.

Don’t think it’s just an expensive engine transplant, though. Beneath that 40-year-old, long hood, short deck ‘Cuda body is all snake. The Viper‘s 450-hp engine, 18-inch front, 19-inch rear wheels, suspension and even the two-seat interior were modified, customized and rearrangeified to attractively fit into what was a four-seat ’70s muscle car.

The transmission is a six-speed manual Tremec mated to a heavy duty 3.07 rear. Exhaust is a custom setup with dual pipes, glasspacks and resonators exiting the rear instead of the side. Dual Aldan coilovers assist the stock Viper suspension.

The hood is electrically operated to open and tilt forward for easy viewing of that massive V10. Topping off the package are the tastefully-done, flat black snakes on the rear quarter panels. It’s an impressive build, to be sure, but is it worth its asking price?

eBay Find of the Day: ViperCuda combines classic muscle car with modern V10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/ebay-find-of-the-day-vipercuda-combines-classic-muscle-car-with/

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Great Escape has staged one of the year’s largest corporate event involving classic cars for Toyota Germany. 100 people travelled between Manchester and the Toyota Factory in Derbyshire in 20 cars…

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=113

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Volkswagen, Beijing Motor Show, Electric

Back in January at the Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled a concept car called the E-Bugster. A chopped-down, electric-powered Beetle roadster, the E-Bugster cut a lean, mean, green profile. The only thing that was missing, ironically, was a chance to see the convertible with its top off.

If you’re going to make a roadster, at least have the courtesy of showing it off with the roof down, right? Fortunately, Volkswagen has fixed that in time for the concept’s Asian premier at the Beijing Motor Show, revealing a cowled rear deck replacing the rear seats inside the chrome bezel surrounding the cabin.

Aside from the open cockpit, the E-Bugster you see here is the same as the Detroit car, complete with its 114-horsepower electric powertrain that can take you up to 100 miles and quick-charge to 80-percent capacity in just half an hour. Scope it out with its hair down in the gallery above and with it up in the gallery below.

Continue reading Volkswagen E-Bugster concept lowers its lid in Beijing

Volkswagen E-Bugster concept lowers its lid in Beijing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/23/volkswagen-e-bugster-concept-lowers-its-lid-in-beijing/

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The Great Escape Ariel Atom for hire in London will be on display at the Top Gear Live show at ExCel starting today until Saturday. And we’ve got some special show discounts for visitors….

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=153

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We’ve added a great British bruiser to our sports car fleet in Suffolk. The Triumph TR6 was the last in a long line of classic British sports cars and ours is a late model 1974 car available to hire now.

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=106

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Diesel-electric estate has a 32-mile zero-emissions range and can return almost 150mpg

Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/282508/volvo_v60_plugin.html

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What do you get if you take a Yaris sized supermini, make it lighter, then power it using a smaller version of the powertrain from the Prius? This…the world’s saddest looking car. But apart from that, it’s the Toyota FT-Bh (short for “Future Toyota B-segment hybrid”) concept which made its debut at the 2012 Geneva [...]

Toyota FT-Bh Concept – Ultra Green was created and published by MotoringSpy.co.uk

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoringSpy/~3/fCFPNW-v7Yw/

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A new 1.7 VCDi engine has been introduced to the Chevrolet Cruze line-up. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Chevrolet_news.html?id=12031

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The top spot in the first of 2012 Auto Express detailing product tests has been scooped by The Kent Microfibre 2in1 Microfibre Noodle Wash Mitt Q2429. In a test of 12 different brands

MINI has launched their most luxurious special edition model yet, the MINI inspired by Goodwood. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/MINI_news.html?id=12035

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The 4.3 Litre Continuation Series proves that the Alvis Car Company is still very much alive and kicking.

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Alvis_4.3%20Litre_roadtest.html?id=1747

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Bentley’s Mulliner division is creating 60 special edition Mulsannes to celebrate each year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Bentley_news.html?id=12057

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We’re upping sticks and moving our Worcestershire HQ to a new, larger site. It provides a more pleasant and spacious area for customer collections and enables us to install an on-site servicing workshop.

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=86

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Hyundai believes in the conventional estate car. So much so, that it launched the stylish Tourer version of the i40 ahead of the saloon.

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Hyundai_i40_roadtest.html?id=1758

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One of Great Escape Classic Car Hire’s white E Type convertibles was the star of The Brit Awards 2011 finale. The car appeared on stage driven by Paloma Faith for her duet with Award Winner Cee Lo Green to close the show.

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=92

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New Qashqai rival from Citroen looks good and is surprisingly engaging to drive

Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/281923/citroen_c4_aircross.html

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An ice white 1982 Porsche 911 and a 2006 Aston Martin DB9 Volante are the latest additions to the Great Escape Classic Car Hire fleet in Worcestershire. Available to hire by the day, weekend or week, these iconic cars make a great birthday present or anniversary gift.

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=57

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In unveiling its most luxurious XJ yet, Jaguar has introduced its new supercharged 3.0 V6 engine.

Source:
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/new-cars/2012-04/new-supercharged-jaguar-v6-revealed-at-beijing/

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Source: http://feeds.volkswagen.co.uk/~r/volkswagen-uk-news/~3/tlGZCV1sGyE/388

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At the Beijing motor show, Lamborghini presented the Urus, a performance SUV concept vehicle. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Lamborghini_news.html?id=12047

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We’re celebating a successful corporate event for a major client in London. They rebooked with us in 2011 after a very popular classic car day for their clients from our Suffolk branch in 2010. With more resources we’ve continually improved our corporate events service

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=144

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Join us for our special mid-summer Break for the Border rally. 6 beautiful classic cars and 180 miles of brilliant driving roads across England and Wales. Need we say more?

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=96

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The well respected website AROnline, which champions British cars, recently tested Great Escape’s Alfa Romeo Alfasud and was full of praise for the benchmark hot hatch.

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=53

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Last post by Mastodon2

Source: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1142217

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Mercedes describes the E-Class Cabriolet as a ‘car for all seasons’.

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Mercedes-Benz_E-Class_roadtest.html?id=1768

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The new Cayenne GTS is to be unveiled at Auto China in Beijing on April 23. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Porsche_news.html?id=12034

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The Range Rover Evoque has been announced as the overall winner of the Women’s World Car of the Year 2012. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Range%20Rover_news.html?id=12043

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We all know that Volvo is famous for building big, safe estate cars.

The new Cayenne GTS is to be unveiled at Auto China in Beijing on April 23. Read more…

Source: http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/Porsche_news.html?id=12034

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Now you can enjoy up to 200 miles per day in our most popular classic cars. Same price, but now you get even more for it….

Source: http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/news.asp?id=186

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