Hyundai Motor Company Australia is looking carefully at the possibilities for
a performance sub-brand under the SR badge to exist alongside its standard model
range.
With the launch of the Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo in Australia this week,
Hyundai is effectively using this high-performance version of the Veloster as a
test case for more SR model variants to be rolled out.
Hyundai has looked at the success of Mazda’s SP range (SP25 and SP20) and is
keen to get a similar model working in Australia with performance versions of
other Hyundai models a possibility if all goes well with the Veloster SR
Turbo.
Product planning manager for Hyundai Motor Company Australia, Andrew Tuitahi,
told CarAdvice that the Veloster SR Turbo “Could become the launch pad for a
range of high-performance Hyundai models similar to what Mazda have with their
SP cars”.
Although unwilling to give too much away, Tuitahi also said “Hyundai would
use the Veloster SR Turbo as a test case for a wider approach to the SR badge in
Australia including the possibility of further performance derivatives of ‘SR’
formula.”
That could mean that Hyundai may even consider a more powerful version still,
such as an ‘R’ edition, similar to the more powerful Mazda3 MPS.
When questioned about the likelihood of an SR version of the Hyundai’s i30,
itself related to the Veloster, he told CarAdvice that “The i30 would make the
most sense given its popularity, but that the earliest Hyundai could communicate
a clear direction for a performance sub-brand would be at the Sydney
International Motor Show, in October.”
Hyundai in Australia is currently the only country in the world to adopt the
SR badge for the Veloster Turbo, as it is known in all other markets including
the United States.
