In a not-so-surprising way, the Hyundai Veloster and its Turbo variant have both had a strong contingent at the 2012 SEMA Auto Show.
The Korean automaker’s sporty hatchback has become an aftermarket favorite since it was released and one performance parts manufacturer in particular, has set its sights on the Veloster for the second year in a row.
This year, ARK Performance came out to SEMA with a new take on the Veloster, called the "Alpine" Concept. It’s so named because ARK claims the car is catered for snow sports enthusiasts, in large part because of the focus to turn the Veloster into a winter-ready sports car.
The name itself says it all, but if there’s still any skepticism as to how this Veloster can be prepped as a snow-ready sports hatch, the addition of a snowboard rack, the custom wind guard, and the mud flaps are a pretty good indication. Similarly, the interior, with its icy theme that includes materials like leather, Alcantara, and WeatherTek breathable fabric, also gives credence to the Alpine Concept name. The car also received a new set of 18" Rays Gramlight 57Xtreme wheels painted in silver and wrapped in Nitto INVO 255/35/18 tires.
Most importantly, though, is the performance upgrade. ARK Performance installed a Nitrous Express Proton Kit to go with its very own ARK Veloster Turbo exhaust system, giving the Veloster Alpine a stout output of 232 horsepower and 240 lb/ft of torque, a significant increase from the production model’s 201-horsepower and 195 lb/ft of torque output.
UPDATE 10/31/2012: The new Hyundai Veloster "Alpine" Concept by ARK Performance made its official debut at the SEMA Show. Check out the new set of images in the picture gallery.
