2023 Hyundai Tiburon: Mid-engined hydrogen sports car imagined

Earlier this month, Hyundai showed off a camouflaged sports car with an unusual powertrain and a familiar shape.

Hyundai calls it the Vision FK. Previewed at the company’s Hydrogen Vision 2040 showcase, the coupe features a mid-mounted hydrogen fuel-cell, allowing a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time in under four seconds.

Artist Theo Throttle has used the concept car to provide a glimpse of what a production version could look like, and we’re calling it the 2023 Hyundai Tiburon.

The Tiburon name harks back to the company's earlier coupe model, but the styling takes inspiration from more modern stablemates such as the Veloster and Sonata.

Hyundai Motor Group has been one of the more exciting stories in the automotive industry over the past decade, with the car giant aggressively going after segment leaders Toyota and BMW while pursuing new avenues – such as alternative fuels.

One of those surprises came from Hyundai subsidiary Kia releasing the Stinger in 2017 – a rear-wheel-drive four-door liftback with a range-topping 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 274kW and 510Nm.

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Reports out of South Korea earlier this year suggested the Stinger is due to end production at the end of 2022, to be replaced by the fully-electric EV6 as the brand’s performance flagship.

While Kia is looking beyond the Stinger, Hyundai may not be completely done with the its capable rear-wheel-drive chassis just yet. The Vision FK appears to be a heavily revised, two-door version of the Stinger – only with a mid-mounted hydrogen fuel-cell.

With battery tech reportedly coming from electric hypercar maker Rimac, of which Hyundai is a stakeholder, the Vision FK is said to produce up to 500kW and offer a driving range of 600km.

If Hyundai did offer a production version along the lines of the Tiburon seen here, it’s likely a lower power output would accompany the vehicle, aimed as a comfortable sports car – but leaving enough space for a high-performance Tiburon N model.

Given the Vision FK concept car was shown in a camouflaged vinyl wrap, there’s more than a passing chance the vehicle is destined for production.

Would you be interested in a hydrogen-powered sports car from Hyundai? Let us know in the comments section below.