Sports cars will be ready to burst from the stands at MIAS

With several sports cars set to debut in 2012, the Manila International Auto Show will be themed “Life in the Fast Lane.” The new breed of fun cars will each offer something new and different from traditional offerings

Hyundai has ventured from its core cars of vans, sedans, and SUVs, and successfully introduced sports cars that developed a cult following. Set to raise some eyebrows and perhaps some temperatures as well is its new Veloster sport hatchback.

The Veloster’s chief distinction is its exterior design, which combines the style of a coupe with the practicality of a sedan. Veloster has one door on the driver’s side, while it has two independently-opening doors on the passenger (and curb) side, to allow ease of ingress and egress at par with a sedan’s. Veloster is powered by a 140 hp 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection that sends power to the front wheels.

Veloster might just make the sporty compact class, which has been missing in action lately, popular once again. The Genesis Coupe, a rear-wheel drive sports car that has been included in the class of the Ford Mustang, will also be at the Hyundai stand, bearing the livery of Hyundai’s factory-supported participation in drift racing.

Reportedly in the crosshairs of the Veloster as a development goal was the Mini Cooper. Mini isn’t taking it sitting down, as it is introducing its sportiest cars yet at MIAS. The Mini Coupe and Roadster remove all pretentions of family-car practicality. Both are two-seater vehicles that are purer, harder versions of the Mini ethos of driving fun. As with all cars in the Mini stable, the Coupe and Roadster will be available in a range of strengths, from the standard 120 hp to the 184 hp of the S variant to the 211-hp John Cooper works version.

As for Mini’s father brand BMW, it will showcase a full lineup of its iconic M vehicles, including the M3 and the X5 M. The 1 Series M Coupe, with its 340 hp and 450 Nm packed into a diminutive hatchback body, boasts of pure sports car performance, with acceleration and handling belying its five-door architecture.

Perennial archrival Mercedes-Benz will be waiting at the wings with its C 63 AMG Coupe. The C-Class variant will be powered by a 6.3-liter V8 engine with 457 hp and 500 Nm. Acceleration from 0-100 kph is a blistering 4.4 seconds, and top speed an electronically limited 250 kph.

Joining the party will be Audi, with its RS 5 Coupe and R8 GT. The R8 GT is developed by Audi’s high-performance division quattro. The engine has been upgraded to a 5.2-liter V10, with 560 hp. The car has been lightened as well, giving it a 0-100 kph acceleration time of 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of 320 kph. Only 333 R8 GTs are available worldwide. The RS 5 midsize coupe is powered by a 450-hp engine capable of powering the car to a 280-kph top speed.