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SEMA 2017 is just around the corner, and Hyundai is going all-out with custom builds of a good chunk of its lineup, no matter what each model was designed for. Even the innocent and affordable Tucson Compact Crossover will receive a SEMA-esque overhaul thanks to a partnership between Hyundai and the Vaccar automotive design studio.
The Vaccar Tucson Sport Concept checks all of the boxes for a detailed tuner build while retaining the body of an SUV. Like the Elantra Sport Concept revealed last week, the Tucson Sport Concept gets a significant performance bump without sacrificing daily drivability and reliability, a staple of every concept Hyundai plans to display at SEMA.
It’s also a testament of Hyundai’s goal to make its entire lineup appealing to everyone, even car people. “By building upon the well-developed Tucson platform, powertrain and design, we’ve given enthusiasts a vision of just where this affordable crossover aspires to go,” said Aaron Vaccar, President of Vaccar.
Vaccar repainted the exterior two-tone Blue Metallic with silver accents breaking up each section of the car, complemented by a custom grille, front lip, side skirts, and rear diffuser, plus Diode Dynamics RGB headlights.
The Tucson Sport Concept features a Katzkin Ice Grey leather interior that has been accented with Fog Suedeskin blue stitching. Vaccar also added its own Android infotainment system, AutoMeter gauge clusters, and SoundStream television and audio systems built into the headrests.
The custom Tucson sits on Vaccar-Gecko coilovers with 20-inch Concept One wheels covered in top-of-the-line Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires, which stop on a dime thanks to Vaccar’s upgraded brake kit.
The studio didn’t skimp on performance either, giving the Tucson Sport Concept a larger Bootec turbocharger with R50 blow-off valve. An AEM charge pipe and intake, Mishimoto intercooler, and Vaccar’s own cat-back exhaust system help maximize air flow and turbo noises.
If you’re itching to see this ridiculous crossover or any of Hyundai’s other creations up close, you can catch them all at the SEMA show in Las Vegas from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.
