Hyundai Elantra Coupe To Debut at 2011 . Hyundai 2011

In a deft move intended to strike the heart of Honda Civic sales, Hyundai will unveil its future Elantra coupe late this fall at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Expect powertrains in the new Elantra coupe to come straight from the sedan. All 2011 Elantra sedans are powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder generating 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque.

Hyundai is also likely to create an Elantra R-Spec in 2012. That coupe would be powered by the same 208-hp turbocharged engine already confirmed for a high-performance version of the Hyundai Veloster. The standard Veloster offers an optional dual-clutch automatic transmission for its normally aspirated 1.6-liter engine, so the six-speed DCT could find its way into the Elantra R-Spec as well. More importantly, it would give the turbocharged Elantra an option not offered by Honda's popular Civic Si.

Hyundai is quite proud of the Elantra's sedan's 29 city/40 highway mpg, taking great pains to point out that those fuel-economy numbers apply to all Elantras regardless of transmission, trim level and wheel size. We'd expect those high ratings to continue in the 1.8-liter coupe model.

The Elantra sedan is offered in two trim levels: GLS and Limited. As with powertrain offerings, coupe equipment is likely to mirror the sedan.