Automotive World

Alfred Hong tells Carscoop: "Snapped these pictures in Fullerton, California over the weekend. I believe it to be the 2012 Hyundai Elantra Coupe! I know this car will debut at the LA Auto Show later this month, but I have yet to see some good spy shots on the web."

Well Alfred, you're spot on: indeed, what we see here is the much anticipated, 2012 (or 2013MY) Hyundai Elantra Coupe. However, we're not 100 percent sure that it will make its world premiere at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

In an earlier posting today, Autoblog's head honcho John Neff said that the South Korean automaker would wait until next February for the Chicago Auto Show to unveil the coupe to the public.

While we've already told you about the exterior updates that include the more aggressive nose that's draws on the Veloster for inspiration along with redesigned tail lamps and a reshaped boot lid at the back, these photos provide a first glimpse of the interior.

Whereas the shape of the dashboard and instrument panel remain the same, the design of the center and lower console including the infotainment screen are brand new. Hyundai has completely revamped the air-conditioning and audio systems and has added three gauges right under the radio controls.

In September, it was Italian reader Landoni Corrado who photographed the Korean SUV while traveling in California's Death Valley, and now these photos come courtesy of Alp Berker from half way around the world near Istanbul, Turkey.