The Ark Performance Veloster, a concept version of the new turbo-hatchback Hyundai will unveil at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

Horsepower, it seems, is quickly becoming as much a push at Hyundai  as fuel-economy.

The maker unleashed a half-dozen high-performance concept vehicles at this year’s big aftermarket event in Las Vegas, the annual SEMA Show, and at least two of them will influence future production products, including both a turbocharged Veloster and a possible V-8-powered version of the Genesis Coupe.

During a SEMA preview, Hyundai of America CEO John Krafcik confirmed plans to add the turbo to the well-reviewed, if somewhat anemic Veloster, revealing that it will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January and hit showrooms soon afterwards.

SEMA Show Spectacular!

The production model will be influenced by the bold ARK Performance Veloster, a customized SEMA one-off that uses a twin-scroll turbo to squeeze 210 hp out of the hatchback.  Though Krafcik cautioned that the final numbers for the production Veloster Turbo haven’t been finalized, it should see somewhere in the range of a 50% bump over the 138-hp naturally aspirated version.

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