The vice president for Hyundai Motor America, John Krafcik, has announced that the 2008 model year will be the last for the Tiburon, the company's two-door, sporty hatchback.

The Tiburon will continue to be produced until the new Genesis coupe, a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, goes on sale in spring 2009. The coupe, however, is not regarded as a replacement for the Tiburon, a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Speaking to the press on April 17, Krafcik said, "We are seriously looking at a small front-wheel-drive coupe to replace the Tiburon, but I can't say when that will happen." A replacement would be more likely to resemble the Veloster coupe, a concept that put in an appearance at the Seoul auto show a year ago. The concept featured a 2-liter, four-cylinder and was equipped with a five-speed, manual transmission.

The Tiburon was first brought to the United States in 1997 as part of a move to improve Hyundai's image as an economy brand. The second generation of the vehicle appeared in 2003 with a 2-liter four cylinder producing 138 horsepower. On the GT model a standard V6 puts out 172 hp.

In the first three months of 2008 sales of the Tiburon in the United States fell by 28.7 percent to just 2,071 unites, statistics that undoubtedly helped to influence the company's decision to pull the model.