While not quite ready to create a sub-brand dedicated to vehicles that excel at dispatching those pesky legions of The Walking Dead, Hyundai has returned to the annual San Diego Comic-Con International being held this week with an all-new Zombie Survival Machine. Unlike last-year’s crowd-pleasing exercise that was based on an Elantra Coupe and celebrated the 100th issue of The Walking Dead comic book, this time around the weapons platform of choice is a Veloster that boldly toasts the 10th anniversary of the entire franchise.
Once again partnering with Future US and Robert Kirkman/Skybound — the original creative force behind The Walking Dead empire — Hyundai tapped Galpin Auto Sports to hand craft this highly impactful one-off which has its custom bodywork finished in Vitamin C textured paint. In addition to passive safety features like wrought iron bars and slit-panel armor on its windshield and barbed-wire side window cages, the Veloster “VSM” boasts an over-the-top weapons roster that runs the gamut from quick-change front-bumper chain saws and a horde plow to an easily detachable roof-mounted .50-caliber machine gun accessed through the built-in hatch and door-mount flame throwers.
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Other tasteful exterior details on the Veloster VSM include all-terrain tires wrapped around forged alloy wheels with wheel-blade weapons, a trunk-mounted, spike-spiked baseball bat, knife-blade enhanced rear bumper and the obligatory “Doom Whistle” PA system. The cabin of this high-profile Zombie zonker – which features a comprehensively reinforced passenger-protection cell and LineX-style sprayed flooring – is its own unique realm. In addition to a custom weapons control panel, it features dedicated storage areas for hand weapons, ammo and first-aid supplies as well as a sleeping bag.
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