Hyundai Nuvis Concept Car

Ford Fusion Hybrid Declared Most Eco-Thrifty

The old measuring tool for “economical” cars used to be “miles per gallon”. That was back in the days when all vehicles used to be powered by petroleum. Now, with the invention of plug-ins, hybrids, and other alternative-fuel vehicles, that measuring tool no longer suffices. It’s safe to say that the only way for you to measure a car’s efficiency is to measure the cost of its power source per mile.

With that in mind, the San Francisco Chronicle compiles a list of popular hybrid vehicles and reviewed them for what they truly are. We’ve heard only too many claims of “power-saving” from these hybrid models. But considering their initial cost? Who can say which ones are really giving you your money’s worth?

The compiled review included seven hybrids that are considered by most consumers to be the most “ideal” for them. The publication estimated just how long it would take for the consumer to get what s/he paid for in terms of “fuel savings”, and they found a winner. By a mile, the Ford Fusion Hybrid won the fuel saver’s race by letting its future owner save enough fuel to “break even” in 5.6 years.

2011 Hyundai i10

Korea automaker Hyundai has announced the new 2011 Hyundai i10, apart from their new MPV, which will also have its world premiere at the 2010 Paris Auto Show.

External features of the new Hyundai i10 include hexagonal signature grille, a new pair of headlights and slightly redesigned front bumper. It will be available with an automatic option, which will make i10 the second small car in the country to do so after Maruti A-Star.Additionally, the internal features of the new i10 will also be upgraded, but details about that have not leaked out.

The 2011 Hyundai i10 will become already the third new Hyundai vehicle having a fuel-saving start/stop technology after the popular i30 hatchback and hot-selling Tucson crossover (known also as Hyundai ix35 in some international markets).Hyundai sold on European soil is the only car from Hyundai which bears the ISG technology but now the Korean carmaker has announced to expand its start/stop technology in other models and markets.The 2011 i10 will come with new engine having 2 bhp more than its forerunner.

Hyundai has not set to launch any diesel engine but will continue with the less powerful 1.1L petrol engine.The ISG system should cut the fuel utilization and emissions by up to 15 percent in typical city driving conditions with heavy traffic and constant stop-start motoring, as per the automakers.It is also rumored that the facelifted Hyundai i10 will get a new 1.0L gasoline engine which will get better the car’s on-road capabilities and further lower its fuel utilization.

The European largest motor show - 2010 Paris Auto Show, which will be held on September 30. Hyundai will present a facelifted i10 there.Officially, the premiere of Hyundai i10 for the show is not announced yet but rumors suggest that the new facelift of 2011 Hyundai i10 is anticipated to debut the Veloster Coupe and i40 sedan at the next month’s Paris Auto Show.

Hyundai Hybrid in the US by 2012

The Korean car manufacturer, Hyundai, may not have a plug-in hybrid car in its garage right now but it is set to release its first by 2012. The car will be derived from the DNA of Hyundai’s Blue Wil concept which took spotlight in the Seoul Auto Show.

Hyundai is eyeing to compete with the Volt of Chevrolet and the next generation of Prius from Toyota. The Blue-Will has a 1.6L gas power plant under its hood assisted by a 100 kilowatt electric motor. The Korean car producer also boasts of its technology for the production of lithium battery.

Hyundai will be the first in the auto world to utilize Ion Lithium Polymer for mass produced cars.

The net mileage for the Blue-Will is 106 mpg with pure electric power bringing it 38 miles away. The gas fueled engine can also contribute about 55 mpg if needed. The car also has solar panels mounted on its roof to help in charging the car’s battery.

Aside from the efficient fuel usage, the Blue-Will boasts of headlamps made from recycled soft drink bottles. Plant extract materials were also preferred over the usual fossil fuel derivatives for the engine cover.

Hyundai does not have an official release with regard to the price of the Blue-Will. The Volt is expected to have a sticker price of around $40000.

According to Hyundai executives, their primary goal in releasing the Blue-Will is not for profit but for technology showcase to convince the market to buy and drive their cars.

Hyundai to launch new small car in India

Hyundai Motor India to launch new small car in India...

According to Senior General Manager at Hyundai Motor India, Mr. Lee, the Korean largest car maker is going to launch an all-new mini-car in India next year. The development of yet un-named mini-car is in the final phase with final design already completed.

Information on this brand-new model so far are slim, but we have found out that the automaker will use a highly sophisticated 0.8L three-cylinder gasoline engine to power the vehicle.

Initially, the new model will be marketed exclusively for Indian market, according to Hyundai representative, but it is very likely that the company will also begin shipping the model to various international markets, including China, South Korea, Middle East and Europe.

The new product is scheduled to make its official premiere in the first half of 2011, while first production models are expected to hit the Indian roads in the second half of 2011. Pricing and other specifications of this new Hyundai car will be announced closer to its release date.

Hyundai Alabama produces 1 millionth car

Hyundai Alabama celebrates 1 millionth car milestone!

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) President and CEO H.I. Kim, announced HMMA’s 1,000,000 vehicle last week. A white, 2010 Sonata sedan, which was the millionth car built by the venture, was driven off the assembly line with Mayor Todd Strange, Hyo-Seung Kim, CEO and President of Sejong and HMMA Team Member Angela Collins.

Hyundai reached the 1.000.000 vehicle milestone in a span of little more than four and one-half years announced HMMA CEO during his speech at the celebration.

Hyundai's Alabama manufacturing plant produced two different vehicles since 2006, the mid-size Sonata sedan and Santa Fe SUV. In the past four year and a half, a total of 655.496 Sonatas and 344.504 Santa Fe SUVs were built to reach this achievement in the plant’s short history.

Hyundai Sonata, which will soon undergo a major redesign, has been the company's best-selling vehicle in the US market. The Korean carmaker expects it to remain the top-selling vehicle in Hyundai's US vehicle line-up in the coming years.

"Our guests of honor today are without a doubt the team members wearing the Hyundai logo on their chest," H.I. Kim proudly exclaimed to the crowd gathered for the ceremony. "We've over came many challenges since production began in 2005 and through it all our Team Members never turned away from those challenges. It is because of you that we were able to accomplish this tremendous milestone."

Go Hyundai!

Hyundai to shift part of i20 production from India to Europe

Hyundai shifts a part of i20 production from India to Europe.

Hyundai Motor Company decided to shift part of its compact i20 car production from India to Europe. The Korean carmaker operates a production plant in Czech Republic, however Hyundai announced it will shift i20 production to its other European plant, located in Turkey.

The i20 production is shifted to Europe due to an increased demand from European consumers.

According to Arvind Saxena, director at Hyundai Motor India, the European demand for Hyundai i20 is growing and it is not possible for the company to supply enough cars from one plant alone. Therefore, Hyundai decided to shift a certain part of the i20 production to Turkey.

Hyundai expects to sell 40.000 units of i20 hatchback in Europe during the next 12 months, while sales is expected to increase to 70.000 units in 2011.

By relocating a part of i20 production from India, Hyundai will free up capacity for the all-new small car, which is currently still under development. The new model is said to be smaller and cheaper than the current i10 hatchback.

According to Arvind Saxena, the all-new small car from Hyundai is still in the early process of car development, so it will take the company at least a year and a half before it can bring it to the market.

India September Car Sales Rise on Diwali

Car sales in India rose 21% in September as the onset of several festivals and easing borrowing costs led customers to buy vehicles from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Hyundai Motor Co. and General Motors Co.

File photo of an employee standing amid cars at the stockyard of General Motors India Ltd. plant at Halol, about 150 kms(93 miles) east from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad August 28, 2009.

Sales in the past month climbed to 129,683 cars from 107,517 a year earlier, showed data issued Tuesday by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, an industry lobby group.

This is the eight straight month of growth in car sales and follows August's 26% and July's 31% jump, which was the biggest percentage gain since February 2007.

Higher lending rates and banks' reluctance to lend in a slowing economy had crimped demand for automobiles in India last year. But, a series of government stimulus packages, including tax cuts, earlier this year and rate cuts by banks are now encouraging people to buy new vehicles.

Sales in September received a boost also from the start of several Hindu festivals, which are considered auspicious for buying new vehicles.

2011 Hyundai ix35

Hyundai has announced the Hyundai ix35 which will be premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Hyundai has released the first undisguised images of its new ix35, an all-new C-segment crossover that showcases Hyundai’s distinctive new ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language. The Hyundai ix35 will enter the C-segment and will replace the Tucson alongside the Santa Fe.

The Hyundai ix35 was developed in Europe and incorporates the new design lines of the company. The company has not released any details regarding the engine options or performance figures of the Hyundai ix35.

The company says the Hyundai ix35 will offer exceptional style, performance and economy

Hyundai Genesis Coupe Review

Pros

• Performance and value
• Solid chassis and suspension tuning
• Lots of standard features

Cons

• Manual transmission setup needs more polish
• V6 seems a bit more powerful on paper

Introduction

Hyundai has been making a pretty strong statement with its products lately. Remember the days of the Hyundai Excel? Well, times have changed. The new Genesis sedan has received accolades for going toe to toe with the best luxury sedans from Japan and Germany. Interestingly enough, Hyundai is on a mission to have pony car drivers watch out for the Genesis Coupe creeping up in their rearview mirrors. Being one of those rear wheel drive fanatics, it was time to see how the Genesis Coupe measures up.

The sport coupe has always been the ideal type of car for young adults. Americans have always had a certain passion for rear wheel drive sport coupes. Figuring out the right formula has been a formidable task for every automaker. The combination of volume and profitability has taken its toll on countless sport coupes. Ford has been the only one to stick with it — the Ford Mustang has been leading the way for over 40 years now. Toyota gave up after the Supra, Nissan is doing ok after it got back in the game with the 370Z, Mitsubishi and Dodge tried it with the 3000GT and Stealth. The Challenger is alive again, as is the Camaro after an 8 year hiatus. The Genesis Coupe certainly has no shortage of competitors to face in this day and age. The question is, does Hyundai have the right formula?

Driving Impressions

The Genesis Coupe certainly has earned its right to partake in the pony car wars. The Genesis Coupe is nimble and light on its toes. Great handling starts with a solid chassis and Hyundai accomplished that by using a shortened version of the Genesis sedan’s. The suspension is tuned to soak up the bumps, yet provide a firm, sporty ride. Those that prefer a softer ride should avoid the Track edition package. The Genesis that I tested was equipped with the Track package which includes a cross-tower strut brace under the hood, 19-inch Gunmetal finish alloy wheels, high performance Bridgestone tires, 4 wheel Brembo brakes, Torsen-type limited-slip differential, and trunk mounted spoiler.

Performance is what you expect from a car thus equipped and it delivers. The Genesis is more refined than the American pony cars — it’s very quiet at low speeds with a subtle exhaust note. This refinement does take a little bit away from the whole experience of a sports car, but I don’t think many will complain. Below 3000 RPM, the engine lacks presence from both an auditory perspective, but also from the butt dyno perspective. This is not to say that the 3.8L V6 is a slouch, rather it just doesn’t make that much torque in the low to mid RPMs. Around 3500 RPM the engine note comes alive along with the power that you were expecting. The Genesis I tested was equipped with a close ratio 6-speed manual that helps overcome the lack of low RPM grunt.

Beneath the hood, you’ll find a 3.8L V-6 that rivals the Nissan’s vaunted 3.5L V-6 for power on paper. The engine is good for 306 HP and 266 lb.-ft. of torque, but the Genesis does lack mid-range torque. The Genesis is also available with a turbocharged 2.0 L I4, which also promises to be a screamer. I expect this to be embraced by the tuner crowed for all the potential that exists there. Transmission choices are a standard 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic, or 6-speed automatic made by ZF. Both automatic transmissions are available with Hyundai’s SHIFTRONIC paddle shifters. The 6-speed manual I tested was EPA rated 17 city and 26 highway, I managed to get 23 MPG in my combined driving. Something else that will help at the gas pump is the fact that Hyundai calibrated this engine to run on regular gas instead of premium.

Build

Hyundai has made huge strides in build quality and the whole Genesis line shows that their work has paid off. In fact, the Genesis sedan has won several awards and compares well with what Lexus has to offer. With the Genesis Coupe, Hyundai went a little but less on the luxury and more on the sporty side of things. There is still a good choice of materials and fit and finish is excellent. The buttons do feel a bit hollow and cheap, there’s not much heft on the control knobs and tactile feedback is a bit lacking, however I recognize that I’m being nitpicky. A solid body structure is hugely important; it directly translates into higher performance and a quieter car. The chassis engineers have a much easier time tuning the ride and handling and the interior engineers have to worry less about rattles and noise. The chassis is rock solid resulting in no rattles that I could detect.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics

The interior of the Genesis is done very nicely, in fact I feel that it may be a little bit too well done. In many ways, it actually feels like it belongs more in a premium sedan that a sports car. Hyundai seems like they’re trying to make this more like a G37 than a 370Z, not a bad thing. All of the controls are properly positioned and there’s a good range of adjustment for larger people. Every V6 Genesis comes with leather seats as standard. On the Track Edition, black is the only color. The seats are firm and comfortable, with good lateral support, very closely resembling Recaro seats.

The interior feels quite open and spacious, certainly a different feeling compared to sitting in the new Camaro. As expected there’s not much room for rear seat passengers, only small children would be comfortable back there. The seats fold down providing access to the trunk. With the handling prowess of this car, passengers are sure to notice the absence of a passenger assist handle. Additionally, there are no coat hooks in the rear. All are nice features to have, but you won’t notice their absence until you spend a couple days with the car. It is curious why Hyundai decided omit these things since the Coupe comes with so many other features.

The Genesis Coupe was equipped with many nice amenities like pushbutton keyless ignition, power moonroof, heated seats, polished aluminum pedals, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Xenon headlamps, and fog lamps. There are also a host of advanced technologies like Bluetooth integration with the AM/FM/XM Satellite Radio with a built in CD changer. This is all hooked up to a 10 speaker Infinity audio system with redundant steering wheel controls.

The Bluetooth functionality worked beautifully with my iPhone and the system was fairly easy to set up. There is also an iPod and USB connector in the center console which keeps things uncluttered and out of sight. A touchscreen navigation system with XM traffic’s service is optional.

Hyundai Tiburon Turbo Pictures

Hyundai Tiburon Turbo Pictures

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec Official Revealed

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec, the perfect blank canvas for tuners, priced at $23,750 is beginning to arrive at dealerships across the country. R-Spec takes the core performance equipment from the 2.0T Track model and eliminates non-essential convenience equipment to reduce both cost and weight. The Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec - the first production R-Spec model to arrive in the U.S. - will make its world debut at the Hyundai booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 3 - 6 (Booth # 24387).

The R-Spec allows enthusiasts to tune their own car to their desired specifications. R-Spec provides genuine track-readiness and powertrain scalability in an affordable model. The R-Spec adds core Track model performance equipment to the most affordable 2.0T model, such as: Track-tuned suspension, 19-inch gunmetal-finish alloy wheels with performance Summer tires, Brembo® braking system, Torsen® limited-slip differential and R-Spec badging.

In a special nod to tuners, R-Spec will also receive a set of front strut camber adjustment bolts (dealer installation - optional for customer to install) to further enhance initial turn-in and handling response. To reduce both cost and weight, the R-Spec eliminates some non-essential convenience equipment such as: Bluetooth®, automatic headlights, cruise control, trip computer, chrome interior accents and steering wheel audio controls. Genesis Coupe R-Spec is priced $3,000 less than the 2.0T Track model, leaving tuners with extra cash for their own choice of aftermarket performance upgrades. Appropriately, R-Spec will be available in three exteriors colors most common among international racing teams: Karussell White, Bathurst Black and Tsukuba Red. R-Spec comes with manual transmission only.

R-Spec equipment includes:

2.0-liter low-pressure turbocharged intercooled four-cylinder engine with dual continuously variable valve timing delivering 210 hp, 30 mpg EPA highway rating and a top speed of 137 mph

6-speed close-ratio manual transmission

Electronic Stability Control with Traction control, ABS, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Brake Assist

19-inch gunmetal-finish alloy wheels with staggered-width high-performance summer-compound Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires (225/40YR19 front, 245/40YR19 rear)

Brembo® braking system with 13.4-inch ventilated front rotors, 42mm four-piston fixed front calipers (red), 13.0-inch ventilated rear rotors, 32mm+28mm four-piston fixed rear calipers (red)

Track-tuned suspension (higher-rate coil springs, higher-control shock absorbers, 25mm front stabilizer bar, 22mm rear stabilizer bar, front strut brace)

Torsen-type limited-slip differential

R-Spec badging

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Front, side, side curtain air bags

Active front head restraints

Driver's lumbar support

Air conditioning

Remote keyless entry system

Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

Power windows (one-touch up and down), door locks and mirrors

AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers

iPod/USB/Aux jack connectivity

Projector beam headlamps

Lightweight temporary spare with aluminum wheel (T135/80D18)

-- Note: Automatic transmission not available with R-Spec

The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty. Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Genesis Coupe buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) and that service includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. There is no deductible on any of these coverages.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.

Hyundai Azera GLS

The 2009 Azera is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in two trims, the GLS and the Limited.