Hyundai and Kia Target 7 Million Sales in 2012

Despite the global economic crisis, Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia have seen a rapid rise in global sales, thanks in part to their value for money offerings but also a new range of models.

As a result of the new sales records and increased demand, the two carmakers that currently form the world's fifth largest automotive group, increased the shifts in some of their plants and reevaluated their 2011 overall target to 6.6 million, up from 6.33 million units in the beginning of the year.

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Rhys Millen Video Teases SEMA Hyundai Special but Doesn't Say What it is

Once again, Hyundai is collaborating with Rhys Millen Racing [RMR] to create a special project car for this year's edition of the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas.

Even though the show is less than a week away, Hyundai and Rhys Millen won't give out many details in the 40-second-long teaser video. The only valuable clue we get is a quick glimpse at a tail lamp that looks a lot like the one featured on the Genesis Coupe, but we're not 100 percent sure.

You can watch the video for yourself right after the break.

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Hyundai to Introduce Commercials Tailor-Made for the Super Bowl

If there is one televised event in the U.S. that attracts record audiences, it is the Super Bowl. So it comes to no surprise that companies with an aggressive advertising campaign deem it worthy to pay a lot of cash (as much as US$3.0 million in 2011 and $3.5 million in 2012) for some air time during the game.

So far, Hyundai has followed a simple strategy when it came to its Super Bowl commercials: see what ads it has for upcoming models and debut them during the game.

But now, the Korean automaker, which has made quite an impact on the U.S. market with its new models, has decided to change its game: it wants to make commercials that are tailor-made for the Super Bowl.

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Hyundai Announces New 1.6-liter Turbo Gasoline and Euro6 2.0 Diesel Engines

They have been a long time in the making but the Hyundai Motor Group finally presented its highly anticipated Gamma 1.6 T-GDI petrol and Euro6 R-2.0 diesel engines today.

The presentation was made during ‘The 11thHyundai-Kia International Powertrain Conference’ that takes place on October 19 and 20 at the Rolling Hills Hotel, located near the Hyundai-Kia Motors R&D Center in Korea.

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Video: Lexus IS-F Goes Under the Crusher in California for Street Racing? Not So Fast…

A video showing an if not brand new, a not so old Lexus IS-F V8-powered sports saloon being crushed to death is making the internet rounds today.

The person that uploaded the specific clip says that local police officers in the state of California crushed the vehicle after they confiscated it for illegal racing. We looked around on the web, but we couldn't find any information regarding this claim.

Sounds like a great story but before you rush to accept the Youtube poster's version of the incident, you may want to know that we discovered the same exact video uploaded in December of 2010, but there's no mention of the car being confiscated.

Furthermore, we also found another recent clip of a Hyundai Genesis sedan being destroyed by the same crusher (notice the background and the blue color on the metal structure).

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2012 Hyundai i40 Tourer

2012 Hyundai i40 Tourer. Hyundai i40 was launched to strengthen the 2012 Tourer Hyundai in Australia in the midsize car segment. Hyundai i40 Tourer 2012 is guaranteed to give luxury and top performance, claims Hyundai Australia.

In addition, the i40 Tourer modern design, spacious and comfortable interior, and features cutting-edge safety technology. As is known, the design of i40 Tourer handled directly in R & D headquarters of Hyundai's European Center in Russelsheim, Germany. Do not be surprised if the exterior and interior design to be worth 'expensive'. I40 Tourer design is the result of Hyundai's design language 'fluidic sculpture'.

This wagon entered the Aussie market with two 4-cylinder engine choices, 1.7-liter CRDi 134 hp and 2.0 liter GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) 174 hp. Both are dated 6-speed manual transmission or automatic. Consumption of petrol i40 Tourer automatic transmission was recorded 12.98 km / liter. While the i40 CRDi with an automatic gearbox 16.67 km / liter.

Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) is integrally regulate a number of active safety features (such as Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System, ABS with EBD & Brake Assist System) as well as systems Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS). Other active safety features of Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC).

Cars equipped with nine airbags. And anti-whiplash active headrests for driver and front passenger (headrest will move closer head driver / passenger when the car crash, thereby reducing injury to the neck / head) drowned.

Parking is easy and safe retreat, thanks to a camera on the stern of the car. The situation in the back of the car shown in the rear-view mirror. I40 Tourer prices start from AUS $ 32,490 or USD 294.5 million.

Hyundai Announces UK Pricing and Sales Date for Veloster

Already available in many countries around the world, the new Hyundai Veloster will reach British shores in February 2012 with a starting price of £17,995 on the road and an insurance group rating of 16E.

The 1+2 door Hyundai model will offer buyers a single engine choice and two main trim levels, base and Sport. The Veloster is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder GDI petrol engine that produces 140-horsepower. It can be combined with a six-speed manual gearbox or Hyundai’s first dual-clutch transmission.

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Video: Why Are Three Kids Riding in the Trunk of a Hyundai Genesis?

Cramming three people inside the trunk of a car sounds like a mafia move, or in a less dramatic scenario, something you world normally expect to see in an impoverished third world country.

Yet the video that follows was allegedly filmed in a bustling city in South Korea. And mind you, we're not talking about a poor-man's mode of transportation but the near luxury Hyundai Genesis sedan (if we're not mistaken, that is).

But the worst thing of all is that it looks like the individuals riding inside the trunk are three young kids. What can you say?

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Supercharged Hyundai Genesis Coupe Hurricane to Hit SEMA Show

If one thing's for sure, Hyundai will have a strong presence at this year's edition of the SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas in November. The South Korean automaker, which has already shown us two Veloster tuning proposals, has now released details on another project, this time based on the Genesis Coupe V6.

The Genesis Coupe Hurricane SC was developed by Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. (HATCI) in cooperation with Magnuson Products, Rhys Millen Racing, Harman International and Torvec Inc.

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Hyundai Launches New Eon Low-Cost City Car in India to Compete with Suzuki

The game is on for Hyundai in India as the South Korean automaker launched its all-important new Eon city car on Thursday. The five-door hatchback is Hyundai's smallest model and it will be built and marketed in India where it will go up against the best-selling vehicle in the country, the Maruti-Suzuki Alto.

At 3,495mm long, 1,500mm tall, 1,550mm wide, and with wheelbase length of 2,380mm, the Eon is slightly more compact than the i10 hatchback (3,585mm long).

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Almost Half of Hyundai’s U.S. Showrooms to get a New Look

Hyundai’s vice president of sales, Dave Zuchowski, revealed that 231 of the brand’s 570 stand-alone dealerships in the States will invest a combined US$358 million in order to get an all-new look, consistent with the company's global standards, by the end of the year.

“We have not had a big push on consistency of our image and branding of our buildings in the past”, said Zuchowski. “Now that our brand has gained strength, it is a very viable investment for the dealer.”

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SEMA Preview: Another Hyundai Veloster gets Ready for the Tuner Treatment

Joining Hyundai’s ARK Performance Veloster Turbo at this year’s SEMA Show floors will be yet another specially tuned version of the South Korean maker's sporty hatchback, this one being prepared by digital media distribution company and publisher of Wrecked Magazine, PM Lifestyle.

PM Lifestyle's approach, however, will be different as the company teamed up with the students at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) with the goal of presenting modifications that can be "achieved in real-world garages".

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Bob Lutz Says General Motors, Volkswagen and Hyundai are the World's New Big Three

It's fall again, time for Bob Lutz to make headlines. Less than a month after "Maximum Bob" made his official comeback to General Motors as a consultant, the semi-retired car executive and onetime Marine pilot gave an in-depth interview to German monthly Manager Magazin.

Lutz was questioned about a variety of subjects that mainly concentrated on Opel and its relationship with General Motors, but he was also asked about the future of the industry in general, and whom he sees as being the major players.

According to Captain Lutz, the new big three in the automotive industry are General Motors, the Volkswagen Group and –wait for it- the Hyundai Group. And what about Toyota and the rest of the Japanese carmakers like Honda? According to the GM exec, Japanese automakers have lost it… Follow the jump for his (translated) response as well as the original Q&A.

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New Hyundai Veloster gets Turbocharged for Upcoming SEMA Show

We already know for a fact that Hyundai is planning to launch a more powerful version of its new Veloster sports car fitted with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine delivering 208HP for a 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time of under 7 seconds (Carscoop has officially confirmed all numbers), with European sales to start in early 2012.

We still don't know when and if this engine will be offered in North America, but those interested in a more hardcore Veloster will have a chance to see plenty of aftermarket options at this November's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Among the many Veloster proposals that are expected to be displayed in SEMA, is a highly modified model created by Hyundai in partnership with ARK Performance.

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VW Boss Caught on Film Impressed by the Hyundai i30’s Quality, Displeased with his Staff

Up until now, we were used to seeing Japanese and later on, Korean and Chinese executives measuring and taking pictures of every detail of their rivals’ cars at major auto shows.

But now the tables have turned, and in a big way: at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show we saw none other than VW CEO, Martin Winterkorn himself, examine Hyundai’s newest C-segment hatchback, the i30.

And boy was he impressed with the i30’s quality…But at the same time, he seemed to be frustrated by the work his own staff is doing in VW Group models. “I hear nothing!” Winterkorn said about the absence of any rattles while adjusting the steering wheel. “How did they do it?," he continued.

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Report: Hyundai Will Offer 10-Speed Auto Gearbox from 2014

Can you count to 10? Well done, so does Hyundai, and in particular the Korean company’s engineering team responsible for car transmissions. According to a Bloomberg News report, Hyundai Motor Group president Park Seong Hyon said that 10-speed automatic transmissions will become available in the group’s luxury models from 2014.

Only a few years ago, six-speed automatic gearboxes were available only in top-of-the-line cars. Then the gear count started to increase gradually: first at seven, which seemed like a novelty, and quite recently at eight, which most luxury carmakers rushed to adopt.

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2012 Hyundai i30

2012 Hyundai i30 finally introduced to the public at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show today officially opened. Where the new body design is very similar to the Elantra or I30 American version, but with different shapes and grill plus a European-style accents. Hatchback which will begin paving in early 2012 the euro will offer two engine options, direct-injection petrol and CRDi turbo diesel, with petrol engine capacity of two options, ie 1.4 L and 1.6 L. Both will be accommodated by a manual transmission.

Through the hexagonal shaped grill and headlights mica-clear diamonds, the latest generation of I30 is expected to be able to participate in the market to compete with the European Opel / Vauxhall Astra, VW Golf, and the Citroen C4. Even rumors, in 2012 the Hyundai will release another version of the I30, with format or 3-door sedan body to date.