On the eve of the official unveiling of the Genesis coupe, we were able to score a few details from company execs about the future of Hyundai's first foray into turbocharged, rear-wheel-drive goodness. While Hyundai will only be showing off two versions of the Genesis coupe in New York, more variants are planned for the future, including a targa model sporting a retractable glass roof (ala Porsche 911 Targa), a convertible, and, more compelling, a lightweight version only offered with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder.
Hyundai admits that only so much can be done to shed pounds from the coupe, which is already a rather portly beast to begin with, but by nixing some of the sound deadening material and possibly ditching the rear seats, Hyundai hopes that the sporting nature of the Genesis coupe will be fully realized. Naturally, this proposed lightweight model would have even more appeal to enthusiasts and could foretell a future motorsports campaign from an automaker that has thus far stayed off the performance junkie's radar.
click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata.
Hyundai recognizes that competition in the mid-size sedan segment is always heating up, so the little automaker that could is bringing a refreshed Sonata to Chicago, sporting a slightly new look, more interior amenities and new powertrains.
The 2009 Hyundai Sonata debuts with a choice of two revised mills that sport more power and fuel economy to rival the sedan's more expensive rivals. The Theta 2.4-cylinder inline-four is now in its second generation and makes 175 horsepower and 169 lb.-ft. of torque with a new five-speed automatic to help carve up the revs. The 3.3-liter V6 gets a 15-hp bump and is now making 249 hp and 229 lb.-ft. of torque. Aside from the upgraded engines, Hyundai is also hyping the Sonata's handling and will be offering a sport-tuned suspension on the SE model.
The exterior revisions are mild, with a new front bumper, grille, lights and wheels, while passengers inside now enjoy a completely revised interior that's much more visually interesting than before and is even available with an optional sat nav, a first for the Sonata. Hit the jump for more info and the official press release from Hyundai.
click above image to view Hyundai's Super Bowl commercials
The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and that means we get to see the best commercials that money can buy, and perhaps some football, as well. Hyundai was unsure whether it wanted to spend $2.5m a pop for two :30 spots (a voice over by the Dude doesn't come cheap), but in the end the South Korean automaker decided the Genesis sedan was a big-time product, and it deserved a spot on the world's biggest stage. We loaded both of Hyundai's ads after the jump, and we like what we see.
Hyundai deliberately shied away from any sort of pizazz or funny gimmicks, instead focusing on the virtues of its 375-hp rear-wheel-drive sedan. The silver Genesis on center stage, which is actually the Korean market model (note the winged "Genesis" hood badge and home-market grille), looks great in motion, and Hyundai didn't waste any time needling the luxury car competition. The two spots reference the Genesis having 7-Series and S-Class size with a price tag closer to that of the 3-Series or C-Class. Both spots knock the fact that most Super Bowl ads are about entertainment instead of... [Read More]
In 2007 Hyundai had a US sales target of 555,000. That number was set by HQ in Korea, and when it was clear they weren't going to make it, they revised it downward to just over 500,000. By the time the bell rung, even that number proved a little beyond Hyundai's reach: they sold 467,009 cars last year. That still represented a 2.5-percent gain over 2006 sales.
Hyundai's goal this year is a 20-percent increase in global sales. For the US, though, the goal is 500,000 units, which is the goal set by the folks in the US, not Korea, and even though nearly everyone has predicted a sales downturn, that goal is "regardless of what the industry is doing." To achieve those sales, the automaker has revamped numerous aspects of their dealer incentive operation. Hyundai dealership profit was down five-percent last year, and only two-thirds of dealers benefited from company incentives. This year, the dealer incentive has been streamlined and set up so that 99-percent of dealers are expected to receive some sort of incentive. Dealers will also be receiving more Accents and Elantras to prevent the shortages experienced last year.
Hyundai is also bringing back its dealer ad associations and is going to distribute more largesse to help dealers advertise everything happening for the growing brand. Hyundai has a ... [Read More]
Click image for gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring
The eye-searing Hyundai Elantra Touring "Beach Cruiser" Concept that appeared at last year's SEMA was the first real look we had at Hyundai's new US-bound station wagon. Since then, we've been interested in seeing what it looks like in non-Phoenix Suns colors augmented with a tribal tattoo pattern. Today, we get our wish.
Hyundai has officially unveiled the 2009 Elantra Touring at the Montreal International Auto Show, giving us a proper look at the car we can expect to see in showrooms a little later this year. Sold in Europe as the i30 CW, the Elantra Touring is a handsome small wagon with a nicely-detailed interior. The instrumentation and switchgear look like quality stuff, leather's optional, and it has both USB and AUX ports for iPod compatibility. Power comes from a 2.0L four-banger making 141 horses mated to a five-speed manual or an optional 4-speed automatic. Exterior accents include subtle brightwork on the front and rear bumpers, available 17" wheels, and wraparound headlamps. In all, the Elantra Touring looks like a practical, appealing package. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but we expect it to be very competitive, in keeping with Hyundai's... [Read More]
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