New Hyundai Veloster gets Turbocharged for 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 , 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.
The highlight of the tune is the addition of a custom twin-scroll turbocharger that helps lift the 1.6-liter engine's output from 138HP to 210-horses.
Changes will also be made to the car's suspension and brake systems, as well as the exterior with a new paint job, an aero kit and new alloy wheels, and the interior.
We'll bring you more on the Veloster from the SEMA Show on November 1.

Mechanical components ARK plans to customize include:

• ARK Turbo Charger and Intercooler System
• ARK Intercooler Piping System
• ARK Custom Oil Cooler
• ARK Turbo Manifold
• ARK Lightweight Pulley System
• ARK Six-Pot Big Brake Kit
• ARK Eight-Point Chromoly Rally Style Roll Cage
• ARK DTP Track Coilover System
• ARK Upper Strut and Front and Rear Sway Bar
• ARK Camber and Control Arms
• ARK GRIP Dual Exhaust
• ARK RSEPC Downpipes and Test Pipes

Interior enhancements include:

• JPM Coachworks Custom OEM Seats with Alcantara Interior
• JPM Coachworks Custom Alcantara Shift Boot
• JPM Coachworks Custom Alcantara Dashboard
• JPM Coachworks Custom Alcantara Headliner
• JPM Coachworks Custom Alcantara Doors and Visors
• JPM Coachworks Custom Floor Mats
• JPM Coachworks Custom Alcantara Audio Finish
• Image Dynamics Q450.4 Amplifiers
• Image Dynamics Q600.1 Amplifiers
• Image Dynamics XS65 Component Speakers
• Image Dynamics ID10D4 Subwoofers
• ARK Racing Pedals
• DSG Performance / Password JDM Shift Knob
• DSG Performance / SUN Automotive Eco
• DSG Performance / SUN Hyper Voltage System GT
• DSG Performance / SUN Automotive Gauss System
• DSG Performance / SUN Automotive Hot Inazma Pocket
• DSG Performance / SUN Automotive Hyper Ground System
• Jason Noren Fabrications Custom Rally Cage
• Adam Perry Custom Audio Setup

ARK Performance will also make moderate exterior modifications to the Veloster, including:

• ARK CFX Designs Front Lip
• ARK CFX Designs Side Skirt
• ARK CFX Designs Rear Bumper
• ARK SFX Designs Wide Front and Rear Fenders
• ARK CFX Designs Grille
• ARK SFX Rear Wing Mount
• OneEighty Custom Headlights
• OneEighty Custom Taillights
• OneEighty Custom Fog Lamps
• Rally Armor Custom Veloster Mud Flaps
• Rally Armor Custom Veloster Mounts
• DSG Performance / Password JDM Chromoly Lug Nuts
• Yokohama Advan RZ Gunmetal x5
• Nitto NT05 x5
• Beyond Autobody Custom Paint and Finish

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Bob Lutz : 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.

Bob Lutz: “A while ago, many experts thought, the race for the top position in the auto business would be a dead heat between GM, Toyota, and Honda. This has changed. The Big Three are now GM, Volkswagen, and Hyundai. Toyota is in decline. The Japanese lost their bullet-proof quality image. Their cars aren’t especially pretty. Their driving dynamics is below the level of the best European and American cars.

GM on the other hand has improved its engineering, payroll and healthcare are way down after the bankruptcy. When it comes to platform sharing amongst brands, GM always has been absolutely competitive. Trust me: GM will give Volkswagen and Hyundai a tough fight.”

Original Q&A from Manager Magazin in German:
Manager Magazin: "Sie haben gesagt, Chevrolet sei die neben Hyundai Chart zeigen am schnellsten wachsende Marke der Welt. Wie wird General Motors Chart zeigen angesichts des gewaltigen Wachstums der wichtigsten Konzernmarke 2015 und 2020 dastehen?"
Bob Lutz:"Hervorragend. Früher glaubten viele Branchenexperten, GM, Toyota Chart zeigen und Honda Chart zeigen würden die Position der automobilen Nummer Eins unter sich ausmachen. Das hat sich geändert. GM, Volkswagen Chart zeigen und Hyundai sind jetzt die großen Drei. Toyota fällt dagegen ab. Die Japaner haben ihr kugelsicheres Qualitätsimage verloren, ihre Autos sind nicht besonders schön, nicht besonders reizvoll, und ihre Fahrdynamik reicht nicht an das Niveau der besten europäischen und amerikanischen Modelle heran.
GM dagegen hat sich technisch verbessert und die Ausgaben für Gehälter und Gesundheitskosten nach der Insolvenz deutlich gesenkt. Was den Einsatz gleicher Architekturen für mehrere Marken angeht, war GM schon immer absolut wettbewerbsfähig. Verlassen Sie sich auf eins: GM wird Volkswagen und Hyundai einen sehr harten Wettbewerb liefern."

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IAA 2011: 2012 Hyundai i30

Hyundai has released some new chatter regarding the second generation of its i30compact hatchback that will make its grand debut at next week's 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt
The South Korean car manufacturer's Ford Focus and VW Golf challenger will go on sale in Europe as a five-door hatchback in the Spring of 2012.
Buyers will have a choice of two direct-injection gasoline engines with a displacement of 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters, and two CRDi turbo diesels, again with a displacement of 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters.
All the available engines are fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox, while in the case of stronger gasoline and diesel versions Hyundai will also offer an optional six-speed automatic transmission.
For the first time in a Hyundai car of this size, the i30 will be available with a knee airbag for the driver, adaptive headlights, instruments with a high-resolution TFT LCD display and an electric parking brake.
Other available options will include a large panoramic sunroof and an integrated navigation system with a 7-inch color monitor and a rearview camera.
Like its predecessor, the new i30 has been designed and engineered at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
The i30's styling represents a further evolution of Hyundai's ‘fluidic sculpture’ form language with both the exterior and interior design modeled closely after the i40 sedan / estate series.
Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, commented: “The new-generation i30 is recognisable thanks to the Hyundai family face with its signature hexagonal-shaped front grille and the jewel-like design of the headlamps, together with distinctive daytime running lights. These lights present an angular shape within a more softly-edged recess, adding a strong personality to the vehicle, as well as a sense of refinement and luxury.”
“Through the profile of the new generation i30, a strong character line runs over the front and rear wheelarches all the way to the tail lamps. A softer, lower character line rises up the car’s flank creating a play of light and shadow – a fundamental feature of fluidic sculpture,” Thomas Bürkle concluded.
The South Korean automaker said more body styles will be added to the i30's range in the near future, without, however, disclosing any specific details.
The only version of the outgoing i30 that is sold in the United States, is the i30 Tourer marketed as the Elantra Tourer. 

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Hyundai Focus-Rivaling i30 Hatch

The upcoming 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show will host the world premiere of Hyundai's new generation i30 C-segment hatchback that will go against the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Renault Megane in Europe.

The compact-sized i30 brings a fresh design with a more unique feel than the outgoing model of the same name, which in the States, is offered only in station wagon form as the Elantra Touring.

The exterior styling follows the Fluidic Sculpture design language of the recently launched i40 series (available in both sedan and station wagon formats) with a large hexagonal front grille, wraparound headlamps, a bulging belt line and pronounced front wheel arches.

The interior design is also modeled after Hyundai's latest creations such as the Veloster featuring a pair of deep-set gauges and a prominent center console.

The new i30 will launch as a five-door hatchback with a choice of fuel-efficient four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.


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All-New Hyundai i30 At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

Hyundai plans to unveil a brand-new C-segment model to replace the first-generation of its i30 at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Like the current model, the 2012 i30 is a product of Hyundai’s design and engineering center in Russelsheim, Germany and is designed exclusively for the European market.
Hyundai's European design boss Thomas Burkle says the i30's styling represents the next evolution of the firm's form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. What this means is that it shares a lot of common design features with Hyundai's more recent models like the ix20, the ix35, the Veloster and the i40.
Recent spy photos suggest that the interior will also share many elements with the i40 and the Veloster coupe.
“When designing the new i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car which looks athletic while exuding a sense of constant motion, even when stationary," said Burkle.
"From the rendering, you can see how we managed to give the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions. In this way, the car is very close to the recently unveiled i40, and we want people to recognise the Hyundai design DNA on those two models,” continued Burkle.
Under the fresh sheetmetal, the i30 will likely feature MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Even though Hyundai is keeping its cards close to its chest, the engine line-up is believed to include the 140HP direct injection 1.6-liter gasoline unit from the ix35 as well as a more fuel efficient "Blue" edition.
Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “We expect this next-generation i30 to play a significant role in developing our brand image in Europe and strengthen the vehicle’s position as our best-seller in Europe.
Hyundai's Ford Focus and VW Golf rivaling i30 will be manufactured at the firm's plant in the Czech Republic before going on sale early next year.













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Honda Threatened by the Rise of the Koreans

If there is one Japanese company that can lay claim to having a reputation for innovation and advanced engineering, it is Honda.
It is a reputation built over more than 30 years, starting from the first generation of the Civic in the ‘70s and continuing throughout the years with novelties such as VTEC, the futuristic first generation Insight hybrid back in 1999, the S2000's high-revving 120HP-per-liter engine, the first practical supercar, the NSX – and the list goes on.
However, something seems to have changed, and not for the better.
In the USA, the Civic enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a reliable, frugal and well-made car. But when the new Civic sedan and coupe made their debut at the New York Motor Show last April, pundits were less than impressed. Then came the Consumer Reports test, and all hell broke loose.
While the Civic's predecessors had often been Consumer Reports’ highest rated small sedans as well as "Top Picks" in five of the last 10 years, the new model scored too low to be "Recommended". To make a bad situation worse, it was placed second-to-last in CR’s ratings of 12 small sedans, followed only by the revamped Volkswagen Jetta.
Is it because Honda decided to cut corners in designing the ninth generation of the Civic, reducing costs and, in the process, quality, or is it that the competition like Hyundai’s Elantra, have improved greatly in their latest iterations, catching up and even surpassing the establishment?
“When I saw the interior of the new Civic, it worried me” Tatsuo Yoshida, an auto analyst at UBS Securities, told Reuters. “The mileage was impressive. But Korean brands are upping the ante with game-changing improvements to their cars’ interior. For people buying a new car for the first time, they are becoming an increasingly attractive option”.
A more worrying prospect is the one expressed by Edmunds.com analyst Bill Visnic: that Honda is slowly, but surely, losing its character: “Honda built its reputation on engineering excellence. They are now becoming kind of a very normal car company”.
American sales are very important to Honda since the US is its biggest market, accounting for almost 30% of its global sales.
But the game is far from over as in 2010, Honda held a 10.7 percent share of the U.S. car market making it the country's number four automaker with three of its core models, the Civic, the Accord and the CR-V, occupying the first or second place of their respective segments.
Moreover, it seems that Hyundai is not stealing so many sales from Honda as the Civic's share in its segment has grown 2.7% in the last four years.
Apparently, the Koreans are filling in the void left by defunct brands like GM's Saturn and Pontiac. Moreover, it is difficult to judge buyers’ reaction to the new Civic since the March 11 earthquake in Japan has reduced inventory for all Japanese brands, with Honda’s US sales recording a 10% drop so far this year
Even if sales of the Civic improve, Honda needs to do something fast. According to J.D. Power, Honda’s main strength was its consistently high ranking in durability and reliability studies. That's what convinced many buyers to choose one of the firm's cars. In J.D. Power's latest report published in June, Honda still held the number one spot among the mass-market brands. In contrast, Hyundai ranked below average.
However, in another study that measures overall appeal, J.D. Power reported that Hyundai was the most improved brand: “Reliability is important,” admitted J.D. Power’s director of automotive research Raffi Festekjian. “But you know what? You still need to make a vehicle than is appealing, fun to drive and comfortable to sit in”. Unfortunately for Honda, in this survey it was fourth from the bottom.
Our take is that Honda needs to reinvent itself by bringing back some of the engineering magic that made its products stand out from the crowd and devote more resources on the design aspect of its cars as styling is becoming an increasingly important factor in consumer choice these days.
The Japanese company could communicate these changes with the introduction of one or more "halo" cars such as a replacement for the S2000 before applying them on mainstream models like the Civic. Lets not forget, Honda established the reputation of being an innovative automaker with cars like the S2000 and the NSX (sold as an Acura in North America but as a Honda in the rest of the world). 

 

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Hyundai Cars

Hyundai (Korean pronunciation: [çjəːndɛ]) is a group of companies (or chaebol) founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung. The first Hyundai company was founded in 1947 as a construction company.Two of the best-known Hyundai divisions are Hyundai Motor Company, the world's fourth largest automobile manufacturer by volume as of January 2011, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder. Other companies currently or formerly controlled by members of Chung's extended family may be loosely referred to as a part of the Hyundai chaebol.

Silver Hyundai Cars Front side

Look so Elegant Hyundai Cars

Luxury Black Hyundai Cars

Blue Hyundai Cars Hatchback

Cool Hyundai Sport Cars

Hyundai Cars Performance

Hyundai Cars Front View

Hyundai Cars

Hyundai (Korean pronunciation: [çjəːndɛ]) is a group of companies (or chaebol) founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung. The first Hyundai company was founded in 1947 as a construction company.Two of the best-known Hyundai divisions are Hyundai Motor Company, the world's fourth largest automobile manufacturer by volume as of January 2011, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder. Other companies currently or formerly controlled by members of Chung's extended family may be loosely referred to as a part of the Hyundai chaebol.

Silver Hyundai Cars Front side

Look so Elegant Hyundai Cars

Luxury Black Hyundai Cars

Blue Hyundai Cars Hatchback

Cool Hyundai Sport Cars

Hyundai Cars Performance

Hyundai Cars Front View