Hyundai releases Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec for 2011

Hyundai isn’t content to just sit back and rest on its laurels. Despite the fact its Genesis Coupe, which was just introduced for the 2010 model year, has earned plenty of praise – including here on our own pages – the Korean automaker has upped the ante for 2011 with a host of new detail changes and one completely new model to spice things up.

The biggest single piece of news is the addition of an R-Spec package for the 3.8 V6-powered coupe. Previously only available on the smaller-engined 2.0T, the R-Spec model includes all the goodies to make the car go, turn and stop as quickly as possible without adding the frilly stuff to hold it back… or add dollars and unwanted weight.

To the standard 306-horsepower V6 mated up to a six-speed manual transmission, the R-Spec adds 19-inch wheels with a gunmetal finish, Brembo brake package with 13.4-inch ventilated front rotors, stiffer suspension, a limited slip differential and sportier seats with larger bolsters. Naturally, appropriate badging is also included.

All Genesis Coupe models get a refinished interior for 2011 with soft-touch, matte-finish surfaces and dark metal-grain accents on key bits and pieces, along with softer leather on the steering wheel and cloth-wrapping on the A-pillars. There’s also new chrome trim on the shifter bezel, center stack knobs and gauge cluster rings.

There’s plenty more for the truly obsessive to, um… obsess over, so feel free to check out all the details in the press release after the break.

Korean-spec Hyundai Avante interior gives sneak peek inside 2011 Elantra

Even though we have yet to see official images of the U.S.-spec 2011 Hyundai Elantra, we have a pretty good idea of what will be heading our way in the coming months. Hyundai debuted the new Avante sedan (the Elantra’s Korean market equivalent) at the Busan Motor Show this past April, and now the first interior snapshot of the Avante has been leaked out.

If you’ve been in the new 2011 Sonata, you know that the family sedan’s cabin is a giant leap forward in the right direction. The center stack is awash with curves and angles that pay homage to the automaker’s new “fluidic sculpture” exterior design. And styling aside, we’re willing to bet that Hyundai hasn’t skimped out on high-quality materials for the less-expensive Elantra’s innards, either.

This more attractive, better-tailored interior will do well when matched with the swoopier lines of the new Elantra’s exterior. That – combined with Hyundai’s new 138-horsepower, 1.6-liter GDI four-cylinder – will mean that other new cars in the budget sedan segment (this means you, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze) will need to watch their backs. If the new Elantra is being positioned as a baby Sonata, the competition should indeed be stiff.

Review: 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS

If you’ve been keeping up with Autoblog lately, we’ve had a lot to say about the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. We’vetested the top-rung SE and Limited trims out in California. We’ve even had the chance to sample the upcoming Sonata Hybrid and Turbo versions in the automaker’s homeland. But when you get down to brass tacks, the majority of dealership transactions will be made up of the volume GLS model. Sure, a loaded-up $28,000 Sonata Limited is one heck of a nice car, but since 50 percent of all 2011 models sold to date have been fitted to GLS spec, it’s important for us to see if Hyundai’s swoopy new sedan is worthy of such high praise even without the extra gee-whiz goodies.

With that in mind, we recently invited an Iridescent Silver Blue Pearl (what a mouthful) Sonata GLS into the Autoblog Garage to find out what sort of goodness lies within the bargain bin. Hyundai has always prided itself on being able to offer outstanding overall value in all of its models, but when it comes to the new Sonata, its success extends far beyond the price tag. Follow the jump to learn why.

Friends with Benefits: Hyundai shifts Santa Fe production to Kia plant to build more Sonatas

Straight from HQ at The Department of the Obvious, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is selling as quickly as Miley Cyrus tickets before Cyrus lost the plot. That’s got Hyundai Motor America shuffling production plans around in order to build enough Sonatas in the U.S., instead of getting them from South Korea.

Hyundai’s Alabama plant produces the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe, but Santa Fe assembly is being moved to a Kia plant in Georgia where the Sorento is built – easy stuff as they share a platform. With aproduction capacity of 300,000 cars at the Alabama plant running full tilt, the way things are going, it’s no wonder Hyundai might be looking use all of it.

Next Hyundai Equus, Genesis and Genesis Coupe to get AWD

In case you hadn’t noticed, Hyundai is quickly moving up the ranks of automakers by pushing the boundaries of the classes in which its vehicles compete. Exhibit A was the Genesis sedan, which was quickly followed by the Genesis Coupe and now the Equus luxury sedan. But the Korean automaker isn’t content to rest on its rear-wheel-drive laurels.

John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor America, has confirmed to us that the next generation of the Genesis (in both Coupe and sedan forms) and Equus will get optional all-wheel drive. All three machines share a similar platform, and when the architecture gets updated within the next couple of years, space for the all-wheel-drive components will be baked in.

At this point, we don’t have any word on powertrains for the next-gen rear- and all-wheel-drive Hyundais, but the automaker’s latest 5.0-liter V8 seems like a safe bet for both the Genesis and the Equus. Naturally, we’d love to see the big V8 in the Genesis Coupe as well, especially since Hyundai says the sport coupe will go upmarket (from Mustang to M3 fighter, perhaps?) for its next trip ’round the block.

2011 Hyundai Sonata gets New 2.0 Turbo with 274HP

Along with the all-new Sonata Hybrid, Hyundai also premiered a new turbocharged version of its well-received mid size sedan at the New York International Auto Show.

The Sonata 2.0T, as the car is officially named, is powered by a new 2.0-liter Theta II twin-scroll turbocharged gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine that produces 274 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 269 lb-ft of torque from 1800-4500 rpm with regular fuel.

The engine is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control that drives the front wheels. No performance figures were released but Hyundai did announce that the Sonata 2.0T will deliver an estimated 22 mpg (10.7lt/100km) city and 34 mpg (6.9lt/100km) highway.

The 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo engine will be available on the Sonata SE and Limited trim level, with the Limited getting additional upgrades, including a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch “hyper” silver alloy wheels, dual exhaust system and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

New York 2010: Hyundai Equus debuts in U.S. production trim

Hyundai showed off its new Sonata Turbo and Sonata Hybrid yesterday at the New York Auto Show, two vehicles that should help keep the brand’s mid-size sedan moving up the sales charts with a bullet. With March sales figures just trickling in, it looks like the Sonata is now the third best-selling mid-size sedan behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. With its high level of equipment, style, quality and performance, it’s not surprising to see this Korean doing well. Today in New York, the automaker showed how it can take that level of refinement found in the Sonata and its bigger brother, the Genesis, and ratchet it up another notch for a new flagship, the Hyundai Equus.

The Equus actually showed up last year in New York, sent over in world-market form to gauge customer interest. Apparently, it went swimmingly for Hyundai, as the production Equus will officially go on sale here towards the end of the year – well an oxymoronically named Equus, minus its signature hood ornament. Looking slightly less like the Lexus LS460 than the previous version of the car we’d seen, the U.S.-spec Equus has a shape that fits right in with upscale sedans from Buick, Lexus and Infiniti, if not Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Particularly at the rear fender, there is a swoop that doesn’t quite speak luxury like the rest of the car though, reminding us more of a Dodge Charger than a Euro sedan. This production version though, particularly with its cleaner hood and grille, definitely has a refined look.

2011 Hyundai Accent or Elantra Spied Completely Undisguised

Here we go again: as was the case with the spy photos we showed you back in February, this single picture of a small Hyundai sedan snagged without any camouflage somewhere in South Korea has us wondering if it’s the next generation Accent (marketed as the Verna in Korea) or the Elantra.

Either way, the compact-size four-door saloon looks like a mini-Sonata sharing the same “Fluidic Sculpture” design with its larger brethren. Apparently, Hyundai has learned its German lessons well – and by that we mean the “one design fits all size mantra”.

As always, you can have your say in the comments section below.

Via: Hyundai-blog

Hyundai CEO reveals reason for Equus, explains why it’s no VW Phaeton

Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik is rarely one to hold back his opinions, and today’s topic of discussion is marque’s upcoming Equus luxury flagship. Hyundai has moved up in the automotive ranks so quickly over the past 15 years that many people have wondered if the brand is overreaching with the Equus.

Krafcik addresses the obvious comparison to the U.S. market failure of the Volkswagen Phaeton. The way Krafcik sees it, VW skipped a few pricing steps going straight from the Passat to its ill-fated Phaeton range-topper, noting that there was a much larger gap between the Passat and the Phaeton than there will be with Hyundai because they’ve taken the trouble of bringing the Genesis sedan and coupe to market – the former of which verified that consumers are willing to pay $40,000+ for a Hyundai.

Of course, that’s no guarantee that consumers will pay $55,000-60,000 for an Equus but it seems more plausible than $80,000+ for a Phaeton. Krafcik also addresses the fact that each Equus buyer will get an Apple iPad with the owner’s manual. As he explains it, the tablet PC is meant to provide a more useful resource for people to figure out how to use all the technology in this flagship, hopefully avoiding the pitfalls of some other luxury machines.

First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T brings turbo power to Main Street, America

We’ve watched with a sense of awe as Hyundai has gone from a discount also-ran brand into a genuine industry powerhouse in startlingly short order. But we’ve also long suspected that its vehicles have gained so much ground by being among the best values in their respective segments – not because they’ve necessarily been the best vehicles to drive. The addition of the Genesis Coupe may have served notice that Hyundai isn’t content to just be the industry’s value leader (see Battle of the Sixes), but the keystone draw of most of the brand’s offerings has remained their affordability. Which is not to suggest this is a bad thing – Hyundai’s steroidal growth speaks to the inherent soundness of its strategy. But as enthusiasts, we’ve been waiting for the company to not only out-value, but to categorically outsmart and outplay its rivals. With introduction of the 2011 Sonata, Hyundai appears to have done exactly that.

We admit that we weren’t sure whether the Sonata’s outré styling would play in that most milquetoast of markets: the family sedan segment. When the sheet was pulled on the 2011 model, it was as if Hyundai had strolled into a Sunday morning prayer breakfast with Kathy Griffin on its arm – we didn’t know exactly what was going to come of it, but we knew it was going to be fun to watch. Thankfully, the Sonata has proven to be far more than just a styling stunt. Packing big space, a rock-solid chassis, accomplished handling and unmatched power and fuel economy from its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, the Sonata has gained widespread acceptance and acclaim in a historically conservative slice of the market.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Makes N.A. Debut at LA Show, Gets 2.4L, 2.0L Turbo and Hybrid Powertrains

The much anticipated and talked about 2011 Hyundai Sonata made its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-new mid-size sedan (although EPA classifies it as a large sedan) represents a dramatic departure from the previous generation Sonata models both in terms of design and technology.

Despite the fact that the sixth-generation Sonata is aimed price-wise at the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevy Malibu, its so-called ‘four-door coupe’ styling with the sleek roofline and sculptured body surfaces brings it closer to the likes of the VW Passat CC.

And even if the design is not to everyone’s taste, few will disagree that it offers the Sonata what the previous models lacked: personality.

The same can be said about the interior that’s distinguished by the swoopy lines of the dashboard and the deeply set gauges of the instrument panel.

At 189.8 in (4,820mm) long, 72.2 in. (1,835mm) wide and 57.9 in. (1,470mm) tall with a wheelbase of 110 in. (2,795mm), the new Sonata is slightly longer and wider but a tad lower than the current model.

Surprisingly, 2011 Sonata is 130 pounds lighter than the existing model thanks to several weight saving measures such as the increased use of aluminum in the four-wheel independent suspension system and the ultra-high-strength steel in the body.

Furthermore, according to Hyundai, the new Sonata is 25 percent stiffer in torsion and 19 percent stiffer in bending rigidity than its predecessor.

When the 2011 Sonata goes on sale in the States in January 2010, it will be offered with Hyundai’s newly developed Theta II GDI 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection that makes 198 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. In the SE trim, which includes a standard dual exhaust, the engine delivers 200 horsepower.

Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control.

Hyundai estimates that the automatic version will get 23mpg in the city and 35mpg on the highway, beating all of its four-cylinder competitors in the U.S.the debut of the 2.4-liter version in the States

While there are no current plans for a V6 model in the States, in the second half of 2010, Hyundai will add a 2.0-liter Theta II turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine and a 2.4-liter Hybrid Blue Drive model featuring the firm’s lithium polymer battery pack. The Korean automaker said that more details about these powertrains will be released at the 2010 New York Auto Show in April.

Depending on the model trim, the new Sonata will be offered with various goodies including a high-end Infinity audio system with a 400-watt amplifier and a touch screen navigation system.

Detroit Show: Refreshed 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe gets New 2.4-liter Four-Cylinder and 3.5-liter V6 Engines

Oddly enough, even though the refreshed N.A.-spec 2010 Santa Fe is already available at Hyundai dealers, the Korean automaker waited for the Detroit auto show to release official information on its mid-size crossover. The big news for the 2010MY Santa Fe are the new four-cylinder and V6 engines that are paired to six-speed transmissions improving both fuel economy and vehicle performance.

Replacing the outgoing 2.7-liter V6 with 185HP and 183 lb-ft of torque is Hyundai’s second generation 2.4-liter DOHC Theta II inline four-cylinder engine that makes 175 horsepower and 169 lb.-ft. of torque.

Despite the fact that it’s less powerful, Hyundai says that the four-cylinder engine delivers quicker zero-to-60 miles-per-hour acceleration (no numbers were released) and better fuel economy than its predecessor.

The Korean maker announces a 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway fuel economy rating with front wheel drive and the new six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC (’09 2.7 V6 FWD five-speed manual: 17mpg / 24mpg)

The 2009 Santa Fe’s Lambda 3.3-liter V6 engine has also been replaced by a new Lambda II 3.5-liter V6 engine that churns out 34 more horsepower and 22 more pound-feet of torque for an overall output of 276HP and 248 lb.-ft.

The mileage figures for the 3.5 V6-powered Santa Fe are 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (FWD/AT). 

Along with the new powertrains, the 2010 Santa Fe also received a mild exterior makeover with new bumper fascias, foglights, bodyside moldings, wheels and grille.

Also new for 2010 is the fuel economy indicator on automatic transmission models, rollover sensors for the side curtain airbags and a new touch screen navigation system.

New Hyundai Tucson Priced from $19,790

The completely redesigned 2010 Tucson SUV will begin arriving at Hyundai’s dealerships in the coming days with prices starting from $18,995 for the entry-level GLS with a six-speed manual-transmission and topping out at $24,345 for the Limited model. Bear in mind though that the above prices do not include a freight charge of $795.

For now, the new Tucson will be offered only with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder petrol rated at 176 horsepower and 168 lb.-ft. of torque, that can be linked to 6-speed manual or a automatic transmissions. However, Hyundai plans to add a 2.0-liter engine to the range in the 2011 model year

There are two trim levels available for the 2010 Tucson, the base GLS which can be upgraded with the Popular and Navigation packages, and the more upscale Limited that can be enhanced with the Premium package.

You can find more detailed information on the standard equipment and the optional packages in the spec sheet below.

TUCSON GLS

Key GLS standard equipment:

2.4L Theta II DOHC I4

6-speed manual or automatic transmission

Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS)

4-wheel independent suspension

17-inch steel wheels with wheel covers and 225/60R17 tires & TPMS

ESC with TCS

Hillstart Assist Control (HAC) & Downhill Brake Control (DBC)

ABS, EBD, and Brake Assist w/ 4-wheel disc brakes

6 airbags with rollover sensor

Active front & adjustable head restraints for all seating positions

EZ lane change assist turn signals

Air conditioning with air filter

AM/FM/Satellite Radio/CD/MP3 audio system with 6 speakers, iPod®/USB auxiliary input jacks, iPod® cable and roof antenna

Power windows, door locks and mirrors

Remote keyless entry with alarm

Trip computer & Eco Indicator

Tilt steering wheel

Armrest storage box & front seatback pockets

Metal paint and black high gloss accents

Front and cargo area power outlet

Bottle holders in all four doors

Rear armrest with cupholders

60/40 split fold-down rear seatback

Side sill molding and bodycolor rear spoiler

Underfloor cargo storage with reversible cover

Rear wiper & washer

Popular equipment package (GLS std. equip. plus) $1,700:

Telescopic steering wheel

17-inch alloy wheels

Auto up/down driver power window

Leatherette bolster/cloth insert seats

Leather-wrapped steering wheel & shift knob

Bluetooth® hands-free phone system

Illuminated vanity mirrors & glovebox

Steering wheel audio controls

Cruise control

Soft touch interior paint

Bodycolor door handles

Bodycolor heated mirrors

Side garnish

Privacy glass

Roof side rails

Engine cover

Navigation (includes Popular equipment package) $3,700:

Navigation system with 6.5-inch screen

Rearview camera

Premium audio with external amplifier and subwoofer

Automatic headlights

TUCSON LIMITED

GLS Popular Equipment Pkg. equipment plus:

18-inch alloy wheels with 225/55R18 tires

Leather seating surfaces

Heated front seats (high/low settings)

Power driver seat with lumbar support

Dual front automatic temperature control with CleanAir Ionizer

Solar glass

Deluxe door scuff

Cargo cover

Chrome grille & door handles

Automatic headlights

Fog lights

Front wiper de-icer

Side repeater exterior mirrors

Limited badging (rear)

Premium Package $2,850:

Panoramic sunroof

Navigation system with 6.5-inch screen

Rearview camera

Premium audio with external amplifier and subwoofer

Delete roof side rails

Hyundai Group Overtakes Ford and Becomes World's Fourth Largest Automaker

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company that includes KIA has overtaken the Ford Group in the first half of the year to become the fourth largest carmaker in the world selling 2,153,000 units or 8,000 more vehicles than the US giant in the same period, according to figures published by the Automotive News Data Centre. Only a decade ago, the then newly unified Hyundai and Kia company was in 11th place overall.

The Korean automaker attributed the growth to its decision to create factories in several countries including Slovakia, the United States and China that built products designed and engineered specifically for local markets.