- Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Volkswagen has the honor of being this year's top producing North American automotive manufacturer by a wide margin with its Puebla, Mexico facility. The factory managed to produce 510,041 units last year, beating out second-place Nissan and its Aguascalientes, Mexico plant by a staggering 149,245 units, according to Ward's Auto. Nissan jumped from third to second place after Toyota and its Georgetown plant dropped from the top five. Toyota and Honda both saw themselves ousted from the leader board after a year pockmarked by disruptions from earthquake and tsunami activity in Japan and flooding in Thailand.
The Japanese automakers' vacancies made room for Hyundai and its facility in Montgomery, Alabama with 338,127 units to take fourth place. Ford, meanwhile, moved from fifth in 2010 to third in 2011 with 344,446 units from its Dearborn Truck plant. Nissan rounded out the top five last year with the company's plant in Smyrna, Tennessee taking the automaker's second spot on the list.
Ward's Auto reports Volkswagen enjoyed a boost from the popularity of the Jetta. That model alone helped push the company's Puebla facility to a 75,356 unit gain over last year's figures. Head over to Ward's to see the full report.These are North America's top producing auto plants originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota
Domestic automakers have much to be happy about, with Chrysler, Ford and General Motors all gaining market share last year for the first time since 1988. Yet according to Bloomberg, 2012 won't be as good to Detroit. Total sales are projected to grow from 12.8 million vehicles last year to 13.6 million, according to the report, but increasing competition from Korea and a Japanese recovery from the natural disasters of 2011 mean those extra sales aren't likely headed to the Big Three.
The news agency spoke to five analysts, and predictions have the U.S. automakers losing 1.3 percentage points this year. The analysts estimate that GM will drop 0.6 of a percent, Ford will lose 0.5 percent, and Chrysler will be down 0.2 percent. Toyota is seen gaining 0.9 percent, with Honda grabbing an extra 0.5 percent, while Hyundai and Kia are only projected to see their combined market share improve by 0.01.
If all this comes true, GM would have the top market share in the U.S. at 19 percent, with Ford in second at 16.3 percent, followed by Toyota at 13.8 percent, Chrysler at 10.5 percent, and Honda at 9.5 percent.Analysts: U.S. automakers will lose marketshare in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hyundai
A few months ago, Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing at Hyundai said the brand would tailor its Super Bowl commercials to the game, instead of focusing just on features, and with this peppy quip: "We're making Super Bowl spots. We need to get that headset on. The bar is high."
The first three ads are, and in one of them, "All for One," a designer needs a little extra support getting a job done. He gets it from his coworkers. And plant workers at Hyundai's Montgomery, Alabama facility. And Rocky. Follow the jump to check that one out along with "Cheetah" (pictured) that features the 2012 Veloster Turbo and "Think Fast," which introduces the revamped Genesis Coupe R-Spec You'll also find the press release describing Hyundai's Super Bowl gameplan and find link links to watch the behind-the-scenes videos for each, as well.Continue reading Hyundai premieres trio of Super Bowl commercials
Hyundai premieres trio of Super Bowl commercials originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Car Buying, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru
Car dealers have a strange and oftentimes contentious relationship with the carmakers. Stories of automakers shoveling unsaleable models down the pipeline with unreasonable expectations are legion in the car sales world. With the number of family-owned, single-brand dealerships dwindling, dealers often field competing franchises. The concept of loyalty is as quaint as a Lincoln Town Car. So it's worth noting the automotive brands that are actually liked by the guys selling them.
The National Automobile Dealers Association conducts its Dealer Attitude Survey twice each year, and results from the summer survey are in. Hyundai stayed on top for the third time in a row, followed by Subaru, Lexus, Kia, and Mercedes-Benz. The survey measures three factors: "franchise value, automaker policy decisions that affect the dealership and the automaker's field staff who visit dealerships."
Sixth place went to Toyota, while Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi followed. Cadillac and Honda tied for tenth. NADA received responses from over 14,700 dealerships, representing almost 54 percent of all dealers nationwide.
Click past the jump to read the full press release.Continue reading NADA: Dealers most happy with Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus
NADA: Dealers most happy with Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai
Hyundai's Elantra has been on fire, with sales up 41 percent last year. The compact sedan won North American Car of the Year in January, and the icing on the cake will be a new coupe bodystyle that will soon be landing at dealers. But all is not completely well, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Hyundai expects Elantra sales to run into a brick wall of limited production capacity, as the company's Montgomery, Alabama plant is already operating at 110 percent. The plant, which builds the Elantra and its big brother, the midsize Sonata, churned out 338,000 units in 2011. Hyundai sold over 186,000 Elantra models in the U.S. last year.
With Hyundai posting 20 percent overall sales growth in the U.S. in 2011, it clearly needs to address its capacity bottleneck. Speculation is building that the company will soon announce plans to build another North American assembly plant.
Hyundai says Elantra sales to slow because factory can't keep up with demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Crossover, Hyundai, Design/Style
It won't be long before we see the official reveal of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, but predictably, the Internet won't be kept waiting. Consider us unsurprised that a set of grainy photos showing what is claimed to be a badgeless redesigned Santa Fe crossover has appeared ahead of schedule.
That said, we're thinking the chrome-heavy maw depicted in these shots suggests that this is probably an overseas version (ix45) - not exactly what we'll see in the States. At least, that's what we're hoping, as the wall of frontal brightwork seems out of step not just with the market, but also Hyundai and its styling position here in North America. That said, our moles confirm that this is "some version of Santa Fe" and suggest that the image above was likely part of an illicit photo shoot taken inside the plant in Korea.
We should know more in April, when the North American Santa Fe is expected to launch at the New York Auto Show. For now, however, check out AutoEvolution for a second look.Are you the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Hatchback, Hyundai, Humor, Racing
We can think of a handful of automobiles that appear to be closer to golf carts than what we'd otherwise think of as "cars". Like the Smart ForTwo, for example. Or the Tata Nano. Rhys Millen's Hyundai Veloster rally car, on the other hand, is not the first vehicle that would come to mind for schlepping clubs around the fairway, but Rhys himself appears to think otherwise with this latest video just released by Hyundai.
In the clip after the jump, you'll see what happens when Millen gives new meaning to the notion of picking the right driver for the course. The added bonus of using competition machinery in place of the usual putter put-putters is that you just might get to the green before your ball does. And that could come in handy on the PGA Tour. Watch all the way through to the end for the blooper reel.Continue reading Rhys Millen's Hyundai Veloster rally car is about par for the course
Rhys Millen's Hyundai Veloster rally car is about par for the course originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Budget, Hyundai, Design/Style
Here it is, ladies and gents - the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe. The svelte new two-door will make its official debut at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show in just a few weeks, but our intrepid spy photographers managed to catch this completely uncovered prototype on the back of a flatbed truck.
Not surprisingly, the new coupe relies heavily on the same Fluidic Sculpture design language of the award-winning sedan, though subtle tweaks have been made to give the two-door a bit more sporting flare. The foglight housings appear larger and more angular, giving the front end a slightly more aggressive appearance. Out back, a small lip spoiler has been added to the rear deck that both enhances the swoopy profile shape of the Elantra and adds another element of style to the rear end.
As we reported earlier, the Elantra Coupe will get a sport-minded SE trim level, and all in, Hyundai hopes that the coupe will account for 20 percent of all Elantra sales. We'll have the full details in just a few weeks, but scroll through our gallery of spy shots to see naked coupe from all angles.2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe caught undisguised ahead of Chicago debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Dodge, Hyundai
Hyundai CEO John Krafcik has confirmed that the Korean automaker will supply Chrysler with transmissions for its new Dodge Dart, according to Car and Driver. While the two automakers may seem like odd dance partners, the tie-up makes plenty of sense. Both companies use engines born out of the now-defunct Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance with Mitsubishi. As a result, 2.0- and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines found in the Dart share more than a few strands of DNA with the same displacement engines found under the hood of vehicles like the Hyundai Sonata. Needless to say, it shouldn't take too much effort to get the Hyundai gearbox and Chrysler engines to play nice.
We say "shouldn't" because according to Car and Driver, the American manufacturer is reportedly having issues getting the transmission properly calibrated to obtain the lofty fuel economy numbers necessary to satiate the powers that be in Washington. Chrysler hasn't confirmed the move as of yet, and Hyundai is keeping its lips sealed on which transmissions are headed to the Dart line. Even so, if Chrysler's engineers are struggling over calibration, chances are it's a six-speed automatic.
So... what about those lofty 40 miles per gallon claims claims Chrysler was bandying about at the Detroit Auto Show? C/D hypothesizes that figure may be reliant on a specific engine and transmission combination, be it turbocharged 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder and a dual-clutch gearbox or a 2.0 and a six-speed manual. Curiouser and curiouser.Dodge Dart to use transmission from Hyundai originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Earnings/Financials
J.D. Power and Associates has released its annual Customer Retention Study, and Hyundai ranks the highest among brands in retaining buyers. Hyundai's retention rate is up four percentage points to 64 percent in 2012, thanks largely to the Elantra and Sonata models. J.D. Power says that much of the manufacturer's retention rate can be traced to its growing vehicle offerings and positively changing perceptions about Hyundai quality and market appeal.
Ford and Honda tied for second place with a rate of 60 percent. The report notes that Jeep enjoyed the largest improvement over the previous year with a jump of 17 percentage points to 51 percent in 2012.
The study also evaluated which buyers were more likely to return to an automaker for their next purchase, and the data revealed women and younger buyers had a higher brand retention rate than older consumers and males. Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz were all found to be particularly adept at keeping their female customers, while Ford, Kia, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz did a better job of holding onto buyers from Gen X and Y. Hit the jump for the full results of the 2012 Customer Retention Study.Continue reading Hyundai tops J.D. Power's Customer Retention Study
Hyundai tops J.D. Power's Customer Retention Study originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Government/Legal, Hyundai
All automakers are under pressure to hit more stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, figures set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 1978, the CAFE standards were just 18 miles per gallon, but they have increased gradually each year. This summer, the bar was raised high when automobile manufacturers were told to hit 54.5 mpg by 2025. While that is a very steep ladder to climb, Hyundai hit the 2016 CAFE requirements in 2011 - the Korean automaker seems to be jumping the rungs on the way up.
The announcement that Hyundai hit a 36 mpg average four years ahead of the requirement is impressive, but there is never good news without some controversy. A consumer protection group is standing behind its claim that the Hyundai Elantra doesn't meet its U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy in real-world driving. Hyundai acknowledges that consumers may not achieve EPA estimated efficiency, but the Elanta's discrepancy was consistent with the other vehicles in its segment when tested by Consumer Reports (and just about every vehicle on the road, says our experience).
It is interesting to note that, while the EPA has not altered its fuel economy ratings on the 2012 Elantra, the automaker has added its ActiveECO feature to the model that reportedly improves fuel economy up to seven percent.Hyundai hits 2016 CAFE requirements early originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: New York Auto Show, Crossover, Hyundai
Motor Trend reports Hyundai has confirmed that its next-generation Santa Fe will bow at the 2012 New York Auto Show. The third-generation Santa Fe is expected to hit dealer lots by the end of the year as a 2013 model. Hyundai hasn't disclosed exactly what we can expect from the vehicle when it arrives, though spy shots suggest a vehicle more in-line with the automaker's current design language. MT believes the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe will continue on with the same powertrain options found in the current vehicle, which means buyers can look forward to a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.5-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai may squeeze a bit more performance or fuel efficiency out of those engines, however. Some reports have also suggested the 2013 Santa Fe may bow with a new turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood as well. That engine is currently found in the likes of the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T where it produces 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque.
Finally, our intelligence still suggests that Hyundai will eventually market a stretched three-row variant of the Santa Fe as the de-facto replacement for the slow-selling Veracruz, but it isn't clear whether that vehicle (or strategy) will be disclosed in New York.Next-Gen Hyundai Santa Fe will debut in Big Apple originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Podcasts, Buick, Hyundai, Mini
The North American International Auto Show episode
Episode #264 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, Chris Paukert, and the prodigal Alex Nunez. The Detroit Auto Show just wrapped up, and we saw plenty there to fill up a podcast talking about. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #264:
The North American International Auto Show
In the Autoblog Garage
2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4
2011 Hyundai Elantra
2012 Buick Regal GS
Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert, Alex Nunez
Runtime: 01:27:28
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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #264
Autoblog Podcast #264 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Acura, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Electric
That's a wrap, folks. Press days for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show have come and gone, meaning there's just one thing left to do: pick our favorites.
As we said in our end-of-show wrap-up, the Detroit show is back in full force after several years of being stuck in first gear in the wake of a stagnant auto industry and a horrid economic climate. This year, though, automakers from the United States, Asia and Europe all had impressive production and concept vehicles to show off. After tallying our votes, these are our five favorites.Continue reading Editors' Choice: Top Five 2012 Detroit Auto Show Debuts
Editors' Choice: Top Five 2012 Detroit Auto Show Debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Hyundai
Sure, the refreshed 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe now looks more aggressive, but the real story is under the hood, with new powertrains that pack more punch and a few more gears, as well. The V6 Genesis Coupe now features direct injection, while the turbocharged four has a new turbo and intercooler setup. Both models are available with eight-speed automatics and get slightly better fuel economy, as well.
The 3.8-liter V6 in the Genesis Coupe now makes 348 horsepower and 296 pound-feet of torque, up from 306 and 266, respectively. The 2.0T model gains even more, going from 201 horses to 274, with torque improving from 223 lb-ft to 275. (All numbers cited are with premium fuel.) Both cars retain their six-speed manuals, but now have a Hyundai-developed eight-speed with paddle-shifters as the automatic option. Despite the new automatic, fuel economy goes up by just a single digit. More importantly, Hyundai says the new V6 is good for a 0-to-60 time in the low five-second range.
There's plenty more to this mid-lifecycle revision, including seven new exterior colors and some new hues for the interior, which has also been improved. Other hardware upgrades include a re-calibrated, quicker steering rack, front strut camber adjustment, and revised damper settings. The Genesis Coupe also gets the Hyundai BlueLink telematics system.
It's pretty clear from the extent of this refresh that Hyundai is playing to win in the suddenly revved-up sports coupe segment. Just a few years back, several automakers had written off these enthusiast-focused models, but with new introductions like the Scion FR-S and this much more capable Genesis Coupe, things are looking good for lovers of affordable performance cars. Hit the jump for the full press release.Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe turns up the wick with big horsepower boosts
2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe turns up the wick with big horsepower boosts originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Archive for the 'HYNDAI' Category
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009
Frankfurt Auto Show, Coupes, Euro, Hyundai
Hyundai’s replacement for the Tiburon (aka the “Coupe” outside the U.S.) will make its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next September. As expected, the new Coupe will be inspired by the Velostar concept that debuted in Seoul last year and will be built atop the Hyundai i30/Kia Forte’s front-wheel-drive platform. Hyundai insiders suggest that the Coupe will be approximately the size of the last generation Toyota Celica, smaller than the upcoming Genesis Coupe, and will feature a shooting-brake body style.
The new Coupe will go on sale abroad shortly after its unveiled in Frankfurt, and there’s no word yet on when Hyundai will import the new two-door to the U.S. to replacing the aging Tiburon.
Gallery: Hyundai Veloster Concept
Posted in Automotive News, HYNDAI, Passenger Cars, World Cars | No Comments »
Monday, February 4th, 2008
Hyundai i-Blue Fuel Cell Car To Have North American Debut At Chicago Auto Show
We have confirmation from Hyundai that they’ll be premiering the Hyundai i-Blue fuel cell concept at the Chicago Auto Show. This is the North American debut as the company already showed this particular concept in Frankfurt last year. What’s interesting is that the company has promised to have a production ready version by 2012, but we just assumed that was for the Korean domestic market. Does mean that the company is planning on bringing it here? Or was it just a matter of not wanting to waste a perfectly good concept car? Only time will tell.
[Source: Hyundai]
Posted in Automotive News, Concept Cars, HYNDAI, Passenger Cars, Sedans,Saloons, World Cars | No Comments »
Saturday, January 8th, 2005
Details info: Alternative names:
Hyundai New Elantra (Hyundai – Taiwan)
Hyundai Elantra (Beijing Hyundai – People\’s Republic of China)
Hyundai Elantra (Hyundai – Malaysia)
Hyundai Elantra (Hyundai – India)
Elantra (Facelift) (Hyundai Europe – Germany)
Sales Company:
Hyundai Europe (Germany)
Available version:
1.6 16v aut.
1.6 16v
2.0 16v aut.
2.0 16v
2.0 CDRi
Previous version:
Variation:
Limousine 4d
Liftback 5d
Assembly Plants:
Beijing Hyundai (People\’s Republic of China)
Hyundai (India)
Hyundai (Malaysia)
Hyundai (Taiwan)
Donors:
Posted in HYNDAI | No Comments »
Friday, January 7th, 2005
Details info: Alternative names:
Hyundai Getz (Hyundai – India)
Hyundai Getz (Hyundai – Taiwan)
Hyundai TB (HB 5d) (Japan)
Hyundai Get (Hungary)
Getz (Hyundai Europe – Germany)
Sales Company:
Hyundai Europe (Germany)
Available version:
1.1 12v
1.3 12v
1.3 12v aut.
1.5 CRDi
1.5 16v
1.5 16v aut.
1.6 16v
1.6 16v aut.
Previous version:
Variation:
Hatchback 3d
Hatchback 5d
(2002 – )
Assembly Plants:
Hyundai (India)
Hyundai (Taiwan)
Donors:
Posted in HYNDAI | No Comments »
Friday, January 7th, 2005
Details info: Alternative names:
Hyundai Dynasty Limousine 4d
Sales Company:
Available version:
2.5 V6 24v aut.
3.0 V6 24v aut.
Previous version:
2.5 V6 24v
3.5 V6 24v aut.
Variation:
Limousine 4d
Assembly Plants:
Donors:
Posted in HYNDAI | No Comments »