According to Consumer Guide Autos – The 2010 Hyundai Genesis offers slightly more V8 power following its introduction for the 2009 model year. Hyundai’s largest car comes in two models, 3.8 and 4.6. The 3.8 has a 290-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine. The 4.6 has a 385-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine, an increase of 10 horsepower from 2009. A 6-speed automatic is the sole transmission.

A navigation system, power rear sunshade, and power tilt and telescopic steering wheel are standard on the 4.6 and optional on the 3.8. A cooled driver seat, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, adaptive cruise control, and a rear-view camera are available on all.

Hyundai Genesis has some stiff competition from already well-established luxury sedans, including the Lexus LS, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7-Series – all of which, like Genesis, are due for model upgrades in 2010, 2011.

Other features on the car include 13.4-inch (340-mm) front, 13.0-inch (330-mm) rear ventilated discs, with four-piston red brake calipers, all from Brembo. Surrounding this are new 19-inch alloy wheels, painted in gunmental, and covered by Bridgestone Potenza tires. Aside from the limited-slip differential, the car also gets a track-tuned suspension with performance shocks and springs.

Control systems on the car include anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability and traction control. Six airbags are also installed.

Look for the car to be slotted just below the 3.8 Grand Touring, and be priced at about $26,750.

via | worldcarfans

Under the hood, the Elantra is powered by a 1.6-liter Gamma GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) four-cylinder engine. This pumps out 138 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque. Their new engine is matted to a six-speed automatic transmission, which enables the car to be 10% more fuel efficient than competitors.

According to Steve S. Yang, President and CEO of Hyundai’s Global Business Division, “The new Elantra encompasses Hyundai’s latest ambitions, featuring the best styling and performance in its class. We’re confident that it will once again redefine the compact segment worldwide.” We can’t wait to see it on Hyundai lots later this year!

Source: WorldCarFans

The Sonata hybrid uses an all-aluminum 2.4-liter engine that produces 169 horsepower (126 kW, 171 PS) and up to 156 ft-lb of torque. It is paired with a 40-horsepower (30-kW, 41-PS) electric motor that produces 151 ft-lb of torque. The full parallel system is mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai claims their car, at 3,457 lbs, weighs the least of the other four vehicles mentioned. This helps the car’s fuel economy, estimated at 37 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. The car is capable of driving on all-electric at speeds up to 62mph, but all-electric range was not disclosed.

Features on the car include redesigned aerodynamics that provide a lower drag coefficient, new grille, a different set of wheels, an updated set of interior colors, and a 4.2-inch LCD screen. You can read more about the car’s elements in the press release below. The new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid will be released for the 2011 model year.

Source: Hyundai PR | WorldCarFans

The vehicle will point to a new D-segment family car Hyundai hopes they can launch in 2011. Its “fluid” design, as Hyundai states, is very aerodynamic while at the same time aspiring to the new coupe-saloon trend currently seen in a number of European premium cars.

Hyundai’s i-flow has a powertrain consisting of a 1.7-liter diesel engine with two-stage turbocharging linked to a Lithium Ion-Polymer battery. It is also the auto make’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, and is mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The Source: WorldCarFans

But also according to Hyundai’s USA Public Relations department – non-hybrid models like the 2011 Sonata, Accent & Santa Fe will all have an average mile per gallon rating of 40. That’s pretty impressive. Hyundai has also reported an increased work flow in their American based facilities – in order to compensate for the growing number of Tucson orders. Looks like 2010 & 2011 will be a banner year for the make.

Please excuse “The Auto Channel’s” bombardment of advertisements before and throughout the spot:

In Hyundai’s second 30-second ad, Brett Favre accepts the Most Valuable Player award after 2020′s football season…and in true sports icon fashion struggles through ever word in his 15 second speech. The Dude, aka Jeff Bridges, continues into his third year narrating for Hyundai advertising; this is also the third year of Hyundai million-dollar Super Bowl Sunday ads. These spots will promote Hyundai’s updated 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Source: Auto Channel

In fact, all Hyundai is missing is a sensory controlled auto cleaning kitchen sink. The 100-mile-per charge Hyundai EV is powered by a 1.6L direct-injected 4-cylinder mated to 100kw electric-motor. Pretty snazzy for an electric ride.

After showing us the BLUE-WILL Concept at the Seoul Motor Show last year, Hyundai North America debuted Blue Will in Detroit and added it“explores future design direction of compact cars.”

What really catches out attention is their “3rd Generation” rechargeable batteries – which are constructed to fit into any shape/section of the car, unlike older gens where the car needs to be molded around the battery. Still, Blue Will looks like a Prius/Insight – hopefully its outer shell will transform before production.

For now, the Hyundai Blue Will concept is only making rounds at auto shows. Hyundai says that it “demonstrates to eco-conscious car buyers everywhere that Hyundai has practical hybrid solutions that will appear on the next generation of vehicles.” I guess we’ll see.

The Blue Will also comes with an interior compartment and instrument panel that’s puts the Jetsons hover cars to shame. An “organic” dash can be transformed to have clusters rearranged to your preference, it even has a touch screen shifter! A roof-mounted solar panel, which conforms to the glass panoramic dome, keeps an interior climate control system operational.

Rumors abound as to what Hyundai is looking to produce for a possible Jeep Wrangler fighter. Well, so far, it looks like they want to ripoff the popular Ford Bronco Concept. According to a lovely Jalopnik dinner interview with Hyundai US CEO John Krafcik, it seems like Hyundai wants to take on the small “rock-crawling” offroad segment. Krafcik added; “every time our designers get together and start looking at concepts and the future, the first thing that comes out of those meetings — what everyone gets excited about — is the prospect of a Bronco-like, highly-capable off-roader.”

Is this the perfect time for a new auto maker to take on a variant like 4WD rides? With Hummer down and out, Jeep not adding on any more new utility vehicles and Ford not picking up the Bronco concept, it sure seems to be.

picture via Jalopnik

The vessel in question, Asian Glory (which is also the name of our favorite Chinese Buffet), was transporting “about 2,400 cars, most of them Hyundai and Kia models, and was headed to a port in Saudi Arabia when it was captured by pirates.” Asian Glory was being operated by EUKOR Car Carriers Inc. and is owned by Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd. It holds a crew of 25, including 8 Bulgarians and 5 Indians, the South Korean Ministry stated.

Hyundai released a statement to the press via e-mail saying that the cars had been paid for and that the risk now belongs to the distributor. The cars are also insured. The Gulf of Aden is a tight shipping lane that leads into the Suez canal. About 30,000 ships pass through the region each year, amounting to about 1/10th of the world’s traded goods. Merchant ships traveling in the area have been the target of Somali pirates for some time now. The region is currently patroled by about 20 warships from the EU, NATO and other countries.

The Source: World Car Fans