Street Concepts Hyundai Genesis sedan to Receive Custom Paint Graphic Live 2009 SEMA

Hyundai will be treating SEMA showgoers to a live show of sorts courtesy of Street Concepts, leading developers of automotive show vehicles. The live showcase of the final design will get the SEMA crowd involved in the culmination of all the hard work associated with the project.

One 'blank' Genesis sedan will undergo a live custom painting by illustrator and graphic designer Courtney Mason. She puts special paint pens to canvas to celebrate the eighth year of partnership between Hyundai and Street Concepts.

Detroit-based Mason uses naturally-inspired organic forms to create typically figurative illustrations and is the brains behind project tie-ups with clients such as Nokia, Motorola, Sony BMG, VH1 and Rockstar Games.

Her work will not be the only accent on this specially-commissioned sedan. The Street Concepts Genesis will have Nutek Series 530 22-inch wheels with black chrome highlights, beginning a theme of Chrome Tech black chrome accents. Upper and lower front mesh grilles by E&G, also with black chrome accents, are in addition to upper and lower spoilers by RKSport.

Splashes of carbon fibre and a custom-lined suede and piano black interior will accentuate the interior, while a custom sound system and Vizualogic headrest monitors spruce up the entertainment offering.

"The Genesis sedan serves as the perfect platform for a one-of-a-kind high-performance vehicle at SEMA," said Shawn Williams, owner, Street Concepts, "[capitalizing] on what the Genesis already has to offer - smooth lines, luxurious interior features and a world-class Tau V8 engine - to create a customized vehicle sure to inspire the tuner crowd."

Source: Hyundai

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Launched Hyundai EQUUS Stretch Edition

Hyundai certainly has come a long way in the past two decades. Here they are now competing with the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW 7-series.
The Korean automaker has released an extended-wheelbase version of the Equus full-sized sedan. The stretched Equus is 30 centimeters longer than the standard model and outsizes the competition in most of its dimensions.
The Equus Limousine measures in at 5.460 meters in length, longer than the Mercedes S500L, the BMW 750Li and the Lexus LS460L - each a stretched version of those respective brand's flagship models. At 1.495 meters in height, it is also the tallest.
Under the hood, the ambition is just as great. The Equus limo comes with two engines, either the Lambda 3.8 liter 6-cylinder or the Tau 5.0 liter V8. The latter sports a healthy 400 hp that is the equal in strength of the competition too.
The Equus limousine will distinguish itself with its looks as well, just in case one's eye cannot gauge the extra 30 centimeters. The stretched Equus comes with a new grill featuring horizontal bars and a special emblem in the middle.
Still, with a price tag starting at 135 million Korean won ($113,000 or €77,200) it may just be a 'stretch', pardon the pun, to convince consumers that this Hyundai is a deserving rival to those premium German brands.

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2011 Hyundai Sonata YF gets world unveiling in Korea

The new Sonata YF has been unveiled in Korea and I must say the specs list looks very good indeed. The cost of development to Hyundai was 400 billion won (RM1.15 billion) over a timespan of 4 years, and I must say the results look pretty good so far.

Not sure how long it’ll take to recoup costs but the car will be priced in Korea at 21.3 million Won (RM61,350) to 25.95 million Won (RM74,800).

The Sonata has a particularly powerful 2.0 liter engine from the Theta II family, which is a development of the GEMA world engine. Variants of the GEMA world engine are also found in Chrysler cars and locally in the Mitsubishi Lancer and Kia Optima.

The difference is with this latest stage of tune, horsepower and torque figures have been increase and are now even more impressive. The engine can now make a peak power output of 165 PS at 6,200rpm and a peak torque of 198Nm at 4,600rpm, which is very close to the 200Nm per liter ratio.

It’s one of the highest torque outputs available in non-premium segment engines without direct injection. This engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic, which is also the best in class so far in its segment (both competitors have 4 or 5-speeders).

Although only one engine option has been unveiled now, Hyundai says a 2.4 liter version with direct injection will be unveiled in January next year when it presents the US market version. Small engines like a 2.0 will never sell over there.

The body has a four-door coupe-ish look to the roofline, and most people are instantly reminded of the Passat CC when a few shots were leaked in the past few weeks. Hyundai calls this new design language “fluidic sculpture”. It’s designed to project a more youthful image for the car, so Hyundai probably intends it to be more Mazda 6 than Toyota Camry.

Vehicle Dynamic Control is standard, and there are also other driver assist features such as Hill-Start Assist Control and Brake Assist. The car also has the Korean market Mozen telematics system. This is not really likely to make its way anywhere outside of South Korea for now but its pretty interesting. It’s basically like BMW ConnectedDrive – the car can access various information systems via the WCDMA mobile network. You get features such as SOS calls and Mozen Autocare anti-theft tracking.

Look after the jump for a video and more shots of the YF Sonata.

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Chrysler to use Fiat engines, ends GEMA alliance

The GEMA alliance has ended this month. GEMA stands for Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, and was a joint venture between Mitsubishi, Chrysler and Hyundai-Kia to develop a family of 4-cylinder engines.

There are currently three different sizes available – 1.8 liter, 2.0 liter and 2.4 liter. In Malaysia, there are a few cars that use engines derived from the GEMA project – the 2.0 liter motors in the Lancer and Lancer Evolution X, and the 2.0 liter motors in the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and Naza Rondo.

Chrysler says it intends to replace its GEMA engines with new small engine technology it will gain access to from its new Italian partner Fiat. But interestingly, despite Chrysler stating an intention to replace its GEMA products with Fiat products, Chrysler is the one who has ended up with full ownership of the GEMA plant. Mitsubishi and Hyundai have just sold their stakes to Chrysler. It is likely that the plant will be converted to a plant making Fiat engines in the future.

Technology bought to GEMA by an individual company will remain the intellectual property of that company, so Hyundai and Mitsubishi will likely be able to continue using their Theta/Theta II and 4B series of engines respectively.

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Hyundai i10 Electric Unveiled in Frankfurt

Hyundai introduced an advance into alternative fuels in Frankfurt, by unveiling the Hyundai i10 Electric. The zero emissions commuter car will get a test production run domestically in Korea beginning next year.

Hyundai kept the weight of the small car to about 1,000 kilos, giving it a range of 160km on a full charge. Using an industrial 413V charger, the Lithium Ion Polymer battery can be recharged to 85 percent capacity in about 15 minutes. On a normal 200V household outlet, a full charge takes place in about five hours. By using LiPoly batteries, Hyundai engineers built a pack that is 20 per-cent smaller than a more common Lithium Ion pack.

The i10 Electric uses a 49 kW electric motor, and is powered by a 16 kWh battery. It achieves a maximum torque rating of 210 Nm at 2,670 RPM. Top speed of the Hyundai i10 Electric is 130 km/h. The car reaches 100 km/h in about 15 seconds.

Also featured on the car is a steering-by-wire system, and brakes powered by an electrical vacuum pump, helping to eliminate the need for hydraulics. An electric water pump keeps the motor and battery running cool, too.

We expect pricing for the Hyundai i10 Electric to be announced closer to its 2010 market launch. Hyundai did not state how many untis would be produced.

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European 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Facelift gets New 197HP Diesel and 6-Speed Transmissions

Hyundai is giving its Santa Fe a new lease of life in Europe thanks to new powertrains and a lightly refreshed interior and exterior. As with the Korean market model, the European Santa Fe gets a new three-slatted body-colored grille, restyled bumper, tweaked headlamps and fog lights up front, while new tail lamp crystals, a revised bumper and twin exhausts sum up the changes at the rear. The 2010 model also features new alloy wheel designs, and redesigned side sills and roof rails.

Revisions to the interior are even more subtle and are limited to what Hyundai describes as "a new Supervision instrument gauge cluster", a built-in navigation system, an optional rear view camera and refreshed trim.

The most important upgrades are hidden under the bonnet as the 2010 model year benefits from the introduction of a new 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine, which produces an output of 197 horsepower and peak torque of 422Nm (311 lb-ft) between 1,800 and 2,500 rpm.

Matted to a six-speed manual transmission, the new 2.2 CRDi engine launches the Santa Fe from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in 9.5 seconds, an improvement of 1.8 sec over the outgoing 155HP diesel model, and on to a top speed of 190 km/h (118mph) while returning 6.6 lt /100km (35.6 mpg US) in the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 174g/km.

The new entry-level petrol engine is Hyundai's 2.4-liter four-cylinder Theta-II unit that makes 174 horsepower. Acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h comes in 10.7 seconds while the Santa Fe 2.4 achieves a top speed of 190 km/h (118mph) with an average fuel consumption of 8.5 lt /100km (27.7 mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 203g/km.

Both engines are offered with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and optionally, with Hyundai's new six-speed automatic transmission.

Already introduced in South Korea, the refreshed 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe will make its European debut at next week's Frankfurt motorshow and go on sale in most markets towards the end of the year.

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Hyundai i10 Electric: World Debut for Mini EV at Frankfurt Show, Goes on Sale in 2010

This is our first look at Hyundai's all-new i10 Electric that will be making its world premiere at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show. The zero emission electric mini is not a concept but a production ready vehicle that is scheduled to go on sale in South Korea in the second half of 2010. Based on the five-door i10 hatchback, the EV is motivated by a 49kW / 65HP electric motor and a 16kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that has been co-developed with Korea's LG.

Hyundai promises a driving range of around 100 miles or 160 kilometers and a top speed of over 80 mph or 130 km/h for its all-electric mini car.

The i10 Electric accommodates dual recharging cycles: a 220V household current which the company says is slower but potentially beneficial if the recharging is performed during off-peak hours when utility rates are lower plus a 415V industrial-strength current which promises to charge the battery much faster.

More specifically, Hyundai said that under the 415V quick cycle, the battery can be replenished to 85 percent of its capacity within 15 minutes while under the normal cycle with a 220V household power source, a full 100 percent charge will take around five hours.

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Official Pictures of 2011 Hyundai Sonata Leak on the Web

The first set of official photos of the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata YF made the rounds today on several Korean forums revealing more details on the mid-size sedan's styling. As predicted, Hyundai's Mazda6 and VW Passat challenger incorporates a more dramatic design language than the current model featuring a four-door-coupe-like roofline and a stubby rear-end.

Although it is most likely that these photos depict the U.S. and Asian market model, the European version that will potentially be named ix40, shouldn't differ much - we suspect that the only significant change will concern the replacement of the Klingon-like front grille with something more in the lines of the new Tucson / ix35's grille.

The single interior photo shows the 2011 Sonata's instrument panel that houses a pair of deeply set gauges separated by small color screen.

We'll have to wait for the official reveal to learn details about the engine range, but four-cylinder and V6 gasoline units are almost guaranteed while the European range will also include Hyundai's a choice of four-banger turbo diesels such as the 2.0-liter four-pot with 185 horsepower.

We expect to see the new Sonata making its world debut before the end of the year and to arrive in dealerships on both sides of the Atlantic sometime during the first half of 2010.

Via: Bobaedream

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2011 Hyundai Sonata YF: New Factory Spy Shots and Official Details

A commentator in our previous story on the leaked photos of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata (codenamed YF) pointed us towards a Korean site called 'Mlbpark' that posted these new spy pictures, which appear to have been shot inside the company's factory. In addition, we found the officially-official English press release on Hyundai's latest proposal in the mid-size sedan category that will be fully revealed on September 10, the car's Korean domestic market (KDM) launch date.

Hyundai, which started taking KDM orders for its all-new Sonata on Thursday, September 3, said that at launch, the sedan will be available in Korea with a 2.0-liter Theta II four-cylinder gasoline engine linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission. With this powertain, the new Sonata delivers a combined fuel economy of 7.8 lt /100 km or 30.2 mpg US.

Needless to say that the Sonata's engine lineup will eventually grow to include a V6 gasoline and, depending on the market, with the firm's latest generation 'R' turbo diesels.

Hyundai claims that the overall comfort of its new mid-size sedan has been enhanced through the introduction of new technologies and "premium specifications" such as a panoramic sunroof, gear shift paddles attached to the steering wheel, and a push-button starting system while the Vehicle Dynamic Control will now be offered (at least in Korea) as a standard feature.

[Photos: Mlbpark]

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Hyundai ix-Metro Concept with 1.0-liter Turbo Engine Previews Small Crossover Model

The Hyundai Group seems to be on a product roll lately presenting one new model or concept after the other. The latest announcement concerns the presentation of a mini crossover concept called 'ix-Metro' at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. The fifth in a series of concept cars to be created by Hyundai's Global Design Team in Namyang Korea features an electric-gasoline hybrid system based on a 1.0-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection that churns out an impressive - for its size, 125 horsepower.

Hyundai said that the gasoline unit that is coupled to a six-speed dual clutch transmission records ultra low CO2 emissions of just 80g/km.

We only have these computer generated images to go by, but if someone removed Hyundai's badges and asked us to name the maker of the car, we would have probably sworn that the 3.93 meter long ix-Metro with its swoopy lines and pointy fascia is some sort of Mazda prototype...

Though not officially confirmed, it is believed that ix-Metro will spawn a production model within the next two years offering Hyundai a new contender in the all-important European sub-B segment.

Also on display at Hyundai's Frankfurt Motor Show stand will be the all-new ix35 that replaces the outgoing Tucson SUV, the facelifted Santa FE SUV, an all-electric version of the i10 mini and a new 'Blue Edition' model of the i30 that generates just 113g/km of CO2.

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Hyundai sketches out 2011 Sonata YF, Official Presentation Pegged for Sep. 10

This just in from Hyundai: the South Korean automaker published a pair of teaser sketches previewing the all-new 2011 Sonata YF. Unfortunately for Hyundai, the drawings were released only a few hours after a set of official shots leaked all over the internet. And even though the actual production model is very close to the vehicle depicted on the drawings, let's just say that it's not as aggressively styled as the design sketches imply.

According to Korean media, the next-generation model of Hyundai's mid-size sedan will be fully revealed on September 10, so stay tuned for more details.

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VIDEO: 2010 Hyundai ix35 / Tucson iX in Motion

The all-new 2010 Hyundai ix35 or as it will be named in South Korea, the Tucson ix, doesn't make its world debut until the 2009 Frankfurt motorshow in September, but in addition to the first batch of official photos (see here), Hyundai has now released a promotional video showing the Tucson SUV's replacement on the road. You can watch the film right after the jump, but just so you know, Britney Spears haters might want to lower the volume before clicking on play....

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2010 Hyundai ix35 - Tucson: Comprehensive Gallery with 40 Photos

This is Hyundai's all-new second generation Tucson that will be officially revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. As we've already told you, Hyundai's new compact crossover has been renamed to ix35 for the European market and Tucson ix for South Korea. We're still not sure what the North American market model will be called, but U.S. buyers should expect to see the Tucson's replacement making its first public outing at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The new ix35 carries over much of the 'swoopy' styling of the 2009 Geneva Salon ix-onic concept study and overall, it's a step forward in terms of design from the current generation model. The Korean automaker said that the design cues seen on ix35 including the pronounced hexagonal grille and the dramatic front-end styling will used on future Hyundai models.

Even though Hyundai only published a single image of the ix35 (above), we found a complete gallery of the Korean-spec model that you can check out below. The cosmetic differences between the two models are limited to the body trim, the shape of the front fog lights and housings, the headlamp crystals and the absence of turning signals on the exterior mirrors on the ix35 (they'll make their way on the 2013MY facelift model...).

Although no details were released on the powertrain options for the ix35 that will be built at sister company Kia's Zilina plant in Slovakia, Hyundai said that the new model will deliver "markedly better" fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions than rival SUVs and compete head on in terms of running costs with mainstream hatchbacks.

At launch, the KDM Tucson ix will be available with a choice of a 2.0-liter diesel or gasoline engines producing 184 horsepower and 166 horsepower respectively. Buyers will be able to opt between six-speed manual and automatic transmissions as well as front-wheel and all-wheel drive versions.

It is expected that the European-spec model will at some point be offered with a new 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing around 170 horsepower.

More detailed information about the ix35 will be released at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

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