Hyundai may import Elantra from Korea to meet surging demand

The rakish 2011 Hyundai Elantra hit North American dealerships late last year, priced from $14,830 (*excluding $720 for destination). In December 2010, Elantra sales totaled 13,096 units, up from 5,763 in 2009, and this high demand for the new Elantra may be higher than the Korean automaker had originally anticipated.

This increased demand has prompted Hyundai to consider importing some Elantras from Korea. Currently, Hyundai produces U.S.-market Elantras at its Montgomery, AL plant. This facility’s annual production capacity, which stands at 330,000 total units, may not be enough to satisfy America’s thirst for the stylish compact. Recently, Hyundai spokesman Frank Ahrens told Automotive News that:

If Elantra does what we think, hope it will do, it will mean we’ll have to export them from Korea. We’re pretty bullish on it, given the reviews it’s received so far and the price.

The 2011 Elantra is $1,445 cheaper than a base Chevrolet Cruze and $1,440 less than a base 2012 Ford Focus, which makes Hyundai’s model a pocketbook-friendly alternative to its main competitors in the compact class.

Source:Autoblog

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.

“Results for all of last year saw Hyundai-Kia trail Ford by around 1,000,000-units, but by reducing the impact of the global recession by producing the right product for the right times, the group has managed to take fourth place much quicker than had been predicted,” the South Korean automaker said in a prepared statement.

While the economic downturn has taken its toll on all of the top 10 automakers, Toyota managed to hold on to the first place with 3,564,105 units (-26% compared to H1 2008) followed by General Motors that sold 3,552,722 vehicles (-21.8%) and the Volkswagen Group that was the less affected by the slowdown (-5.1%) with 3,100,300 units sold in the first half of the year. Ford slipped to fifth place with 2,145,000 vehicles sold (-30.6 %).

Global Sales – first half of 2009

Manufacturer

H1 2009

H1 2008

% change

1

Toyota

3,564,105

4,815,442

-26.0

2

General Motors

3,552,722

4,541,125

-21.8

3

Volkswagen

3,100,300

3,265,200

-5.1

4

Hyundai-Kia

2,153,000

-

5

Ford

2,145,000

3,093,000

-30.6

6

PSA Peugeot-Citroen

1,586,900

1,844,700

-14.0

7

Honda

1,586,000

2,022,000

-21.6

8

Nissan

1,545,976

2,013,611

-23.2

9

Suzuki

1,152,000

1,283,000

-10.2

10

Renault

1,106,989

1,326,164

-16.5

Hyundai bringing Curb concept to Detroit Auto Show

Hyundai has announced that it is bringing a new crossover concept – the Curb – to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show next week. We only have two teaser shots of the new CUV, and while the big wheels and overly swoopy lines are concept car-spec through and through, we won’t rule out the possibility of a sub-Tucsoncrossover coming down the pipeline in the next few years. The interior has been given the typical not-gonna-happen future-tech layout, but it is indeed eye-catching and definitely draws our interest.

The Curb concept will be rolled out on Monday, January 10, and we’ll be on hand to bring you the full suite of details and photos live from Cobo Hall. In the meantime, you can check out both teaser images in high-resolution glory in the gallery below.

Hypermiling Hyundai Sonata Hybrid crosses America in under two tanks

You’ve got to hand it to Wayne Gerdes. He knows how to go the distance in production passenger cars on very little gasoline. In April of 2009, he worked with a team to go 1,445 miles in a Ford Fusion Hybrid on a single tank of gas*. In June of 2010, he went 1,065 miles in a non-hybrid 2011 Hyundai Sonata. His most recent trip was in a Sonata Hybrid, which he drove 2,269.3 miles from San Diego, CA to Jekyll Island, GA on less than two tanks of fuel – a claimed average of 59.58 miles per gallon.

That’s mighty impressive, but for those of us who have been following Gerdes’ recent hypermiling drives, the obvious question is, why was he able to get 66.285 mpg in the regular, gas-powered non-turbo Sonata when the hybrid “only” got 59.59 mpg? (and Fusion Hybrid managed 81.5 mpg.) In part, this can be explained because the trip in the regular Sonata took place in the summer from Chicago to New York, while the hybrid ride was a winter time trek through the mountains – and it was over twice the distance.

In any case, Gerdes has once again showed that it’s quite possible to handily beat the fuel efficiency ratings on a car’s window sticker. In this case, the EPA thinks you will get 40 mpg on the highway, but clearly a lot is left on the table for those whose sole goal is to eke out every last drop of gas.

Just as importantly, we’re not sure if Gerdes and his compatriots employed some of the more radical and dangerous hypermiling staples (drafting semi trucks for lower drag, etc.), but we’ve got a call in to Wayne to learn more about his techniques. In any case, a short video of the Sonata’s mpg display after the first tank is available after the jump.

Hyundai Sonata edges Volt in Autoblog’s informal Car of the Year poll

The finalists for this year’s North American Car and Truck of the Year awards may have been no big surprise, but the vehicle that our readers think will win Car of the Year honors came as something of a shock.

The NACTOY judges have picked the Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf as finalists for Car of the Year. While the Leaf saw a little bit of love with 2,820 votes in our unofficial poll, as well as being named European Car of the Year, the final tally came down to a bare-knuckled fight between the Volt and Sonata. Surprisingly, the Hyundai eked out a win with 8,058 votes and 42.7-percent of the total votes cast, which just barely bested the 7,985 votes cast for the Volt and its 42.3 percent of the total vote.

That’s not a huge margin of victory by any means (a statistical dead heat, as they say), but considering that the Volt has whirred away with honors like the Green Car of the Year, Automobile Magazine‘s Automobile of the Year and Motor Trend‘s Car of the Year awards, we fully expected the Bowtiie to handily walk away with our impromptu poll.

We were pretty smitten with both the 2.0T and the hybrid variants of the Sonata when we hopped behind their wheels earlier this year, and buyers have been no less taken with the base model. The 2011 Sonata has enjoyed a huge year in terms of sales with 183,102 units sold by early December, a year-over-year increase of 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the 2011 Ford Explorer handily beat the 2011 Dodge Durango and 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee in our informal North American Truck of the Year poll. You can check out the results from both surveys here, and the stay tuned for when the real winners are announced at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in early January.

Hyundai hits 500,000 sales in U.S. for first time ever

It should hardly come as news to anyone reading blog that Hyundai is in the midst of a hot streak. New models are coming out left and right, the automaker’s quality is reaching new heights and there are no signs of slowing down. So while the automaker’s momentum isn’t news, its sales numbers are: For the first time in its history, the Korean manufacturer has broken the 500,000 unit sales barrier in the States.

The hottest item for Hyundai this year? The aforementioned Sonata, of which 183,102 have been sold. The Sonata is followed by the Elantra and Sante Fe with sales of 120,924 and 70,082 respectively.

This is Hyundai’s 25th year in the United States and its sales are way up for the year. Sonata sales are up 64 percent over last year while the Tuscon has exploded – up 145 percent – and the Genesis has gained 37 percent over its prior year sales.

Geneva Preview: Hyundai i40/Sonata wagon gets officially rendered

Hyundai is preparing to launch a new European D-segment model at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March that will compete against such vehicles as the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, and it’s released a slew of advance renderings of what we might expect.

Filling the slot in the Korean automaker’s European line-up that’s filled in North America by the Sonata (with which it is a very close twin), the i40 has been designed and developed in Germany by the company’s European R&D center in Rüsselsheim. The design closely follows those of recent Hyundai design studies, the Genus concept most closely.

The i40 is slated to go on sale shortly after its debut in Geneva in wagon form, with a sedan version expected to follow. The engine range is expected to include a 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower and a 1.7-liter turbodiesel with outputs ranging from 115 horsepower to 136, with more powerful versions to follow. In the meantime, take a stroll through the image gallery below for a closer look, as the i40 is almost certainly what a Sonata wagon would look like were Hyundai ever to launch it in the States.

Hyundai i40 Wagon version was prepared as a VW Passat Competitors

South Korean car manufacturer, Hyundai Motors, was preparing a new generation of Hyundai i40 in the wagon version. The plan, known as brand-new wagon as the strongest competitor Volkswagen (VW) Passat will be brought to the mat Geneva Auto Show, March 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. Hyundai i40 wagon is going to be offered in several variants of petrol and diesel engines.

Petrol engine variant is produced in two types. First, the 1600 cc engine type GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection). The machine is claimed capable of spraying power to 140 horsepower. The second type is the 2,000 cc engine. This machine is capable of spraying power is estimated up to 170 horsepower.

The CRDi diesel engine (Commonrail Diesel Injection), is only produced in one type of engine is 1700 cc. However, there are two types of models, based diesel engine power output, which is powered 115 and 136 horsepower.

Only, until now Hyundai has not provided particulars of information supporting the safety and comfort features of the car. So even with the price, and areas to be targeted to peddle these newer wagon.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delay means no $1,300 tax credit?

In mid-October, Hyundai announced that its 2011 Sonata Hybrid would be eligible for a $1,300 tax credit. The electrified mid-size sedan was to officially hit the market before the end of the year and the first 60,000 buyers who plopped down some coin for the Sonata Hybrid would’ve walked away with that juicy credit in their pockets. However, there’s a hitch: the Sonata Hybrid has been delayed and its release date pushed back until January, and GreenCarReports.com indicates that that will dash any hopes of receiving the credit, which expires on December 31.

Even so, the Sonata Hybrid still remains one of only a few mid-size hybrid sedans capable of achieving great fuel economy – 36 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway – and many of its competitors like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid either no longer qualify for the tax credits or aren’t available for purchase. The Sonata Hybrid is a capable car and one of the most compelling new vehicles in the mid-size segment, so missing out on the credit probably won’t affect sales dramatically, but its delay will mean that early adopters won’t have an extra $1,300 in their couch cushions next year.

Hyundai considering more luxury models, separate luxury brand

First the Genesis sedan, then the Equus. Clearly, Hyundai is pinning its ears back and charging upmarket like Ndamukong Suh rushing Aaron Rodgers. And, like the rookie Husker-bred defensive end, the Korean automaker is making a rather successful transition to the next level. What’s next? Quite possibly a sedan designed to compete directly with the benchmark entry-level luxury sedan, the BMW 3 Series. After that, Hyundai may craft a crossover to go up against the segment-defining Lexus RX CUV.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Hyundai isn’t nearly done refining the image of its top-level nameplates. Hyundai USA head John Krafcik told the WSJ in an interview that the automaker is actively considering whether it should break its premium models apart from the rest of its lineup, much in the same way Honda does with Acura, Toyota does with Lexus and Nissan does with Infiniti.

While this isn’t exactly news, Krafcik’s level of candor is. Three options are apparently on the table. First, an entire separate dealer network could be created to sell these Genesis-branded machines, but this would be very costly. Second (and reportedly most likely), a subset of the automaker’s current set of dealers could add a section to their dealerships designed to cater specifically to upmarket clients – a showroom-within-a-showroom, if you like. They could even have their own dedicated employees. Lastly, Hyundai could stick with its current scheme of training at least one salesperson on the Genesis line, leaving the dealerships alone.

2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring going five-door, leaving the wagon train behind

Fear not, hatchback fans. According to Hyundai CEO John Krafcik, the next-generation Hyundai Elantra Touring will debut in late 2012 as a 2013 model. Krafcik tells Autoblog that while the Elantra sedan is styled specifically for the American market, the Elantra Touring is being penned with European customers in mind. The company sells a long-roof version of the Elantra in the old country under the i30 banner, but from what we understand, American buyers will get a taste of the next-generation vehicle in about two years.

“We launched the Elantra touring a couple of years after we launched the Elantra and we’re going to have the same model cycle for Elantra Touring here,” Krafcik said. “We’re going to get the next-generation i30 here in the U.S. market in a couple of years.”

But don’t expect the vehicle to share too much DNA with the old long-roof Elantra. Krafcik tells AB that the new Touring will be significantly different from the model on sale right now: “It’s a great design. The Elantra Touring design actually came out of our California studio. We’re going to go with the shorter five-door hatchback bodystyle instead of the larger wagon style we have now.”

Hyundai Elantra

Were we the betting type, we’d put money on looming CAFE standards as the single biggest issue to keep auto execs awake at night. Organizations from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency have all made noise about increasing corporate average fuel economy standards to lofty figures that reside anywhere between 47 and 62 mpg in around 14 years – a blink of an eye in terms of product development. If you’ve been wondering why manufacturers continue to roll out a bevy of fuel-efficient, economical vehicles despite relatively stable fuel prices and luke-warm demand, wonder no more.

Hyundai, with its small-engined fleet of fuel-savvy bruisers, seems downright giddy at the news. The Korean manufacturer has announced that by the time 2025 rolls around, the company will have a corporate average fuel economy of 50 mpg. The groundwork for that dramatic increase is being laid right now with vehicles like the Sonata Hybrid and the most recent addition to the Hyundai stable, the 2011 Elantra.

The last-generation Elantra debuted four short years ago, but in meantime competition in the American small-car market has increased by leaps and bounds. Additions like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the upcoming2012 Ford Focus have proven that domestic manufacturers are just as serious about producing compact, high-quality vehicles with excellent fuel economy as the long-reigning titans of the segment from Honda and Toyota. With its 40 mpg highway, stylish exterior and excellent drivetrain, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is set to put the rest of the segment on notice.

Hyundai CEO targets 50 mpg by 2025, but that figure isn’t as high as you think

The U.S. government is investigating the possibility of raising fuel economy standards to 62 miles per gallon by 2025. The Detroit Free Press reports that Hyundai isn’t yet endorsing that number, but CEO John Krafcik feels 50 miles per gallon is well within reach. The Korean automaker already features two vehicles capable of 40 miles per gallon in the Sonata Hybrid and the new Elantra, and the next 15 years promises to show further gains in efficiency.

And that’s not the only reason Krafcik is optimistic. CAFE fuel economy is actually figured out differently than the formula used by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Freep points out that while the monroney on an Elantra will show 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, the compact’s CAFE number will be 44 mpg. What a difference a formula makes. The outspoken chief executive says that taking a hard look at the CAFE numbers makes 50 mpg seem “a heck of a lot more doable.”

Doable, yes, but 50 mpg still isn’t an easy task. Hyundai’s two best vehicles are still under that number, and the rest of the company’s fleet is far below the magic total. But 15 years is a long time in research and development years, and we’re thinking most automakers will have at least a fighting chance to reach the big five-oh by 2025.