Whether or not you’re stirred by Hyundai’s new Genesis sedan, or more probably the rear-drive Genesis Coupe, it hard to argue that the company hasn’t made massive strides in a relatively short period of time.
While holding court with a group of journalists at a lunch in Namyang, South Korea, Hyundai President of Research and Development, Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, reflected on the company’s origins and its future. Lee pointed out that when Hyundai was young it relied on Mitsubishi to supply it with basic four-cylinder powerplants for its vehicles. These days however, the Korean automaker actually supplies engine technology for the 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter units of both Mitsubishi and Chrysler, building around 1.7 million such in 2007.
Interestingly Lee also told a story about a meeting with Dr. Dieter Zetsche of Mercedes-Benz, at this year’s Beijing Auto Show.Zetsche had announced that he would like the prestigious three-pointed star to partner with Hyundai for four-cylinder engines. Reflecting Lee said, “I am not sure we want to share our technology.” And the world turns.
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After spending time in the Hyundai Veracruz, many of our staffers are reminded of crossovers like the Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Toyota Highlander, and Lexus RX. While all of these CUVs are just as capable as our Veracruz, we agree that if given the choice, we’d take the Hyundai.
Click through the jump to read all of our impressions about the Veracruz and click the images below to launch a high-resolution gallery.
In the beginning, Hyundai built cheap cars. U.S. drivers said they were good (enough) and bought many. But the tinny Excels broke and quit running. Then Americans stopped buying them. Thus went Hyundai’s first decade in the American market.
We’ve been excitedly awaiting the debut of Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe since we first saw the concept version at last year’s L.A. auto show. The Korean automaker finally came through today in New York, launching the production spec car to the delight of enthusiast everywhere.
As previously reported, the Coupe will be offered with two “performance-focused” engine choices, headed up by a 3.8-liter 306 horsepower V-6. That power, coupled with the rear-wheel-drive layout, should put the Hyundai squarely in the range of many Ford Mustang buyers if they’ll have it. The other powerplant, a 212 horse turbocharged 2.0-liter four, should also be capable of substantial thrills at a budget price.
Click through the jump to read all of Hyundai’s official press release or on the thumbnails below to launch live and stock galleries of the coupe. Make sure to holler at us with you’re Hyundai take in comments as well.
A Hyundai executive has revealed that the Korean automaker has plans to launch a luxury division, wholly separate from its current offerings. The new premium brand will initially be launched for the Chinese market only and should be in place by 2010.
Thanks to the efforts of several trigger-happy web writers the visage of Hyundai’s sensational new Genesis Coupe is now at our disposal. Though we won’t have all of the new car’s specifications and other details until Hyundai officially pulls the wraps off the car at next week’s New York Auto Show, we can certainly get a nice long look in.
The production version of the coupe is slightly tamer than the blaze-orange concept that was shown at last year’s L.A. show, but it still looks like an awfully convincing sports car. We’re guessing that the Genesis coupe’s looks will garner some rave reviews that its sedan stable-mate has missed out on.
Sort through our gallery of Genesis Coupe images below, and give us your opinion of the car in comments. Don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll bring you live coverage from NYC.
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Last year Hyundai Motors chief executive, Chung Mong-koo (pictured), was given a suspended three-year jail sentence after being convicted of fraud in South Korea. Despite this rather serious black mark, Hyundai shareholders supported Chung’s reinstatement to his former position at a meeting today.
Most shareholders heartily endorsed their former chief (who is also the eldest surviving son of company founder Chung Ju-young) though there has yet to be an official vote on the matter. They claim that in the current rough market conditions, Hyundai is in need of a strong and experienced leader most of all.
“Hyundai is facing risks including higher prices of oil and raw materials, a slowing global economy, checks from bigger rivals of Europe and Japan,” said the renewed Chung.
Chung’s arrival was seen as a cause of concern for officials from the National Pension Service however, a group that holds a 4.56 percent stake in Hyundai. Noting his recent legal troubles, pension officials say that they plan to vote against the move.
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While a large portion of the U.S. media has seen fit to heap Hyundai’s Genesis sedan with praise before having a chance at a steer, the South Korean journalist in this YouTube video is laboring under no such restraints.
In this seven-minute drive-along video, the reviewer takes out a 3.3-liter V-6 version of the Genesis for a run through some mountain roads and highways, and finds the car largely lacking. While we feel compelled to mention that the car being driven is different than what we’ll have available in the U.S., it would be fair to say that this review lowers expectations just a tad. See the fruits of one man’s opinion in the video above, and then tell us what you’d expect from Genesis below in comments.
+ YouTube: Hyundai Genesis test drive Vol.2 PERFORMANCE! (via Autoblog)
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The incredibly rapid change of executives at Hyundai Motor America over the last few years is due to the Korean company’s 2010 goal of selling one million cars and trucks in the U.S. Executives who aren’t able to maintain a steady increase in sales resign or get fired. Still, Hyundai is far from its sales goals.
Enter the Genesis. Hyundai hopes the Genesis sedan will change the perception of the brand in the U.S. and put Hyundai on par with Honda and Toyota in the minds of U.S. buyers. Ironically, the move upmarket could be what is making the sales targets so difficult to achieve. Hyundai had too many V-6 Sonatas sitting on dealer lots when gas prices spiked and consumers started shopping for four-cylinder models.
(Click through to read more about Hyundai’s future plans.)
Autoblog got its hands on a new and interesting set of Hyundai Genesis Coupe spy photos from Sweden recently, revealing more than we’ve seen before of the production version of the upcoming car.
Though we’ve got a pretty good idea of how the car will look from the outside thanks to earlier spy snaps, this new collection reveals all new Hyundai interiors, including the hitherto unseen back seat. We see four bucket chairs for the Coupe with heated items for the driver and passenger. There also looks to be a fair amount of leg room fore and aft, especially in a car a slinky as we hope the Genesis Coupe to be.
The car pictured is running a turbocharged four-cylinder, and we know from Hyundai that a V-6 will be on the offer sheet as well. No more word as yet though on a rumored V-8 variant. Stay tuned.
+ Autoblog: Spy Shots: Hyundai Genesis Coupe caught in Sweden
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Despite a lot of hand wringing on the part of Hyundai going into the decision to even make a Super Bowl commercial, leading market research firm Nielsen has reported that the automaker’s spot was among the best received by viewers of the big game.
Nielsen’s Online MegaPanel Survey after the game showed that the set of Genesis ads had improved the opinion of the Hyundai brand for 43 percent of those responding. 57 percent of respondents said that the ads told them something new, and 45 percent called the spots “believable.”
All in all, Hyundai recorded the best figures of any Super Bowl advertiser in 2008, racking up what Nielsen called a 45 percent increase in “net brand improvement.”
Hyundai has been making strong moves for a while now, and the positive reaction to the Genesis ads isn’t terribly surprising. But the real proof of the public’s “improved opinion” should come when the Genesis hits dealer lots. Stay tuned.
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Opel won’t be the only automaker with a conceptual people carrier at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Hyundai’s released a few sketches and a limited amount of information about the HED-5, their take at an eco-friendly crossover concept that also will debut in Switzerland in March.
A six-passenger “MPV,” the HED-5 may also slated to be a showcase of Hyundai’s new “eco-concept package.” We’re told existing technologies are used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 29 percent and is supposedly production-intent, but we’ll let you know more details as soon as Hyundai releases them.
(Click through for a gallery of the HCD-5 sketches and a release from Hyundai)
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