Hyundai continues its juggernaut-like growth breaking one record after the other. In 2010, the South Korean carmaker not only replaced Toyota as Europe’s best-selling Asian brand and passed the 500,000 sales mark in the US for the first time since entering the market in 1986, but the company also posted record sales and impressive profits.
Not including affiliate Kia Motor's results, Hyundai alone recorded global sales of 3,612,487 units (domestic plants: 1,730,682, overseas plants: 1,881,805) in 2010, which represents a 16.3 percent increase from a year earlier.
Sales revenue rose 15.4 percent to 36.8 trillion won (US$ 33 billion) from a year earlier thanks to the introduction of new cars and an improved product mix, while operating profit also soared 44.4% to 3.2 trillion won (US$2.8 billion). Net profit increased 77.8 percent to 5.3 trillion won (US$4.8 billion).
South Korea's largest automaker has set even higher goals for 2011, stating that it plans to "reinforce its internal competitiveness" and achieve a global sales target of 3.9 million units.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now that Hyundai unveiled its Veloster coupe at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show. So, what's with the 'scoop' title of our post, we here you ask? Well, this here example is the European spec Veloster and it was caught undisguised by our spies in Germany ahead of its debut at the at the Geneva Salon in the beginning of March.
If you have not looked at the Hyundai line in some time, you may have missed many of the updates the Korean automaker has made in just the past few years.
Hyundai is continuing its ambitious plan to further increase global sales with the start of production at its first factory in Russia located at Saint Petersburg. The company’s sixth newest overseas assembly plant will make the Solaris, a subcompact sedan we will come to know as the new Accent.
“This is a historic moment, not only for Hyundai, but for Russia, as we are the first foreign automaker to operate a full-cycle manufacturing plant here,” said Gui-Il Chun, General Director of HMMR, a fully-owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. “We are now truly part of Russia and we will focus on supplying customers with the best products at the best time.”
The Korean firm's Saint Petersburg factory currently employees more than 1,300 workers, but Hyundai has stated that it aims to create some 5,300 jobs by 2012, together with eleven parts suppliers. The plant’s annual capacity is said to be around 150,000 vehicles, while this year’s production target is 105,000 units.
The plant's first car, the Solaris, will be offered with a four-cylinder gasoline engine available in 1.4- and 1.6-liter displacements. Hyundai said the subcomact sedan has been adapted to cope with Russia’s vicious weather and tough road conditions. Aside from raising the car's ground clearance to 160mm, the company's engineers also added a large four-liter washer fluid reservoir with fluid-level sensor to warn drivers when a refill is required, a more robust 60Ah battery for improved cold-start performance and a heater duct for rear-seat passengers.
This vehicle feels pretty roomy on the move, and even at higher speeds it is extremely quiet. Hyundai Azera also boasts of high interior volume and a bigger trunk than many other rival full-size luxury sedans. Like all Hyundai vehicles, the Azera comes with impressive warranty coverage.
If you like cabin comfort, the Hyundai Azera's lengthy feature list is sure to please. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, power front seats, a 60/40-split rear seat, dual automatic climate control, and a CD/MP3 player are some of the creature comforts offered with the SE. Order the top of the line Premium Azera and you get a rear window sunscreen, a 6-disc Infinity sound system, adjustable pedals, rain-sensing wipers, folding side mirrors, and much more. Keep in mind that even with all of these "extras" the price of the Azera holds well below the $30,000 level.
This vehicle feels pretty roomy on the move, and even at higher speeds it is extremely quiet. Hyundai Azera also boasts of high interior volume and a bigger trunk than many other rival full-size luxury sedans. Like all Hyundai vehicles, the Azera comes with impressive warranty coverage.
If you like cabin comfort, the Hyundai Azera's lengthy feature list is sure to please. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, power front seats, a 60/40-split rear seat, dual automatic climate control, and a CD/MP3 player are some of the creature comforts offered with the SE. Order the top of the line Premium Azera and you get a rear window sunscreen, a 6-disc Infinity sound system, adjustable pedals, rain-sensing wipers, folding side mirrors, and much more. Keep in mind that even with all of these "extras" the price of the Azera holds well below the $30,000 level.
The Azera GLS is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 that produces 234 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque. A 3.8-liter V6 engine powers the Azera Limited, producing 263 hp of output, and 257 lb-ft of torque.
The 2010 Hyundai Azera is a four door sedan with good power and fuel economy. Hyundai offers two engine options on the Azera: a 3.3L V6 and a 3.8L V6. The 3.8L V6 is the engine upgrade, and produces two hundred sixty-three horsepower and two hundred fifty-seven pound feet of torque. These figures compare to two hundred thirty-four horsepower and two hundred twenty-six pound feet of torque for the base 3.3L V6. The city fuel economy rating for the 3.8L V6 is seventeen mile per versus eighteen miles per gallon for the 3.3L V6. The highway rating for the 3.8L V6 is twenty-six miles per gallon, which is the same fuel economy rating in highway driving as the 3.3L V6.
The Azera GLS is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 that produces 234 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque. A 3.8-liter V6 engine powers the Azera Limited, producing 263 hp of output, and 257 lb-ft of torque.
The 2010 Hyundai Azera is a four door sedan with good power and fuel economy. Hyundai offers two engine options on the Azera: a 3.3L V6 and a 3.8L V6. The 3.8L V6 is the engine upgrade, and produces two hundred sixty-three horsepower and two hundred fifty-seven pound feet of torque. These figures compare to two hundred thirty-four horsepower and two hundred twenty-six pound feet of torque for the base 3.3L V6. The city fuel economy rating for the 3.8L V6 is seventeen mile per versus eighteen miles per gallon for the 3.3L V6. The highway rating for the 3.8L V6 is twenty-six miles per gallon, which is the same fuel economy rating in highway driving as the 3.3L V6.
Once the usual tantalizing spy shots and teaser sheets are ultimately withdrawn in 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Not only Veloster targeting wannabe-efficient sports cars like the Honda CR-Z, it reinvents the way we see the coupe and hatchback form, using the unique design of a startling three-door is better in execution than we expected.
Once the usual tantalizing spy shots and teaser sheets are ultimately withdrawn in 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Not only Veloster targeting wannabe-efficient sports cars like the Honda CR-Z, it reinvents the way we see the coupe and hatchback form, using the unique design of a startling three-door is better in execution than we expected.
Hyundai has been advertising the all-new generation of its Grandeur for quite some time now, but today, the automaker officially launched the large sedan in its home market. The new Grandeur, which will be badged as the 2012 Azera in the States, arrives in the Korean market six years after its predecessor’s launch in May 2005.
Codenamed HG, the 2012 Grandeur is result of three-and-a-half years and 450 billion won (about US$415 million) of research, development and testing. Positioned between the Sonata and the Genesis sedan, the new Grandeur measures 4,910mm (193.3") long, 1,860mm (73.2") wide and 1,470mm (57.9") tall. It rides on a 2,845mm-long (112") wheelbase, which is 65mm (2.6") longer than the outgoing model.
The South Korean market model is offered with a choice of two gasoline engines, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder Theta II GDI with 201-horsepower and a new 3.0-liter V6 Lambda II GDI producing 270-horsepower. Both engines are linked to a standard six-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.
The new Grandeur comes with a suite of safety systems including VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control), VSM (Vehicle Stability Management), TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal), plus a standard nine-airbag system that includes a driver’s knee airbag.
Other notable features include Hyundai's Advanced Smart Cruise Control, which automatically keeps a safe distance from a car ahead and provides automatic stop and restart functions in response to traffic flow, and a Smart Parking Assist System that utilizes a sensor to measure parallel parking spaces, controlling the steering wheel to semi-automatically park the car.
Hyundai said it aims to sell 100,000 units of the Grandeur this year (80,000 in the domestic market and 20,000 outside of Korea) and 120,000 units in 2012 when the car arrives in more markets.
The South Korean automaker has not yet provided details on the North American market Azera.
Along with some new photos, Hyundai also released a video showing the evolution of the Grandeur / Azera from the presentation of the first generation in 1986 to the current fifth gen model.
