Motor Trend: Hyundai Plans to Unveil a 10-Speed Transmission by 2014

It’s only been a few months since Hyundai unveiled its new eight-speed automatic transmission in the updated Genesis sedan. Now the automaker is wasting no time in improving on that gearbox by two cogs.

According to our insider sources at Bloomberg, Hyundai and Kia are working together to develop a new 10-speed automatic transmission, which could be ready by 2014. Hyundai Motor Group president Park Seong Hyon said the new gearbox will likely be used in the Genesis and Equus sedans.

Earlier this year Hyundai introduced a new, eight-speed transmission that was developed in-house. The gearbox was installed in the updated 2012 Hyundai Genesis sedan, which also received a tweaked 3.8-liter, direct-injected V-6-engine. The combination is good for 333 hp, 291 lb-ft of torque, and improved fuel efficiency: 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg compared to 18/27 in the outgoing V-6 and six-speed automatic powertrain. The ten-speed gearbox should improve numbers all around.

It will also be interesting how Hyundai's competitors will follow....

Hyundai Genesis and Elantra Win 2011 Motorist Choice Awards

Intellichoice and AutoPacific recognize Genesis and Elantra for owner satisfaction and overall value

COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 27, 2011– Intellichoice and AutoPacific honored both the Hyundai Genesis and Elantra with 2011 Motorist Choice Awards in the Luxury Lifestyle and Value categories, respectively. Now in its sixth year, the Motorist Choice Awards recognize vehicles that deliver a compelling combination of high consumer satisfaction and lower-than-expected ownership costs over time.

“The Motorist Choice Award methodology is designed to help consumers identify vehicles that speak to their hearts and their wallets,” said Tyler Schulze, vice president and general manager of IntelliChoice. “The 2011 award winners all share a connection with buyers from both a satisfaction standpoint and overall value as compared to their peers. Based on this compelling combination, we are pleased to recommend these vehicles to consumers as a guide for good purchase decisions.”

The sixth annual Motorist Choice Awards were co-developed by AutoPacific, known for its vehicle satisfaction rankings, and IntelliChoice.com, the online source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis, to recognize the vehicles that delivered both the highest vehicle satisfaction and the lowest cost of ownership. This year, IntelliChoice and AutoPacific continued categorizing the winners into a collection of 15 popular lifestyle segments that shoppers could easily identify with.

“With power and technology features rivaling more expensive vehicles in the luxury segment, Genesis is a great option for car buyers seeking quality and reliability,” said Scott Margason, director Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Additionally, with class-above interior volume and excellent 40 mpg highway fuel economy, Elantra certainly brings outstanding value to the mid-size segment.”

This is the second year in a row Hyundai Genesis has received a Motorist Choice award. 

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

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Journalists are invited to visit our news media web site: www.hyundainews.com and follow us on Twitter: @Hyundai.com

As a special member of our community you are cordially invited to attend our Experience Equus Event

As a special member of our community you are cordially invited to attend our Experience Equus Event on Thursday, September 29, 2011 • 6pm - 9pm

There will be complimentary appetizers, dessert bar, gifts just for stopping by, and an iPad Giveaway!

Please R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, September 27th • 866.348.3377

Click here >http://on.fb.me/nMzKks

 

Hyundai wins three AutoPacfic Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

Carmakers are constantly improving their products and relationships with their customers. They communicate their success by citing the satisfaction of their owners. “Proof of satisfied customers is as good as gold,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “We’ve found that more than one-third of new car buyers are positively influenced by objective awards based on owner ratings when deciding on a new car or truck. 

AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award is an industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied an owner is with his/her new vehicle.  This study by the Southern California-based automotive research firm summarizes the results of over 68,000 new vehicle owners.

“Vehicles that score highest in the Vehicle Satisfaction Awards are delivering value and satisfaction across a wide range of attributes,” says Peterson. “The winners perform well in 48 separate categories that objectively measure the ownership experience.”

Automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific awarded the Hyundai Genesis, Hyundai Sonata and Hyundai Elantra with the 2011 Vehicle Satisfaction Award in their respective categories, making Hyundai one of the top-ranked award winners at the manufacturer level.

Click here to read more.

Everyday driving is about to get easier with Hyundai's Blue Link.

Hyundai Taps Passion of College Football Fans With Season-Long Market Campaign

Hyundai Will Reach Out to Fans across the Country through National, Local and On-site Programs Touting Hyundai’s Top Brand Loyalty Ranking from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com

COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2011 – Hyundai kicks off its support of college football this week as it becomes the presenting sponsor of “Thursday Night College Football Live” on ESPN for this season’s inaugural Thursday game featuring Louisiana State University and Mississippi State. The sponsorship is just one element of Hyundai’s multi-pronged college football marketing program designed to connect the loyalty of Hyundai owners with the passion of college football fans and the traditions of college football teams across the nation. Hyundai has also established official sponsorship relationships with 15 schools, and will add nine more next season, providing on-site sponsorship, marketing, media and hospitality opportunities.

The overall program includes 64 experiential on-site displays at some of this season’s most high-profile matchups, print, online and local media support, and in-game advertising during 13 featured games across ABC’s family of networks including ESPN and ESPN2.

The campaign continues Hyundai’s overarching marketing strategy of “Big Voices in Big Places,” ensuring that Hyundai’s brand is represented in the nation’s most high-profile events and attractions including the Super Bowl and Academy Awards. The campaign will build upon Hyundai’s number one Owner Loyalty ranking from Kelley Blue Book’s www.kbb.com.

“College football is all about tradition, loyalty and passionate fans, and no one appreciates that more than Hyundai,” said Steve Shannon, vice president of Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “Hyundai owners love their cars, so it’s no surprise that their support has pushed us to the top of consumer loyalty rankings.”

Hyundai’s support for college football brings the brand directly to the fans through a multi-year agreement with IMG College, which manages the media and sponsorship rights for the schools Hyundai is partnering with, and helped develop the local campus marketing programs. Amidst tailgating and pre-game celebrations, Hyundai has established official sponsor relationships with 15 of the most historic football programs in the country, with the most loyal and passionate fan bases, to bring vehicle and information displays to 64 games this year. The 15 teams include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Cal, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia Tech.

Game-day display elements will include on-field promotions, on-site displays, tickets for hospitality and unique giveaways. Hyundai’s engagement will grow from 15 teams in 2011 to 24 in 2012, extending its relationship with college football and its fans.

Hyundai’s partnership with ESPN as the presenting sponsor of Thursday Night College Football Live includes seven executions of programs on ESPN/ESPN2. The current schedule includes programming on September 15 and 29, October 6, 13, 20 and 27, and November 10. The creative will focus on connecting fans’ passion for their teams to consumers’ passion for Hyundai, and spots will run both pre-show and in-game. In addition, Hyundai will extend the loyalty message into ESPN Magazine’s college football coverage throughout the season.

In addition to Thursday night games, Hyundai spots will appear in additional Saturday broadcasts, weaving Hyundai into 13 of the most highly anticipated matchups of the college football season.

Digital extensions include sponsorship of the online CFB Live show every Wednesday of the season, sponsorship of conversation surrounding a game each week that had the best home field advantage and integration into Facebook and Twitter.

Hyundai’s support of college football continues with local television advertising in 16 key markets spanning across the Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, SEC and Big East.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

Hyundai Is First To Sell 100K Vehicles Capable Of 40 mpg

by Hyundai in the News

When Hyundai launched its “4 x 40” campaign in December, the automaker’s goal was simple: It wanted to have four vehicles on sale in the U.S. in 2011 that could achieve at least 40 mpg. And while reaching that mark won’t occur until the all-new Veloster debuts this fall—joining the Elantra, Sonata Hybrid and Accent in Hyundai’s 40-mpg club—the company already has notched a notable fuel-efficiency achievement recently by becoming the very first automaker to sell more than 100,000 40-mpg vehicles in this country.

Hyundai passed that mark earlier this summer after seeing sales of its 40-mpg vehicle fleet account for 29 percent of its overall volume in the first half of 2011, capped off by a June in which fully 40 percent of all Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. boasted EPA ratings of 40 mpg highway. At that point, Hyundai’s overall sales-weighted fuel economy had climbed to a stellar 35.9 mpg.

And that’s just one facet of the automaker’s efforts to set the pace for fuel efficiency in the U.S. market. According to John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motors America: “Hyundai aims to be the fuel economy leader and our ‘4 x 40’ strategy is accelerating our overall fuel economy improvement, which now tops 35 mpg across the entire lineup. But we really see 40 mpg as a starting point. We committed to at least 50 mpg corporate average fuel economy by 2025 and remain the only automaker to set our sights so high. Using a mix of technologies to improve the efficiency of our standard, internal combustion engine vehicles, combined with the smart application of hybrid technology, we believe we are on the right path.”

HYUNDAI REVEALS FIRST PHOTOS OF NEW-GENERATION i30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hyundai Motor Company revealed the first photos of the new-generation i30, ahead of the car’s world premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) next week, showing an exciting new look for the company’s best-selling C-segment hatchback.

Hyundai expects the new-generation i30 to build on the remarkable success of the original model – the company’s first car launched with the ‘i’ prefix, introducing a new nomenclature and heralding a new era for Hyundai in Europe.

The original i30 was also the first model to be designed and engineered in Europe, the first to be produced at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Czech Republic, and the first Hyundai car to receive five stars from Euro NCAP.

After its July 2007 launch, the i30 went on to increase its sales in Europe every year, attracting 115,000 buyers in 2010 – the highest-ever annual sales figure for an individual Hyundai model in Europe – and achieving total sales of more than 350,000 units up to mid-2011.

Designed and engineered at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new-generation i30 represents a further evolution of the unique Hyundai form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’, displaying the company’s distinctive design DNA.

Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, commented: “The new-generation i30 is recognisable thanks to the Hyundai family face with its signature hexagonal-shaped front grille and the jewel-like design of the headlamps, together with distinctive daytime running lights. These lights present an angular shape within a more softly-edged recess, adding a strong personality to the vehicle, as well as a sense of refinement and luxury.”

“Through the profile of the new generation i30, a strong character line runs over the front and rear wheelarches all the way to the tail lamps. A softer, lower character line rises up the car’s flank creating a play of light and shadow – a fundamental feature of fluidic sculpture,” Thomas Bürkle concluded.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “We expect the new-generation i30 to appeal to young, progressive buyers who want a car that not only performs well but looks great too. In this way, the new-generation i30 will contribute to future sales success, growing brand awareness and improving perceptions of Hyundai among European consumers.”

“The car has been designed to take on the leading vehicles in the C-segment and join the all-new i40 as a quality benchmark for Hyundai. Our ultimate customer care package, Five Year Triple Care, will be a valuable point of differentiation for the new-generation i30 in its highly competitive class,” Allan Rushforth added.

The award-winning Five Year Triple Care package provides five years of unlimited-mileage warranty, five years of roadside assistance, and five years of vehicle health checks.

Hyundai Hope On Wheels Revs Up Support For National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month With Record Breaking $7.1 Million In Donations

SAN FRANCISCO, 08/31/2011

To support National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September, Hyundai Hope on Wheels today announced that through Hope Grants totaling $7.1 million, it will fund a record breaking 71 pediatric cancer research projects and programs at Children’s Oncology Group (COG) institutions across the country. In addition, the organization will launch the “Hyundai Drive 4 Hope” tour to recognize pediatric cancer patients across the U.S, as well as host the first-ever Hope on Wheels 5K Run & Walk. Since 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels and its more than 800 dealers have been committed to fighting childhood cancer, raising awareness by collecting over thousands children’s handprints and committing more than $43 million and counting.

To recognize National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the first donation, in the form of a $100,000 Hope Grant, will be received on September 1 by UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. All month long, the remaining $7 million in Hope Grants will be awarded as Hyundai Hope on Wheels travels the country, conducting handprint ceremonies with 70 additional hospitals.

“Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ ongoing funding offers a beacon of hope to children and families battling cancer,” said Dr. David Poplack, Chief of Pediatric Oncology at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers. “Despite the lack of funding currently available for pediatric cancer research, great strides have been made in the treatment and care of kids with the disease, bringing us today to an 80 percent cure rate. While this is good news, hospitals and research facilities still need major funding to continue important research to bring us to a 100 percent cure rate.”

Earlier this year, Hyundai Hope on Wheels opened up a call for proposals for its 2011 Hope Grant program, with the goal to support the best, brightest and most promising researchers, whose work is likely to have a significant impact on understanding the biology and/or developing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the field of pediatric cancer. The winning 71 proposals include research projects and programs ranging from evaluating new research in genomic medicine to important survivorship and family support programs.

 “Until we find a cure, Hyundai and its dealers will not rest,” said Oscar Leeser, Chairman of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels.  “Since we began this program, we are proud to say we have dramatically increased donations each year. We will continue to support research projects and programs that have significant potential to improve the survivorship and care of kids battling cancer.”

In an exciting twist to this year’s program, Hope on Wheels will drive from San Francisco’s launch event to New York City in a Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) as part of an official “Hyundai Drive 4 Hope” (http://HyundaiDrive4Hope.com/) tour.  The Tucson will make stops at more than 15 Handprint Ceremonies along the way, allowing children currently battling cancer, and those who have survived their disease, to place their colorful handprints on the vehicle each representing a personal story about their battle with this deadly disease.  By the end of September, the Tucson will have traveled more than 4,500 miles across the country and collected hundreds of handprints from children.

“2011 is a record-breaking year for pediatric cancer fund-raising at Hyundai,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “From funding critical cancer research that propels us closer to a cure, to providing vehicle technology that drives our industry-leading fuel efficiency, we love to respond to important challenges at Hyundai with our own big bold solutions.”

An additional means of generating funds for this important cause includes the inaugural Hyundai Hope on Wheels 5K Race & Walk, which will kick off on Labor Day in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., of which all proceeds will go toward childhood cancer.

For more information on this year’s Hope Grant recipients, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, and how you can get involved, please visit: http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org/ and http://HyundaiDrive4Hope.com/.>

 

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope on Wheels® is the united effort of Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of children battling the disease.  In 2011, Hope on Wheels will have committed more than $43 million in donations to pediatric cancer research since the program began in 1998.  Hyundai Hope on Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

 

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

Dr. Mike thank you so much for being such a loyal Cerritos Hyundai customer.

"Our dealing with Cerritos Hyundai was very good from the first email to the face-to-face contact. Our salesman, Ray Leiva, treated us with professionalism and consideration. High pressure or bait-n-switch tactics and double talk WERE NOT seen or heard. Enough time was given to us and we were not pressured. While waiting for a dealer trade to take place, Ray kept me company. To please my wife, he drove her in A CAR OF HER CHOOSING to a local nail salon; and, picked her up when she was done. All of my questions from the salesman to the financing manager were answered to my satisfaction. I didn't feel I was wasting their time while becoming a more educated consumer. Time spent with staff was very worthwhile. Overall, I recommend this dealership and in particular Ray for your future consideration when looking to buy a new Hyundai."- Dr. Mike