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Hyundai brings 1,000-hp Genesis Coupe to SEMA, and plenty more [w/video]

Hyundai has a thirst for horsepower. How else could we explain the scene you see above, in which there exists a 708-horsepower front-wheel-drive Sonata tuned by Bisimoto (black and white, above left) powered by Hyundai's 2.4-liter Theta II engine? Or the little red number you see hiding in the background, which, at an even 1,000 horsepower, is "the most-powerful 2.0-liter Genesis Coupe ever built," says Hyundai?
In addition to those two powerhouses, the white Sonata (above right) was styled by John Pangilinan to "[connect] Los Angeles street art culture with automotive enthusiasts," whatever that means, and it joins an ARK Performance-tuned Genesis Sedan meant to go head-to-head with Mercedes AMG and BMW M and another Genesis Sedan tuned by Toca Marketing Group with a twin-turbo'd 5.0-liter Tau V8.
All in, that's five heavily modified vehicles being shown at the 2014 SEMA Show by Hyundai (not to mention any more customs not actually sponsored by the automaker itself), and each of them is pretty successful as far as we're concerned. Check them all out for yourself in the image gallery above, and read all the details in the press release below, where you'll also find a video of the builders discussing each of their creations.

Volkswagen Group, BMW Z4 top Total Value Awards by Strategic Vision

It was just nine months ago that Strategic Vision announced its 2011 Total Value Awards, but you don't have to wait until next year for the 2012 awards. The Volkswagen Group keeps its lead as the number one brand, with seven products taking top category spots: Golf, Jetta Wagon, CC, Eos and Audi A3 Wagon, Q5 and Q7. Strategic Vision says "true innovation" - "rich and impactful, intuitive, motivational, in-depth and is able to trigger description by the user in great specificity" - is the open secret of the brands with the strongest showings. Results are culled from 77,153 owners covering more than 350 new cars bought between September of 2011 and 2012 ranked in the Total Value Index (TVI).
Other notable winners are Hyundai-Kia following VW in the brand category and having the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Sorento among category winners, the BMW Z4 taking the premium roadster category and the highest overall score of any vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt continuing to gather silverware in the Special Category, nabbing the second-highest score of all and representative of "nearly perfect innovation," and Chrysler and Dodge being most improved.
Check out the press release below for your day's dose of jargon and all the winners.

Hyundai testing facelifted Veloster Turbo in Germany

Love it or hate it, you have to admit that Hyundai went against the cookie-cutter norm when it unveiled the Veloster in 2011. And to many eyes, its oddball shape is still refreshingly original. But in the three and a half years since, Hyundai has moved its design language onwards, so it's about time the Korean automaker bring the quirky three-door (or novel four-door, depending on the angle from which you look at it) into the fold. And that's just what it appears to be doing in these latest spy shots.
Though it's hard to tell much from underneath the heavy camouflage, it's clear from these spy shots that this is indeed the Veloster, and given the center-exit dual exhaust tips, it seems to be the Turbo model and not the base naturally aspirated version. It seems to be wearing a bigger grille like the one Hyundai put on the latest Genesis, among others, and new bumpers front and back as well. The half-door on the right side does appear to be carrying over, it's wearing new wheels, and we're told there seems to be something afoot inside the cabin as well - likely revolving around an updated infotainment system.
Whether there are any consequential mechanical changes as well, we don't know. That said, development seems to be in a fairly advanced stage, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a refreshed Veloster on the show stand sometime later this year or early next at the latest.