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Hyundai Motor Group promotes heir apparent

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor Group promoted heir apparent Euisun Chung on Friday to a role of overseeing the conglomerate, moving him a step closer to succeeding his octogenarian father as head of South Korea's second largest group. Chung, 47, who will assist his father and group chairman Mong-Koo Chung, was appointed as executive vice chairman to respond to "deteriorating global trade issues and changes in competitive dynamics in major markets," Hyundai Motor Group said in a statement. Chaebols like Hyundai and Samsung Group, which have grown into global firms from the rubble of the 1950-1953 Korean War, are undergoing a transfer of power to third- or fourth-generation leaders. "In his new capacity, Executive Vice Chairman Euisun Chung will oversee the entire Group's operations, aiding and reporting to Chairman Mong-Koo Chung," the statement said. The appointment also comes as Hyundai battles tumbling profits, mounting pressure from activist shareholders to improve its governance, and amid South Korea's trade tensions with the United States that threaten to disrupt its production plans. "This is a good sign," Park Yoo-kyung, a director at Dutch pension fund APG Asset Management, said of the appointment. "This will enhance transparency about who is controlling the group and who is making key strategic decisions," she said. Generational shift The junior Chung, currently vice chairman of the group's crown jewel, Hyundai Motor Co, has stepped up in recent years, attending motor shows and government meetings with business leaders on behalf of his 80-year-old father who has made few public appearances. Shares in Hyundai Motor ended up 0.8 percent on Friday, and affiliate Kia Motors fell 0.3 percent in a wider market that rose 1.4 percent. Chairman Chung, the all-powerful boss, has presided over Hyundai for about two decades, transforming the company into the world's fifth-biggest car maker along with Kia Motors. Hyundai is now struggling to reverse slowing sales in China and the United States, where the company has suffered due to its delayed response to booming demand for SUVs. The appointment is part of an effort to "improve future competitiveness and secure future growth engines" at a time when the auto industry is undergoing major changes, the group said. The junior Chung has led the group's efforts to develop future vehicles such as autonomous and connected cars, as well as Hyundai's fledging premium brand Genesis.

Hyundai RM16 N mid-engine hatchback might be real

So, remember the Hyundai RM16 Concept? The South Korean automaker showed the mid-engine concept at the Busan Motor Show earlier this year, giving the world a glimpse of the menacing and mean future of the N performance brand. While we liked the look, we also lamented that "it doesn't seem any closer to reaching production." Looking at our latest round of photos from the Nurburgring, we might have been a smidge wrong. This car looks exactly like the RM16. Same huge flared fenders, same deep front intake, same rear bumper, and same side scoops for feeding the mid-mounted, 300-horsepower, turbocharged engine. Yes, we said "mid-mounted." While it's easy to see a mid-engine concept and figure, "Meh, it's just an auto show car, the real one will be front-engine, front-drive," it certainly doesn't seem to be the case here, judging by the swollen rear aches, camouflaged rear windows, and enormous side scoops. Really, the similarities between the car shown above and Busan's RM16 is staggering. If we're seeing the production RM16, it's a huge deal. First, because mid-engine, rear-drive hatchbacks are one of the craziest and rarest automotive species - see the Renault 5 Turbo, Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport, and Lancia Delta S4 for examples. Second, and obviously, a mid-engine Hyundai would mark a dramatic departure from today's crop of all-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks, like the Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus RS. We're guessing Hyundai's car would enjoy both better handling and lighter weight, while asking drivers to sacrifice most of hatchback practicality. We also don't really know what to make of Hyundai's testing regime. According to our spies in Germany, Hyundai did a single lap of the Ring before heading out. Wet conditions could have called for a shortened day, but it seems odd to come out of the garage for a single lap, weather be damned. At this point, it's genuinely difficult to predict what Hyundai's up to. This car looks relatively finalized, right down to the tongue sticking out of the grille that could be a radar unit. We can't begin to predict when or where this car will debut, if at all. The Geneva Motor Show is a good bet, but that's a total shot in the dark on our part. All we know is that we would love it if this is Hyundai's first N Performance car.

Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and EV sales begin this month

South Korean automaker Hyundai will start selling its Ioniq hybrid and electric-vehicle variants at some US dealerships by the end of the month. While reports have surfaced saying the Ioniqs may be available as soon as this week, Hyundai spokesman Jim Trainor confirmed to Autoblog that the Ioniq EV and hybrid would arrive at dealers towards the end of February. California will be the primary EV target from launch, naturally. Hyundai got some good news in late December when the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated the Ioniq Hybrid's combined fuel efficiency at 55 miles per gallon, or three mpg ahead of the standard 2017 Toyota Prius hatchback. Less rosy is the Ioniq EV's single-charge range, which falls well short of the magic 200-mile number reached by Chevrolet's recently-debuted Bolt, checking in at 124 miles. Still, the Ioniq EV trumps the Chevrolet Bolt in terms of miles-per-gallon-equivalent (i.e. electricity used per mile), getting a 136-mpge combined rating versus the Bolt's 119. The Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid (or the "Blue") gets 58 mpg combined and can go as far as 31 miles on electricity alone. That variant may see the light of day as soon as September. The automaker first showed off versions of the four-door sedan at last year's New York Auto Show. Hyundai, which currently sells a hybrid version of the Sonata, is planning to have as many as 14 electrified-powertrain vehicles by 2020. Green-car watchers are hoping the Ioniq EV and hybrids won't be low-volume affairs and will add to the momentum already generated this year by the introduction of the Bolt as well as higher demand for models such as the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Honda Accord Hybrid. Last month, total US green-car sales were up about 27 percent from a year earlier, while plug-in sales surged 74 percent. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Hyundai Ioniq: New York 2016 View 11 Photos Image Credit: Drew Phillips Green Hyundai AutoblogGreen Exclusive Hatchback Electric Hybrid hyundai ioniq hyundai ioniq electric hyundai ioniq plug-in