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Hyundai Grandmaster concept could preview new flagship full-sized SUV

Hyundai just debuted the HDC-2 Grandmaster SUV concept at the Busan Motor Show, a follow-up to the Le Fil Rouge concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show this year. The Grandmaster provides a second take on the "Sensuous Sportiness" design language embodied by the Le Fil Rouge, and previews the direction we'll see Hyundai's products take. Industry observers expect the Grandmaster to become an eight-seater SUV at the top of the carmaker's range, perhaps to be called Palisade. The Grandmaster, whose name refers to a champion chess player, represents the nexus of a host of Hyundai initiatives. There's the name itself, a metaphorical reference to the brand's car and SUV overhaul. In a press release, the company wrote, "The concept vehicle is named to indicate that just as the sum of all chess pieces completes the game of chess, all forthcoming Hyundai vehicles will come to form a harmonious vehicle line-up demonstrating the Hyundai Look while each maintains distinctive character and role." On top of that, Hyundai design director Luc Donckerwolke recently called the Le Fil Rouge concept the "Queen," and said that the following concept would be the "Bishop." There's the new design direction, which takes over from Fluidic Sculpture, which Hyundai hopes will create a more emotional bond with buyers. Sensuous Sportiness combines "proportion, architecture, styling, and technology," and design chief SangYup Lee wants it to move the carmaker "from being a brand that provides a great value, we will aspire to also become a brand that is widely beloved by our customers." There's the fact that Hyundai has been revamping its SUV game for the U.S. by introducing the Kona, changing the name of the Santa Fe Sport to the Santa Fe, and rolling out the long-wheelbase seven-seater Santa Fe XL. Dividends might have started paying out last month, with the carmaker posting its first year-on-year monthly sales gain of 2018 thanks to the Kona. A production Grandmaster — which seems an eventuality based on winter spy shots of an unknown Hyundai earlier this year — would be a three-row, eight-seater replacing the Santa Fe XL and re-establishing Hyundai in the full-size segment. The predicted Palisade name comes from a Hyundai trademark application filed earlier this year. As a sibling to the Kia Telluride, or perhaps riding on a revised Genesis G90/Kia K900 architecture, the Grandmaster/Palisade could end up on dealer lots as soon as next year, as a 2020 model.

Krafcik says US Gov. shutdown is slowing Oct. auto sales

The government shutdown is eroding consumer confidence in the auto market, says John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai's US sales unit, and could lower October sales by as much as 10 percent, Automotive News reports. "It's that anxiety that keeps customers, potential buyers, on the sidelines when making a big purchase like an automobile," Krafcik says, adding that industry sales could be off by five to 10 percent in October compared to September.
The fourth quarter, which started October 1, usually consists of increased auto sales as dealerships clear their lots to make room for the next year's models. Leading up to the fourth quarter this year, the auto industry was doing well in the fragile, recovering US economy, although September deliveries decreased by 4.2 percent, due in part to this year's Labor Day sales being recorded for August.
To help its customers, Hyundai announced it is deferring new-car loan and lease payments for furloughed federal workers until they're called back to work and also offering them a three-month payment deferral if they buy a new Hyundai in October. "We have already had requests from over a thousand people to have their payments deferred," Krafcik says.

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT starts at just over $20,000

The soon-to-be-released 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback finally has pricing, and it is quite competitive. It starts at $20,235 for the base model with a manual transmission, with the automatic adding an extra $1,000. That puts the base, manual Elantra GT at a few hundred dollars less than the Honda Civic hatchback and Ford Focus hatchback, and a couple thousand less than the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback. The base, manual Elantra GT also comes nicely equipped even in the base model. It features 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, heated side mirrors, a rearview camera, cross-traffic alert, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Under the hood is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 161 horsepower, and it can be coupled to the standard six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. View 52 Photos The 2018 Elantra GT Sport starts at $23,250 with the six-speed manual, while an extra $900 nets a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The extra cost brings significantly more performance and features. Under its hood is the familiar turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder good for 201 hp and 195 pound-feet of torque we already enjoyed in the Forte5 SX and Elantra Sport sedan, but for significantly less than the manual Forte5 SX we drove. The GT Sport also swaps the standard GT's torsion bar rear suspension for a coil-spring multi-link setup for improved handling. Braking improves, too, with larger discs behind 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the GT Sport gets leather upholstery, heated sport seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, blind-spot detection, and a proximity key with push-button start. The Elantra GT has a number of comfort and safety features available as options, though most of the latter are only available on the Sport. Lane-change assist, panoramic sunroof, and a seven-speaker sound system with subwoofer are available on both standard Elantra GT and GT Sport. Lane-keep assist, forward collision with automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control that can stop the car completely and restart. Hyundai previously announced that Elantra GTs would arrive at dealers this summer, so they should be on lots soon. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Hyundai Hatchback Economy Cars hyundai elantra gt hyundai i30