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Hyundai, Kia announce buyback plan for angry Korean investors

Hyundai's controversial decision last September to move its Korean headquarters to an expansive (and expensive) new facility was met with a swift backlash by shareholders. After making the biggest land purchase in South Korean history, the company's share price took a nine-point nose dive.
Now, in a bid to get back in the good graces of its stockholders, Hyundai and its subsidiary, Kia, will make a $615-million stock buyback plan. Reuters claims this is the first time in ten years that Hyundai has made a buyback offer with the explicit purpose of pumping up share prices.
The total deal bumped up Hyundai's share prices 5.7 percent while Kia is up two percent, although neither company has fully recovered from the battering that followed the headquarters announcement. It's unclear what else it will take for Hyundai to recover the ground it lost during the land deal.

Hyundai Palisade three-row crossover interior spied for the first time

Most other mainstream automakers have full-size three-row crossovers, but not the two Korean automakers. That's about to change. The Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade have both been previewed in concept form, but are making their way into the public eye. These new spy photos give us a good look at the new Hyundai's interior. It looks like a more premium environment than the one in the recently introduced 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. Specifically, note the separate bands of silver buttons and other bits of alloy trim. These are different pieces than what you'll find in other Hyundai models, and are almost reminiscent of the original Hyundai Genesis cabin. However, it does seem to share the new Santa Fe's floating center screen and steering wheel. It's difficult to see if the digital instrument cluster carries over, too. The rear seats have been folded completely flat and we can see what appears to be power-folding controls. There also seem to be bins on each side of the third row, but they could also just be missing cupholder units. That seems likely since cupholder count is a pretty key three-row family crossover element (the Subaru Ascent has 19). The exterior is upright and boxy, though it's difficult to see through the camouflage if some of the Santa Fe's curves carried over. Even through the covering, the grille and headlights are definitely familiar. Expect some other elements from the Hyundai Grandmaster concept to make it to production, too. Related Video: Featured Gallery Hyundai Palisade 3-Row Crossover Spy Photos View 14 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Hyundai Crossover SUV hyundai palisade

Ward's announces 10 Best Engines 2015

Ward's Auto has named its 10 Best Engines for 2015, covering a range of powerplants from fuel-sippers to fire-breathers. As with past years, forced-induction reigns supreme, with seven of the ten engines featuring a turbo or supercharger. This year is slightly different, though, as two of the seven blown engines are turbocharged three-cylinder mills, from the Ford Fiesta and Mini Cooper. They're joined by the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Volvo S60, the 1.8-liter turbo four from the Volkswagen Jetta and the 2.0-liter boxer from the Subaru WRX. BMW and Chrysler were the only marques to be named to this year's list twice, with the electric motor from the i3 joining the Mini's three-pot, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee repping the diesel crowd, alongside a certain supercharged monster. Hyundai also took a prize with a zero-emissions powertrain, with the Tucson FCV's 100-kilowatt fuel cell making the list (apparently Ward's is quite generous with what it deems an "engine"). Rounding out the list are two Autoblog favorites, each displacing 6.2 liters, but producing their power very differently. On the one hand, Chevrolet's overhead-valve, 455-horsepower V8, found in the Corvette, makes its power the old fashioned way. And in the other corner, we have one of the most exciting engines of the year – the 707-hp, 6.2-liter, supercharged Hellcat V8, featured so prominently in the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat. "We spend a lot of time reading the powertrain tea leaves throughout the auto industry, and we're proud that this year's list is a microcosm of all the latest innovation coming from automakers," said Ward's Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter in a statement. "It's not just a list for enthusiasts or for environmentalists," he says. "There's something for every vehicle shopper and every budget. All the powertrains on this list deliver a first-rate driving experience," Winter added. Scroll down for the full list from Ward's, and let us know which engines you think belong and which should have been included in this year's rankings. Ward's 10 Best Engines of 2015 Announced by Penton's WardsAuto Honorees span most diverse and technically advanced engines in 21 years of recognized powertrain excellence SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Penton's Wards 10 Best Engines of 2015 have been announced.