2013 Equus Black Signature Edition, 41 Total Miles on 2040-cars

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Hyundai kicks off NFL sponsorship with 'D-Gate'

After a long summer, football season is finally back. Hyundai is ready for the snap as the National Football League's new automotive sponsor, and the company hopes its new ad campaign scores with fans. The company's first NFL spot is titled D-Gate and it's about a group of buddies with a Tucson at an Arizona Cardinals game hoping to get on the Jumbotron. One guy brings something from home that doesn't make his wife too happy, as you'll see in the clip. The 30-second commercial is premiering during the season-opening weekend. The automaker's second ad called Field Goal arrives on Sept. 24 and is about a dad who loves the Houston Texans but has to deal with his napping newborn. Hyundai promises even more football-oriented advertising coming throughout the year. Hyundai has a four-year agreement with the NFL as the league's automotive sponsor, and the deal includes events like the draft and providing vehicles for the Super Bowl. General Motors previously held the rights since 2001 and it reportedly cost the company over $150 million a year. Kickoff Celebration Includes Two All-new Fan-inspired Television Ads FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 9, 2015 – Harnessing the passion of NFL fans, Hyundai's first NFL marketing execution launches literally with the very first kick of the regular season. During the season opening celebrations on September 9-10, Hyundai is the presenting sponsor of the 2015 NFL Kickoff activities that include a concert in the San Francisco Bay Area, home of Super Bowl 50. Hyundai is also unveiling two new NFL-themed television ads that highlight what it truly means to be a fan. "Our NFL campaign is all about conveying our love for football and providing opportunities for people to celebrate the game in a meaningful way," said Jacquelyn Kim, director, customer communications and promotions, Hyundai Motor America. "In the new television creative, we want to showcase what passionate fans do #BecauseFootball, and include the role our vehicles can play in that." Hyundai's New NFL Creative Hyundai's all-new Tucson SUV just recently hit dealers, and with its Hands-free Smart Liftgate with additional cargo space, is the perfect vehicle to help fans come game day. Hyundai's "D-Gate" 30-second spot, which will run during the season opener, is a fun take on some passionate Arizona Cardinals fans and their effort to create the ultimate symbol of support for their team.

Hyundai Kia asked to pay $28.9M in patent infringement case

After years of litigation, Hyundai and Kia have lost their hybrid technology patent infringement case against Paice LLC. The jury ordered the South Korean automakers to pay $28.9 million, but according to Bloomberg, because the violation was allegedly intentional, the judge could triple that amount. The automakers have announced plans to appeal the ruling. Paice's patent dates from 1994 on a piece of tech called the Hyperdrive, and it was a way to seamlessly switch between power from an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. This lawsuit was first filed in 2012 and covered the systems in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia Optima Hybrid. According to Bloomberg, the companies tried to argue that the patent was no longer valid, but the strategy failed. "Hyundai strongly believes its position and will appeal any remaining adverse findings to the Federal Circuit," the company said in a statement to Autoblog. Paice is certainly no stranger to litigating over the Hyperdrive patent, though. It and Toyota had a similar court battle that lasted years. Eventually, there was a settlement, and the result was Paice getting royalties for each hybrid that the Japanese automaker sold. Similarly, there's a lawsuit pending against Ford over tech in the C-Max, Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ. Hyundai Statement: Hyundai believes that the verdict returned by the jury today in the matter of Paice v. Hyundai Motor Company et al., is not supported by the evidence. Accordingly, Hyundai has requested that the presiding judge enter a judgment in its favor notwithstanding the verdict. Hyundai strongly believes its position and will appeal any remaining adverse findings to the Federal Circuit.

Did Lexus make a BMW? Or did BMW make a Lexus? This and other 2017 surprises

It's that time of year again. The calendar is about to reach its end, Star Trek Cats 2018 is about to take its place, and I'm reflecting about all the cars that graced my driveway this year or summoned me to exotic places. You know, like Stuttgart or Phoenix. In 2017, I drove at least 57, and as I perused the list of them, I started to notice a common refrain: "This car surprised me." Most were pleasant surprises, but there were a few head scratchers and facepalms for good measure. In both cases, it was generally the result of car companies seemingly trying to break out of an existing mold. Nowhere was that more apparent than the pair of Lexuses slathered in Infrared paint: The LS 500 that left me this week and the LC 500 that was my favorite car of 2017. Though Lexus has been trying to shake its crusty, gold-packaged reputation for some time now, its efforts always seemed like an old man choosing Hollister to redo his wardrobe after realizing it hasn't been updated since 1987. I fell in love with the LC, genuinely floored by its near-perfect take on the GT. It's characterful in sound, appearance and tactility. It was at home in the city, in the mountain and on the open road. It was both comfortable and thrilling, and after driving the mechanically related LS 500, I can report that the LC's talents aren't an outlier. The LS 500's turbo V6 may make different noises than the LC's naturally aspirated V8, but it nevertheless invigorates the cabin when the car is placed in Sport+ mode. The steering is truly communicative, body motions are kept in miraculous check, and I absolutely forgot I was in an enormous luxury limo ... and a Lexus one at that. It was everything that the BMW 530e was not. I drove that on the exact same roads and was utterly bored the entire time. Generally doughy, lifeless steering, more distant than Planet 9. And no, the plug-in hybrid powertrain had nothing to do with that. At least it shouldn't. The Porsche Panamera S e-Hybrid I also drove this year proves that, as do the Hyundai Ioniqs, which are surprisingly adept and fun little cars regardless of what powers their wheels (Hyundai + hybrid = fun really blew me away). I would drive that Lexus LS F Sport over the BMW 5 Series any day of the week, which seems like a shocking thing to say in relation to either car. While Lexus is seemingly breaking out of its old crusty mold, BMW seems to be climbing into one.