2023 Hyundai Sonata Sel 2.0l *ltd Avail* on 2040-cars

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Hyundai Motor's two R&D vice chairmen reportedly resigning

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor Group's two vice chairmen in charge of research and development have offered to resign, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. R&D president Albert Biermann is likely to be named the new head of the division, two of the sources added, declining to be named as they are not authorized to speak to media. Hyundai is battling a plunge in sales, profits and its share price, and the reshuffle would be the latest since Hyundai promoted Euisun Chung in September to executive vice chairman, moving him closer to succeeding his octogenarian father as head of South Korea's second-largest group. The group has appointed new product strategy, design chiefs and replaced senior executives at its overseas operations, including China and the United States. The latest shake-up at the group, which includes Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors, could be announced on Wednesday, one of the sources said. It is "part of a generational change Chung is pushing for," another person said. A Hyundai Motor spokesman declined to comment. The group's vice chairmen, Yang Woong-chul and Kwon Moon-sik, both aged 64, told senior officials on Tuesday that they would leave the company, the sources said, declining to say why they had offered to resign. Biermann, a former BMW performance vehicle development official, adds to a flurry of foreign executives that Chung, 48, has brought in to the company typically dominated by Koreans. In October, Thomas Schemera, also a former BMW executive, was appointed to lead product planning for autonomous cars, connected and electrified vehicles, while Luc Donckerwolke, a former Bentley design chief, was appointed to oversee design at Hyundai and Kia. Hyundai Motor's third-quarter net profit plunged by two-thirds, hit by U.S. recall costs that added to its problems. The automaker was already suffering with weak sales in its key U.S. and Chinese markets. Hyundai's share price is down more than 10 percent this quarter, despite a recent rebound driven by a share buyback plan announced on Nov. 30. Reporting by Hyunjoo JinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Genesis, Hyundai, Ram win North American Car, Utility, Truck of the Year at NAIAS

DETROIT — The Hyundai Genesis G70, Hyundai Kona/Kona Electric and the Ram pickup have received North American car, sport utility and truck of the year awards. The awards were announced Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This year's car finalists also included the Honda Insight and Volvo S60/V60. Truck finalists included the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500. SUV finalists also included the Acura RDX and the Jaguar I-Pace. Last year's winners were the Honda Accord, Lincoln Navigator and the Volvo XC60. About 55 automotive journalists serve as judges. Eligible vehicles must be new or substantially changed. Organizers accept no advertising, though automakers try to capitalize on the marketing value of the awards, which are now in their 25th year. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Hyundai recalls about 980,000 Sonatas for seat belt detachments

The Basics: Hyundai is recalling 977,778 Hyundai Sonatas and Sonata Hybrids for seat belts that could detach from their anchor pretensioners, which could lead to an injury. The recall affects 2010- cars including 2011-2014 standard Sonatas built from December 11, 2009 to May 29, 2014 and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrids built from December 2, 2010 to January 9, 2015. The Problem: During manufacturing, some Sonatas may not have had the seat belt properly attached to the anchor pretensioner. According to NHTSA recall information, the seat belt is connected to the anchor after the latter has been installed, and it is possible that the seat belt didn't completely latch onto the anchor during assembly. If the seat belt was not properly attached, it can separate from the anchor during a collision, potentially leading to an injury. Injuries/Deaths: Hyundai has reported one injury to NHTSA. No deaths related to the recall have been reported. The Fix: Owners are asked to bring in their vehicles to dealerships to have the seat belt assembly inspected to make sure the belt is correctly latched. If not, the dealer will reattach it properly at no cost to the owner. If you own one: Hyundai will alert owners to the recall by mail starting April 7. Owners can also call Hyundai's customer service directly to ask about the recall at 1-855-371-9460. They can also enter their VINs at the NHTSA website to check if their car is included in the recall. Related Video: