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Weekly Recap: Hyundai spins off Genesis as new luxury division

Hyundai is creating a standalone luxury division that will use the Genesis name in an ambitious move that could bring the Korean automaker more profits, sales, and prestige. The Genesis division launches in December in Korea, followed by a rollout in other markets, including the United States in 2016. The brand will have six models by 2020. They will all start with a "G" for Genesis, then have a number, like 70, 80, or 90 to represent their segment, Hyundai said. The vehicles will also get more upscale design to differentiate them from other Hyundais. Luc Donckerwolke, a veteran Volkswagen Group designer who joined Hyundai earlier this year, will oversee a new Prestige Design unit at the company. The current winged Genesis emblem will be restyled and worn by all of the brand's luxury vehicles. Hyundai says its new division will focus on technology, customer service, and will have "refined performance character." The current Genesis sedan offers a 5.0-liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower. Naturally, Hyundai is optimistic for its new Genesis brand, but it will face immediate challenges as it enters a crowded and competitive market with a long list of entrenched competitors. Brands with storied histories like Cadillac and Lincoln have struggled recently, and even top-selling brands Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Lexus aren't immune to potential troubles. Rumors have persisted that Hyundai harbored luxury ambitions since it first launched the Genesis sedan in 2008. OTHER NEWS & NOTES SEMA shows aftermarket's strength Further evidence of the auto industry's momentum was on display at the SEMA show this week as carmakers and tuners again turned out in full force. The Ford Cobra Jet Mustang, a Chevy Silverado customized by Kid Rock, and a Kia Forte Koup Mud Bogger were among the prominent displays. The show attracts more than 140,000 people per year, including 2,400 exhibitors, who come to buy and sell products. SEMA is a barometer for customization trends in the aftermarket, a key reason automakers attend. "They represent things we are thinking about and want to get some exposure," Mopar boss Pietro Gorlier said. Honda previews next-gen Ridgeline In other SEMA news, Honda previewed the next generation of its Ridgeline pickup at the show with a race-prepped vehicle that will compete in the Score Baja 1000 this year. The hood, side profile, roof, and front fascia offer hints of what the new truck will look like in production trim. Art St.

Hyundai recalls 2015 and 2016 Sonatas for flying sunroof panels

The Basics: Hyundai is recalling 2015-2016 Hyundai Sonatas and Sonata Hybrids for panoramic sunroofs that could detach while driving. The recall covers a total of 62,811 cars including Sonata Hybrids built from December 8, 2014 to August 18, 2015 and normal Sonatas built from May 28, 2014 to March 18, 2016. The recall only affects cars with panoramic sunroofs. The Problem: Sonatas equipped with the panoramic sunroof have a wind deflector at the front. The anchor that holds the deflector in place is bonded and that bonding can fail. This can lead to the deflector partially detaching, which can interfere with the glass of the sunroof when closing. This interference can result in the glass detaching entirely from the car. Warning signs of this issue are increased noise with the roof open or a sunroof that doesn't fully close. Injuries/Deaths: Hyundai received a complaint of a sunroof detaching, which prompted an internal investigation and this voluntary recall, but no injuries or deaths have been reported. The Fix: Owners of affected cars can bring them to a Hyundai dealer where the vehicle will have new bonding applied to the wind deflector anchor. The repair will be made at no cost to the owner. If you own one: Owners will be notified by Hyundai by mail starting on December 2, and they can also contact Hyundai's customer service to ask about the recall at 1-800-633-5151. Owners can also check their vehicles for recalls by entering their VINs at safercar.gov. Needless to say, don't force the sunroof closed if something doesn't seem right whether you've gotten the notice or not. Better safe than sorry. Related Video:

2019 Hyundai Ioniq gets new safety, infotainment tech

The Hyundai Ioniq lineup of electrified vehicles is being updated for 2019 with new safety technologies, more voice-recognition features and standard remote charge management for electric and plug-in hybrid models. Models equipped with navigation capabilities will get an enhanced, natural-language, server-based voice-recognition with a new point-of-interest search database that can suss out locations of charging stations. Driver attention alert and high-beam assist are new available features, along with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, which is standard for the SEL trim along with lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control. Hyundai says it's working with ChargePoint, which operates more than 32,000 electric-vehicle charging stations, to provide Ioniq owners with access cards and the ability to locate charging stations through the MyHyundai/Blue Link mobile app. Ioniq Electric and PHEV models come with Blue Link-, Google- or Alexa-enabled capability to manage and monitor charging schedules remotely to help take advantage of lower electricity prices during off-peak hours. Hyundai sells the Ioniq in Hybrid, Electric and Plug-In Hybrid variants. The Hybrid boasts an estimated 58 mpg rating from its 1.6-liter direct-injected engine, 32-kilowatt electric motor and 1.56 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. The Electric boasts a 136 MPGe rating and 124-mile driving range from its 28.0 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, while the Plug-In Hybrid uses a 1.6-liter direct-injected Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, a 44.5 kW electric motor and 8.9 kWh battery to offer 29 miles in electric-only driving range. Hyundai sold 11,197 Ioniq models in 2017, though it didn't start selling the sedans until late in the first quarter. The 2019 models arrive in dealerships this summer, though pricing hasn't yet been announced. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Image Credit: Hyundai Green Hyundai Infotainment Hatchback Electric Hybrid PHEV safety features hyundai ioniq hyundai ioniq electric hyundai ioniq plug-in