Kia Forte GT-Line, page #11

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Lucid Air and Maserati MC20 unveiled | Autoblog Podcast #644

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. Before they get to the juicy news of the week, they chat about the cars they've been driving, including a Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, Audi A6 Allroad, Mazda CX-9 and Kia Niro. It's been a busy week in the news department, with GM investing in Nikola, Lucid Motors launching the Air electric sedan, Maserati unveiling the MC20 mid-engined supercar and a farewell to the Lexus GS. Then they talk about having a newfound respect for the Fox Body Mustang and the Mazda CX-9. Autoblog Podcast #644 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R 2020 Audi A6 Allroad 2020 Mazda CX-9 2020 Kia Niro GM buys $2 billion stake in Nikola, will build Badger hydrogen-electric pickup Update: Short-seller accuses Nikola of fraud and Nikola threatens to sue Lucid Air production electric luxury sedan is a dream revealed Lucid Air's modular powertrain opens up serious performance possibilities Lucid Motors teases electric SUV at Air debut Mid-engined, 621-horsepower MC20 inaugurates a new era for Maserati All future Maseratis will borrow styling cues from the MC20  2023 Maserati MC20 Folgore planned with three-motor electric powertrain Lexus GS dead for 2021 Respect to: Fox Body Mustang Mazda CX-9 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Driving the Kia K5 and Mini Cooper JCW GP, plus an interview with Jimmy Chin | Autoblog Podcast #637

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They veer off right away into talking about their dream project garages. Next up is news, including some info on the next Nissan Z car, the Honda Fit being discontinued in the U.S., new Mercedes-Benz EQS details, and some talk about the new, electric GMC Hummer being adapted for the military. Then they talk about driving the new Kia K5 sedan and the Mini Cooper JCW GP, before they opine about the 1966 Pontiac GTO. Autoblog Senior Producer Chris McGraw interviews Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin about his collaboration with Ford for the Bronco reveal, and more. Finally, our editors help a listener in the U.K. pick a used vehicle in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #637 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Some thoughts on project cars News Nissan suggests the next-generation Z won't be electrified at launch Fit Is Gone! Honda drops subcompact hatch in U.S. Mercedes-Benz announces the electric EQS will offer over 435 miles of range GMC's electric Hummer could someday serve alongside the Humvee in the U.S. Army Driving the 2021 Kia K5 Driving the 2020 Mini Cooper JCW GP 1966 Pontiac GTO: Love it or hate it? We talk Ford Bronco and other adventures with Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Driving a 1964 Volkswagen Beetle, and the 2021 Kia K5 arrives | Autoblog Podcast #634

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They start with what they've been driving this week, including the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 diesel, 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and a 1964 Volkswagen Beetle. They move on to the news, covering the 2021 Kia K5, Geneva Motor Show (canceled again), Maserati's new engine and a new extended reality experience here at Autoblog. Finally, the guys spend some money for a listener who just had twins. Autoblog Podcast #634 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 diesel 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 1964 Volkswagen Beetle 2021 Kia K5 Geneva Motor Show cancelled Maserati engine Extended Reality with the Mustang Mach-E Spend your money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Hyundai Palisade and Genesis GV80 production idled

In February of this year, the coronavirus pandemic forced Hyundai Motor Company to idle production at most of its factories in South Korea. The Chinese suppliers that provided wiring harnesses for models like the Hyundai Palisade and Genesis GV80 hadn't recovered from their COVID-19 shutdowns, causing a shortage of components. Since then, Hyundai, along with automakers around the globe, has faced repeated hurdles to restoring desired production numbers. Just-Auto reports another hiccup, with Hyundai compelled to shut down lines that build the Palisade and GV80 at its Ulsan, South Korea complex again last week over a lack of parts. Just-Auto didn't specify the parts in question. On top of that, Hyundai had already idled three lines at two plants after an employee at a supplier died, the cause of death thought to be COVID-19. Kia needed to do the same for two entire facilities in South Korea after two plant workers were diagnosed with the illness. In the U.S., Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama was idled from March 18 to May 4, resuming production at lower output on May 4 to manage inventory after the coronavirus and lockdown measures gutted new car sales.   Hyundai, like giant Ford and tiny McLaren, will be ruing the lost momentum of its recovery. The group turned in its best quarterly profit since 2017 at the end of last year, thanks to the larger margins that crossovers and SUVs deliver. Hyundai brand U.S. sales last year of 688,771 units was tantalizing close to an annual sum the brand hasn't hit since 2012. In January, the automaker predicted it would improve on last year's 3.5% group operating profit margin by hitting 5% this year. The nearly 10,000 reservations taken for the GV80 fueled the optimism, when Genesis sold just over 21,000 vehicles in total last year in the U.S. However, through the first quarter, group sales were down 11% globally and in the U.S. Worse, Just-Auto says the group's global sales have nosedived 26% through the first five months. The production halts on the models that deliver the best return will prolong the pain and make it sharper. Related Video:

Driving the Toyota Supra and Subaru WRX STI S209 | Autoblog Podcast #625

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. First, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Toyota Supra, Subaru WRX STI S209, and the Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLB. They also discuss rumors of the Kia Stinger getting killed off. Greg Migliore takes a break to chat with Autoblog contributor Dan Edmunds to talk about the cars he's been testing. Finally, our editors take to the mailbag to help a listener pick a sport truck in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #625 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: Toyota Supra Subaru WRX STI S209 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class Kia Stinger death rumor Chat with Dan Edmunds Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Podcasts Kia Mercedes-Benz Subaru Toyota Used Car Buying Truck Coupe Crossover SUV Luxury Performance Sedan

Rumormill again says Kia Stinger is on the ropes

The Kia Stinger hit the market in 2017, spending the first year of its life earning plaudits for terrific handling at an unbeatable price. Although the Stinger could shake the competition, starting in 2018 and ever since, the Stinger couldn't shake rumors that it won't get a second generation. In fact, tangential questions about the Kia began in late 2017, with the assertion that Kia needed to upgrade its dealer network if it really wanted to take on the Germans. Once sales in the key North American market began to soften, then slide, that put blood in the water. Kia's head of design couldn't put off the sharks in October 2018, telling Australian outlet Which Car that the sedan wasn't selling as well as expected in North America. He returned with the same dolor the next year when speaking to Aussie outlet Car Advice, and followed that a month later by sharing the same hesitations phrased differently with Aussie outlet CarsGuide. Now The Korean Car Blog, sourcing "a new report of the South Korean sales," alleges the situation has gotten worse thanks to the coronavirus catastrophe and the need to conserve resources. Kia had already opted not to put a new powertrain into the 2021 Stinger refresh, saving money by adding more power to the current 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 with a revised exhaust. Everyone who appreciates the Stinger has clear ideas about why it doesn't sell well in certain markets, like these Canadians, this guy in the UK, and these folks from the U.S. and other countries. TKCB believes one of the major issues is the in-house Genesis G70 competition, which has just about everything the Kia could want: A premium brand with premium touchpoints, marketing and advertising, a more rational equipment mix, near constant tweaking, and again, marketing and advertising. Does anyone remember when LeBron James and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler fronted the Stinger movement? Of course, the rumors of axing are still only rumors, and the Stinger is still only three years old. Anything can happen, apparently including the remote possibilities the Stinger morphs into a different kind of vehicle or goes electric. If the sales numbers continue as they've been going, however, something will need to happen; after an 18% dip from 2018 to 2019 in U.S. sales, the Stinger's already down 21% so far this year. Or we'd think something needs to happen — the Kia K900 remains on sale having tabbed 102 sales all of last year in the U.S., and 65 so far this year.

Hyundai boosted production in March, so now its cars sit in U.S. ports

SEOUL — As Detroit's automakers shut production in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, South Korea's Hyundai cranked up its factories back home to ship cars to the United States, a move that is proving costly for the world's fifth-largest auto group. Hyundai ramped up domestic production to as much as 98% of capacity by late March, not only as the Korean market was recovering from a bad February but also because it bet on demand for Tucson SUVs and other models from U.S. customers, its biggest overseas market outside of China. While Hyundai is one of few global automakers whose production has recovered at home, its exports optimism has been dampened by the severity of the U.S. outbreak, weak consumer sentiment and as rivals have quickly moved to guard their turf. Consignments of cars shipped from South Korea are now sitting in U.S. ports, with dealers slow to take deliveries because of slumping sales and rising inventory, four people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The company idled a Tucson production line at home last week for five days, while sister firm Kia is looking to suspend three Korean plants for a week. And analysts now expect a sharp drop in first-quarter operating profit when it reports results on Thursday and some even forecast a second-quarter loss. "I hope that the situation will recover by the middle of next month. If not, we might have to lay off some people," said Brad Cannon, general manager of an exclusive Hyundai dealership in California, whose sales are down more than 50% from when the pandemic started. Hyundai runs a factory in Alabama — which is closed until May 1 — but imports are key to meet U.S. demand. Only about half of its vehicles sold in the United States are made in North America compared to between 68% and 85% for Japanese rivals Toyota, Nissan and Honda, who have also suspended production there till May. The South Korean company makes about 61% of its cars overseas, up from 48% a decade ago. That leaves it vulnerable to overseas factory shutdowns and shrinking demand outside of its home market. Hyundai's South Korean factory operation, which had recovered from a component shortage from China to nearly 100% capacity by March, could fall to as much as 70% in April, the company recently told analysts. "We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action promptly," Hyundai said in an emailed statement. Minimizing the impact For its part, Hyundai has taken measures to minimize the impact.

Kia Stinger will be getting more power for 2021

The 2021 Kia Stinger will get more oomph when it arrives later this year, but a new report says the tweaks will come from modifications to its existing powertrain, not a new option atop the range. The report from Australian site CarSales, which cites anonymous sources close to the automaker, appears to throw cold water on rumors that the Stinger would get the 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 from the new Genesis G80 sedan, which delivers 380 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. The report says that the G80's 304-hp 2.5-liter turbo-four will not be coming to Australia as a replacement for the Stinger’s base 255-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four, and we would doubt it would for the United States, either.  In its range-topping models, the Stinger's 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 offers 365 hp and 376 lb-ft. CarSales reports that engine will be juiced for more power by tweaking its bimodal exhaust. Unspecified design and equipment changes are also reportedly due. Now in its third year on the market, the Stinger turned a lot of heads when it debuted in 2017 at the Detroit auto show, and a long-term test version of the 2018 Stinger GT impressed Autoblog editors. It has failed to catch fire with buyers, but a performance-oriented premium sedan/hatchback made by Kia was always going to be a sales success long shot.  During the first three months of 2020, Kia sold 2,560 Stingers in the United States, down nearly 21%. Sales in 2019, when there was no global pandemic to skew numbers, totaled 13,861, down 17.5%. Kia discontinued the Premium trim packages for 2020. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Kia Telluride takes World Car of the Year honors

The Kia Telluride has been named 2020 World Car of the Year, an award that recognizes the most significant new-vehicle introduction as determined by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The Telluride adds to its string of honors by beating out the Mazda CX-30 and the Mazda3, the previously announced finalists for the WCOTY award. The organization also announced the winners of additional awards: The Porsche Taycan was recognized as World Performance Car of the Year, beating out its siblings, the 911 and the 718 Boxster Spyder/Cayman GT4. The Taycan further took top honors as World Luxury Car of the Year, besting the 911 and the Mercedes-Benz EQC in that category. In a second win for Kia, the Kia Soul EV was named World Urban Car of the Year. The Soul beat out the Mini Cooper SE and the Volkswagen T-Cross. Finally, the Mazda3 was honored as World Car Design of the Year. The Kia Telluride follows last year's WCOTY, the Jaguar I-Pace. Previous honorees include the Volvo XC60 in 2018, the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017, and the Mazda MX-5 in 2016. The WCOTY team consists of 86 jurors from 24 countries, and the organization is independent and not tied to any publication. This is the 16 th year for the awards. Related Video:    

South Korea assists auto industry struggling with coronavirus fallout

SEOUL —  South Korea said on Monday it would provide logistical and financial support to help its auto industry through the coronavirus crisis, warning of disruptions to supply chains from Europe and the United States. The government said it would speed up customs clearance, arrange freight transportation and provide liquidity support for the industry, which employs about 12% of South KoreaÂ’s workforce, according to official figures. The coronavirus pandemic has led to shutdowns at auto factories and dealerships in the United States and Europe, which are expected to affect South Korean automakers such as Hyundai and Kia. “ItÂ’s time to prepare for the shock of a global demand contraction and European supply issues,” Industry Minister Sung Yoon-mo said in a meeting with parts supplier executives and industry associations, according to a readout from the ministry. “Survival is the most crucial thing in this unprecedented crisis when both demand and supply contract at the same time.” The ministry gave no details on how much liquidity support the government would provide or what form it might take. The assistance is part of 50 trillion won ($39 billion) in emergency financing announced last week to boost the economy. South Korea has reported 8,961 coronavirus cases and 110 deaths from the disease. Hyundai Motor closed its Montgomery, Alabama, assembly plant on Wednesday after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19. It also suspended production at its plants in the Czech Republic and India due to the coronavirus outbreak. Europe and the United States account for about 70% of Korean automakersÂ’ exports, and 54% of Korean parts exports, government data showed. A trade ministry official said South Korean exports would deteriorate in April and May, after rising 10% year-on-year in the first 20 days of March. Car exports rose 13.7% in the period, customs agency data showed on Monday. “For the time being, a drop in exports of cars and auto-parts are inevitable as car factories and dealerships are closing,” Sung said. South Korean automakers had stocked up on inventories which could last up to two months, Sung said. Related Video: Earnings/Financials Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing Hyundai Kia coronavirus