2013 Kia Sorento 2wd 4dr V6 Lx on 2040-cars

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South Korea firms up fuel economy regs following Hyundai/Kia debacle

According to a report from Reuters, South Korea's government has drafted strict new rules for automakers to follow when calculating fuel economy. The legislation comes after a major snafu by Hyundai and Kia that resulted in the automakers lowering the estimated fuel mileage of many popular models - some by several miles per gallon, including the Soul subcompact above - and compensating owners in the US and Canada for the reduction.
The new fuel economy rules were announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in South Korea and will see average mileage ratings drop by roughly three to five percent, according to the report. In addition, manufacturers found guilty of overstating mileage figures will be liable for fines of up to $900,000.
These sweeping new regulations will go into effect in the second half of 2013 and, while they won't have any effect on EPA estimates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the United States, they are expected to result in new ratings for the two automakers in their home market of South Korea, where they enjoy a whopping 70-percent market share.

Hyundai Group invests $90 million in Rimac to develop electric halo cars

The Hyundai Group is the next large automaker to make pilgrimage to Croatia, all for the purpose of investing 80 million euros ($90 million) in Rimac. Hyundai has chipped in 64 million euros ($72 million), while Kia added 16 million euros ($18 million). The tie-up puts a much faster spin on the South Korean automaker's electrification goals, with current plans to get 44 "eco-friendly models" on sale by 2025. Developing products with Rimac means working up two proper halo models to lead the charge. The press release stated Hyundai's intent to "to lead the high-performance electrified vehicle market and enhance its status as a game changer in Clean Mobility." According to Thomas Schemera, EVP of the group's product division, "Our goal is to popularize electric vehicles and to create social value through world-class technology and innovation in performance." The Hyundai Kona Electric, Ioniq and Nexo, and the Kia Soul EV and Niro EV have all won praise, but won't be enough in their current forms to garner the attention Hyundai and Kia desire. We'll see first fruits as soon as next year. Two high-performance electric prototypes are expected to debut, one being a battery-electric vehicle, the other a hydrogen fuel cell EV. The battery-powered offering will be a zero-emission version of Hyundai's mid-engined sports car for the N division. This has been in the works for seven years now, with three concepts put on show starting with the Veloster Midship in 2014. The RM15 followed a year later, the RM16 N (pictured) a year after that. The automaker didn't indicate what the FCEV would be. The aim, however, is to bring both to marker "at a later time." On Rimac's side, the investment helps the small Croatian on its quest for Tier 1 Supplier status. Only ten years old and employing about 500 people, Rimac has supplied technology to Aston Martin for the Valkyrie, Jaguar for the E-Type Zero, Koenigsegg for the Regera, and Pininfarina for the PF0. Porsche bought a ten-percent stake in Rimac last year, following a 30-million-euro investment from Chinese battery maker Camel Group to take a 19-percent stake. The Eastern European concern remains focused on its own bowtie-inspired hypercars as long as founder Mate Rimac leads, though. As he told Motor Trend in April, "Of course I'm very passionate about helping other manufacturers build their cars. But if the shareholders decide it doesn't make sense to produce our own cars, they we'll have to find another CEO."

Kia ProCeed GT shooting brake spied ahead of its reveal

Kia plans to introduce its ProCeed GT to the world tomorrow, but our spy shooters just caught a fully camouflaged version out testing on public roads. This five-door shooting brake most likely isn't coming to the crossover-crazed U.S., but it's still cool enough that we thought you'd like to see it. We were thoroughly impressed with the ProCeed Concept shown in Frankfurt last year. If the production car is similar to that, we'll be extremely jealous of everybody in Europe who gets to buy the Stinger-looking vehicle. As far as specs go, Kia hasn't given any hints. Rumors point to a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque as at least one of the available engines. From what we can see on this prototype, the grille has retained its shape and style – even the little GT badge remains. Here's hoping the best bits from the concept make it into production without too many alterations. Kia is definitely getting it right with design as of late with the Stinger and soon-to-be-announced ProCeed GT. Sadly, all that those of us in the U.S. can do now is look from afar. Related Video: Featured Gallery Kia ProCeed GT: Spy Shots View 11 Photos Spy Photos Paris Motor Show Kia Wagon