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Why BMWs are cheaper than Hyundais in Korea

Bloomberg reports shifting tariff regulations have upended the traditional automotive pecking order in Korea. Thanks to cheaper import taxes, foreign brands have seen market share jump from 28 percent to 41 percent over the last two years. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi have all capitalized on the shift, with domestics like Hyundai and Kia suffering at the hands of their German rivals.
Taxes on European imports have fallen from 8 percent in 2011 to just 3.2 percent today. Over the next few years, tariffs will all but be eliminated for most imports, and taxes on US-made vehicles are expected to fall to just 4 percent in 2014. By 2016, that number will be zero. Needless to say, Hyundai and Kia are concerned about the shift.
Hyundai has seen profit fall by 15 percent last quarter, and the company says it is on pace to see the slowest sales growth since 2007. The company's shares have fallen by 12 percent. In order to stem the losses, Hyundai has discounted its midsize sedans and started working on diesel engine options.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model X assembly video, autonomous Apple test car spotted?

A video from Tesla shows factory robots assembling a Model X. The teaser video is titled, Team of robots gives Model X its backbone, as the machines are working on the car's structural support. It gives a rare glimpse into the underpinnings of the Model X, and it also reminds people that the cars are being built despite previous delays. See the video above, and read more at Teslarati. A Chinese electric vehicle company has hired multiple executives from BMW's i sub-brand. Sources close to the matter tell Automotive News Europe that Future Mobility, an EV company backed by Tencent Holdings and Foxconn Technology Group, has hired Dirk Abendroth as VP of software and connectivity, Benoit Jacob as VP of design, and Henrik Wenders as VP of marketing. The former BMW employees will join former BMW i8 project manager Carsten Breitfeld, who is Future Mobility's CEO. Abendroth and Wenders confirmed their new positions at the Chinese company, while Benoit didn't immediately respond to ANE. A BMW spokesman declined to comment. Read more at Automotive News Europe. A blogger at TechRadar claims to have spotted a possible Apple autonomous test vehicle. Author Michelle Fitzsimmons says the white, unmarked Ford Transit was kitted out with various apparatuses, including Lidar sensors and cameras on the roof. While she originally thought it could be a van from Apple's Maps service, the Lidar and a couple other oddities lead her to speculate that it is actually using self-driving technology. If not testing autonomous features itself, the van could also be gathering data for a future driverless vehicle. Read more at TechRadar, or from Apple Car Fans.

M235i outpoints 911, Corvette in CR testing, becomes highest-scoring BMW ever

Good news just keeps coming for BMW, as Consumer Reports has just handed out a stunner of a verdict - the M235i, a spritely, 320-horsepower coupe that starts at just $43,100 has bested the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Porsche 911, vehicles that can easily cost twice as much and come to battle with considerably more power.
CR awarded the spiritual successor to the 1 Series M Coupe a score of 98 out of 100, beating out the 911 and the Stingray by three and six points, respectively. In fact, the M235i is remarkably close to the Tesla Model S' 99, making it one of the highest scores CR has ever handed out. It's also, not surprisingly, the highest-rated BMW ever.
Of the M235i's many attributes, Consumer Reports cited the car's performance potential as well as its quiet ride and comfort for front-seat passengers. While it's a shock to no one, CR called out the limited space in the backseats as well as some finicky controls as this Bimmer's biggest shortcomings.