2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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Hyundai HG350 ready to take on Europe's Transits and Sprinters

Here in North America, Hyundai has been historically known as a purveyor of affordable, content-laden everyday cars and crossovers. More recently, it's also been pushing upmarket and attempting to gain respect for its sporting joneses. In other parts of the world, however, the Korean automaker is a major force in commercial vehicles, providing everything from chassis cabs and dump trucks to fullsize motor coaches. Now, it's looking to push further overseas, squarely into Europe's already mature van business with this new HG350, a new commercial vehicle that will form the basis for a cargo van, passenger transport and flatbed truck.
This three-pronged approach will see Hyundai fighting directly against the new Ford Transit, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and models like the recently overhauled Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer twins. The rear-drive, six-speed manual-equipped range is available in 3.5-ton cargo or flatbed spec, or in 4.0-ton guise with as many as 15 seats. The cargo version, incidentally, can hold up to 456 cubic feet of stuff. Regardless of configuration, power comes from a common-rail diesel displacing 2.5 liters with either 148 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque or 168 hp and 311 lb-ft.
With the American market finally embracing Euro-style cargo vans, does that mean that Hyundai might bring the HG350 here? Not likely. "While a heck of a vehicle, this isn't anything we are seriously considering right now for the US market," Jim Trainor, Hyundai Motor America's national manager of product public relations, tells Autoblog.

Hyundai testing facelifted Veloster Turbo in Germany

Love it or hate it, you have to admit that Hyundai went against the cookie-cutter norm when it unveiled the Veloster in 2011. And to many eyes, its oddball shape is still refreshingly original. But in the three and a half years since, Hyundai has moved its design language onwards, so it's about time the Korean automaker bring the quirky three-door (or novel four-door, depending on the angle from which you look at it) into the fold. And that's just what it appears to be doing in these latest spy shots.
Though it's hard to tell much from underneath the heavy camouflage, it's clear from these spy shots that this is indeed the Veloster, and given the center-exit dual exhaust tips, it seems to be the Turbo model and not the base naturally aspirated version. It seems to be wearing a bigger grille like the one Hyundai put on the latest Genesis, among others, and new bumpers front and back as well. The half-door on the right side does appear to be carrying over, it's wearing new wheels, and we're told there seems to be something afoot inside the cabin as well - likely revolving around an updated infotainment system.
Whether there are any consequential mechanical changes as well, we don't know. That said, development seems to be in a fairly advanced stage, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a refreshed Veloster on the show stand sometime later this year or early next at the latest.

Hyundai pushes performance in Canadian Super Bowl ad

We keep seeing automakers put their Super Bowl ads online ahead of time, and here's one more to add to the list, although with a twist. The Internet might be the only place for many people to check out Hyundai's commercial because the spot is only playing in Canada during the game. The one-minute ad, titled Welcome to the New Age, eschews telling a narrative like many of this year's commercials. Instead, Hyundai offers a mix of energetic music over stylized imagery of the design, production and driving of the Genesis, plus a few brief cameos of other vehicles from the brand. The result is something a lot more visceral than many of the other spots so far. Too bad so many viewers are going to miss it. Autoblog reached out to Hyundai Canada for more information on the ad. According to company spokesperson Chad Heard, there is "no plan for it to be used in the US. It is specific to Canada." The spot will air during halftime.