2014 Hyundai Elantra Se on 2040-cars

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Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport aims to be the Korean Jetta GLI

We've had a good idea of what the upcoming Elantra Sport would be like thanks to Hyundai's reveal of the Avante Sport, the quicker version of the Elantra's Korean-market twin. Now we know just how similar the two are: essentially identical. The Elantra Sport features a turbocharged 1.6-liter four cylinder engine that anyone familiar with the Veloster Turbo will recognize. Oddly though, at 200 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque, the engine is rated 1 horsepower and 5 lb-ft of torque less than either the turbo Veloster or Avante. The front-wheel drive Elantra Sport can also be ordered with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual clutch transmission. We're happy to report the Elantra Sport and its Avante twin will share a new multi-link rear suspension. This replaces the less sophisticated torsion bar suspension and will hopefully contribute to more agile handling. Hyundai did not announce whether the Avante Sport's optional "extreme package" anti-roll bars, springs and shocks would be available in the States. We certainly hope they will at least be an option. The Avante Sport and Elantra Sport will also share exterior and interior updates. These updates give the fastest Elantra a subtle, classy look. Larger intake vents, a rear diffuser panel, larger wheels and slightly extended ground effects all say sporty without shouting it. The theme continues inside with red stitching on the flat-bottom steering wheel and more aggressive "sport" seats. The Elantra Sport also finds itself in an odd position. Many of the performance cars in its size segment have moved up in power. There are some small sedans that come close to the Elantra Sport's 200 ponies such as the turbocharged Honda Civic, 2.5-liter Mazda3 and the lame-duck 2.4-liter Dodge Dart. But when it comes to enthusiast-oriented small sedans with at least 200 horses, there's only one true option: the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. In fact, the 210-horsepower GLI matches the Elantra Sport quite nicely, as it also features subtle styling and just enough sportiness to feel special. Hyundai has yet to announce pricing, but if it undercuts the German veteran by a significant margin, it could become a bargain choice for the driver who wants some, but not too much, fun. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport View 19 Photos Image Credit: Hyundai Hyundai Performance Sedan turbocharged jetta gli

Hyundai plans to catch up with other automakers, offer EVs

YONGIN, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co is developing its first dedicated architecture for electric vehicles, seeking to catch up with the likes of Tesla in the growing segment with multiple, long-range models. While the platform will not be completed soon, Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia plan to roll out small electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs) based on an existing underpinning next year, said Lee Ki-sang, who leads Hyundai-Kia's green cars operations. Hyundai will launch an electric SUV, followed by a sibling model by Kia Motors next year, Lee said, citing strong demand for SUVs. The subcompact or compact models would have a range of more than 300 km (186 miles) per charge, and would be "more competitive" than rival offerings, Lee said. And Hyundai said in a statement on Thursday that it plans to launch a new luxury electric vehicle under its Genesis marque in 2021, after introducing a plug-in hybrid version of an unidentified Genesis model in 2019. The separate platform represents a major push into the battery electric-car segment for a firm which has long trumpeted rival fuel-cell vehicles, reflecting strong investor pressure to compete more vigorously in a market that has been stimulated by U.S.-based Tesla's longer-range models. And tough fuel-economy and emissions regulations in the United States, Europe and China are compelling automakers to push fuel-efficient cars even though low oil prices have undercut demand. Hyundai's electric-car platform would allow the automaker to install a battery pack in vehicle floors to accommodate more battery capacity and maximize cabin space, Lee said. "The electric-vehicle platform will require high up-front investments, but we are doing this to prepare for the future," he said at Hyundai-Kia's green car research center in the city of Yongin, outside Seoul. He did not reveal the cost. Lee, a senior vice-president at Hyundai Motor, was speaking during an interview on the eve of an auto show that kicked off in Seoul on Thursday. Analysts said Hyundai had no choice but to build separate electric-vehicle platforms to be relevant in the segment. "The separate platform may incur losses initially, but Hyundai will be left behind the market if they don't offer long-distance models, like 300 km, 500 km and 600 km," said Ko Tae-bong, an analyst at Hi Investment & Securities.