2014 Hyundai Elantra Sport on 2040-cars

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More than a half-million Hyundai, Kia compacts recalled for brake light problem

Hyundai and Kia will recall more than a half-million compact cars in the U.S. starting next year because of a brake-light problem. The recall covers more than 390,000 Hyundai Elantras from the 2013 and 2014 model years, and more than 134,000 Kia Forte cars from 2012 through 2014. The Associated Press, citing documents the companies filed with the federal government, reports that a polymer stopper pad between the brake pedal arm and the light switch can deteriorate and keep the brake lights on when the brakes aren't actually engaged. The problem also means a driver can shift out of park without stepping on the brake pedal. Neither automaker reported any crashes or injuries stemming from the issue. Dealers will replace the stopped pads starting Jan. 30 for Kia and Feb. 8 for Hyundai.Related Video:

Facelifted Genesis G70 spied in new photos

The updated Genesis G70 was spotted testing on the road in Europe, and spy photos shared with Autoblog depict a prototype wearing significant camouflage that could be hiding some big updates to Hyundai's luxurious newcomer.  Mid-cycle refreshes are often nip-and-tuck affairs, but the extent of the coverings on this prototype suggest that Genesis has more in store for its compact luxury sedan than a fresh set of LEDs and some delicately re-drawn bumpers.  According to our spies, there may even be revisions to the materials used in the unibody and exterior panels to reduce weight and improve both efficiency and performance. The sedan's manual transmission is expected to live on for at least another model year, but whether it will carry over to the face-lifted model remains to be seen.  While both the head- and taillights on this prototype do appear to be new, we expect the G70's list of updates to be far more comprehensive, including updated powertrains and chassis updates. One of Hyundai's latest generation of turbocharged four-cylinders making at least 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque is even rumored to be making an appearance. Currently, the four-cylinder engine in the G70 makes 252 hp and 260 lb-ft. Based on Hyundai's estimates for the Sonata N-Line, the G70 could be getting a boost of nearly 40 horsepower and 50 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers might be conservative, as the G70's rear-wheel drive platform will take more readily to extra power than the Sonata's front-wheel drive setup. Increased power from the turbo four would make the 365-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.3L V6 less of an upgrade, but we suspect Hyundai will massage the 6's output to keep the natural order of things intact.  Related Video:            

Hyundai readying 708-hp Sonata for SEMA

For the past two years at the SEMA show, the folks at Bisimoto Engineering have taken one of Hyundai's models and tuned it up to levels of power previously unimaginable. It started in 2012 with a 600-horsepower Elantra GT, and they outdid themselves last year with a 1,000-hp Genesis Coupe. This year Bisimoto's tuners are teasing their latest wild creation by starting with a normal 2015 Sonata and turning the wick up to 708 hp thanks to a long list of engine mods. The key in this massive injection of power is taking the regular 2.4-liter Theta-II four-cylinder engine and doing everything necessary so that it can actually withstand so much additional strain. That means introducing forged pistons and connecting rods and an improved valvetrain with new cams, plus a high-boost turbocharger to really up the ante. It's all then mated to a six-speed manual to get things rolling. "After hundreds of hours of testing, failure analysis and prototyping, 18 new products will be engineered and produced in house to produce 708 horsepower from the Sonata," said Bisi Ezerioha, owner of Bisimoto Engineering in Hyundai's release. While it might be pretty cool to find a 708-hp Sonata that looked completely stock at first glance, this is for the SEMA show after all, and it's all about showing off there. So in addition to the huge increase in horsepower, the Hyundai gets a complete aero upgrade, a coil-over suspension and a roll cage inside, in addition to other improvements. At the moment, only the rear of the car is being teased ahead of the November 4 reveal. Until we get to see more, scroll down to read Bisimoto's entire parts list to turn Sonata from a commuter into a racer. HYUNDAI PARTNERS WITH BISIMOTO FOR A THIRD YEAR TO CREATE 708 HORSEPOWER FLEX-FUEL 2015 SONATA 22/09/14 Bisimoto Engineering Focuses on Strengthening and Reliability to Create Most-Powerful Sonata Ever FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 22, 2014 – For the third year in a row, Hyundai is partnering with the powertrain gurus at Bisimoto Engineering, this time to create a 708 horsepower Sonata for the 2014 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Bisimoto's team specializes in extracting huge output from Hyundai's engines, like the 1000 horsepower Bisimoto Genesis Coupe that was built for last year's SEMA show. For this year's show, the team is using Hyundai's 2.4-liter "Theta-II" 4-cylinder engine as the starting point for their build.