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Hyundai i30 N, so probably Veloster N, to get dual-clutch transmission

Hyundai's N Performance division broke out of the starting gate with the i30 N in Australia, fitted exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. Our first taste of a South Korean blue wonder will be the Veloster N launching later this year, and it also comes with that single gearbox. Hyundai executives told Australian site Car Advice an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is on the way, but that it won't join the party until late 2019. That means we could see it in the Veloster around then or a little later, and it might portend future developments for the go-fast lineup. The in-house unit will be all-new, not a rework of the seven-speed EcoShift dual-clutch in the Veloster Turbo. It isn't clear whether the seven-speeder can handle the 279 pound-feet of torque in the top-spec N cars when on overboost. According to N Peformance boss Albert Biermann, the new eight-speed, wet-clutch, paddle-shifted gearbox has already been tested in the Kia Sorento diesel, which has 325 lb-ft of torque, and the 380-horsepower RN30 concept car. Ultimately, it will serve vehicles across Hyundai and Kia ranges. Although late introduction of a dual-clutch has been the plan all along, a Hyundai exec admitted "sales limitations" in offering a manual exclusively. Every prime rival offers dual-clutch transmissions. But Hyundai believed that it needed to appeal to the Euro hot-hatch purists first, and we can't blame it. The long delay between launch and DCT availability does raise questions and possibilities, though. Every N model unveiled so far sends all power to the front wheels because, according to Biermann, "Without a high amount of power there is no need to go to all-wheel drive." The introduction of the beefier eight-speed DCT that's ready to deal with at least 380 hp and 325 lb-ft could open up the way to even more powerful N versions and all-wheel drive, which has the potential to create real parity with segment rivals. Car Advice also reported that Hyundai Australia will cover track use in the five-year warranty on the i30 N. We'll wait to see if that line-item makes it to the U.S., but after the dual-clutch woes suffered by competitors like the Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus RS, such reassurance could go a long way with buyers. Eventually. Related Video:

2019 Hyundai Veloster | Overdue overhaul, and this just in: N

Hard to believe the Hyundai Veloster is only now coming into its second generation after eight years on the market. Our surprise is likely due to the fact that the Veloster, like the ancient American Alligator mississippiensis, lives mostly out of the way and hasn't changed much in its time here. Hyundai planners worked up a restrained evolution for the 2019 Veloster that takes place mostly in the cabin and under the skin in the standard and middle models. The 2019 Veloster's dimensions grow by fractions: Length grows by 0.8 of an inch, width by 0.4, front overhang by 0.8. Height holds steady at 55.1 inches, but rear headroom gets a few hairs' improvement, increasing by 0.6 of an inch. The three-door wears a new face, that wider, hexagonal grille — and especially that hood shutline connecting the headlights — reminding us of the Ford Focus, a competitor. Elsewhere, details work to make the most of massaged sheetmetal, like the rear of the hood and the A-pillar squeezed rearward "to create a long hood profile," and the liftgate handle moved from the rear hatch sheetmetal to the backlight. Two engines suit up for duty, a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder in the base model, with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. That's a bonus of 15 hp and 12 lb-ft over the naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter in the current Veloster and Veloster Value Edition. The next trim rung gets the 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI engine, with no increase in output at 201 hp and 195 lb-ft. View 11 Photos The 2.0-liter comes in either standard or Premium trims. The entry-level gets a choice of either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, the Premium only comes with the automatic. The Turbo comes in three flavors, R-Spec, Turbo, and the new Turbo Ultimate. The R-Spec gets the six-speed manual, Turbo comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, Turbo Ultimate buyers get their choice of manual or DCT. Moments before the reveal of the Veloster at the Detroit Auto Show, photos leaked of a Veloster N performance version. We've read rumors that the truly hot Veloster N could get anywhere from 250 hp to the same 271 hp as in the i30 N; our guess is that Hyundai wants to leave plenty of room in the middle for revolution at the top of the range. The interior benefits from an overdue overhaul sprinkling available goodies like a full-featured heads-up display, an eight-inch infotainment screen, wireless charging, and Infinity audio.

Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs