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Super Bowl commercials: Steven Tyler, Emerson Fittipaldi, Keanu Reeves and more

Sunday is Super Bowl LII, which means America will immerse itself in high-calorie potluck fare, garish halftime-show entertainment (Justin Timberlake, bringing sexy back, but not that kind), the most expensive and over-the-top TV ads of the year, and — oh yeah — a football game between two teams connected by Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line. What else you gonna do on the first Sunday of February? As usual, automakers plan big, splashy TV spots to reach all those gajillions of eyeballs glued to the teevee, though the list may be shorter than in previous years. Here's a roundup of what we know is coming. Hyundai Hyundai will test the football/futbol divide with a 60-second spot starring a youth-soccer ref who arrives for the game dramatically and just in time in his 2018 Kona. Only it's Super Bowl Sunday, so he — along with the two coaches, and apparently most of the parents — are eager to get on with their game-day plans. Advantage: football, being the message, we guess. The ad does make a quick plug for Hyundai's BlueLink nav system, but this is only nominally about the car. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Hyundai also plans a 60-second ad that recognizes people fighting pediatric cancers and highlights its own nonprofit organization that focuses on the cause, according to Reuters. Kia This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Korean automaker will put Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler behind the wheel of its new Stinger on an abandoned racetrack. The former " American Idol" host promptly puts it into reverse, going back to his '70s heyday, courtesy of some CGI, to the strains of "Dream On" played backwards. Trotting out an almost-70-year-old to relive some classic rock glory fits the Super Bowl template to a T. Two-time Formula One and Indianapolis 500 champ Emerson Fittipaldi also makes a cameo. It airs in the third quarter. Lexus This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus teams with Marvel Studios to preview its forthcoming movie "Black Panther," which arrives in theaters Feb. 16. In "Long Live The King," the Black Panther, a.k.a. King T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, dispatches some bad guys to recover stolen Vibranium after clinging to the roof of a speeding 2018 LS 500 F Sport, driven by co-star Danai Gurira.

Hyundai Nexo revealed at CES: Hydrogen SUV finally gets a name, more photos

Hyundai Nexo, that's the name of the fuel-cell electric vehicle to succeed the Tucson FCEV. Built on a dedicated platform instead of using a converted ICE architecture, as the Tucson did, the Nexo packs a lighter, more compact hydrogen powertrain and a more powerful electric motor to deliver improved performance everywhere. The Nexo also plays a key role in Hyundai's "Hydrogen Life Vision," which aims at integrating hydrogen as a home energy source. The power density of the Nexo's stack increases by 50 percent, and overall system efficiency goes up 5.1 percent. The smaller engine contains fewer moving parts, and even the hydrogen tanks are 36 pounds lighter than those in the Tucson FCEV. View 11 Photos The Tucson FCEV uses a 100-kW electric motor that provides 221-pound-feet of torque, and after the 90-second preparation and stack heating time on startup, the Tucson accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour in 12.5 seconds. The Tucson's two storage tanks held 140 liters of hydrogen (37 gallons) that could provide about 295 miles of range and an EPA rating of 50 mpge. The Nexo uses a 120-kW motor with 291 lb-ft, is ready to go in 30 seconds after starting, and accelerates to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The new FCEV's three storage tanks hold 156 liters of hydrogen (42 gallons), which Hyundai says are good for more than 350 miles on the EPA test cycle. In a real-world run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Hyundai said the Nexo returned a 360-mile range and 57 mpge. Refilling the 700-bar system will take five minutes. The Nexo will introduce some of the carmaker's new technology, too. Lane Following Assist keeps the Nexo in the center of its lane in the city and on the highway, and recognizes road edges when lane markings aren't clear. Blind-spot View Monitor displays an image of either side of the vehicle when the driver plans to change lanes. The Nexo parks itself autonomously, and returns, with Remote Smart Parking Assistant Hyundai envisions owners of this second-generation FCEV beginning to use the Nexo as an integral part of their lives, not merely as an appliance. At the Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai will have the Nexo hooked up and providing power to a demo household as part of the automaker's "Hydrogen Life Vision." The carmaker's also got plans for using the Nexo's "pure water to grow vegetation" (water and water vapor are the only emissions byproduct of FCEVs).

Hyundai Sonata's slow sales start to trigger more daring redesign

On paper, the latest Hyundai Sonata has been a winner. The sedan sold 216,936 units in 2014, around 13,000 more than the previous year, and the new model posted healthy year-over-year gains in both December and November. However, according to a report from Wards Auto, the Korean brand isn't happy with how the vehicle is doing and is planning a redesign, to be timed with the future refresh. Unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the latest Sonata has a more refined, almost luxurious air about it, and the sedan ditches the swooping styling from the previous generation. It also comes at a slightly lower base price. But the more mature design is also the problem. Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski told Wards during the 2015 Detroit Auto Show that the new model was "not as distinctive" as its predecessor. Previously, "people would seek us out because we look different. And we don't get that now," he said. While no details on the redesign were divulged, Zuchowski said the company was already at work on the shape. He suggested the changes would debut for the Sonata's refresh, likely in the 2017 or 2018 model years. Autoblog reached out to Hyundai about the possible design change and spokesperson Derek Joyce told us, "Dave was simply referring to our normal mid-cycle refresh where it's typical to make styling tweaks." According to Wards, the latest Sonata isn't conquesting as many buyers from other brands as Hyundai would like. The company reportedly raised incentives to get them to move. So while sales were up, the automaker was disappointed. AutoTrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs confirmed to Autoblog that incentives were high for the Sonata, but that had nothing to do with its design. "The midsize car segment has fallen out of favor with buyers who want utilities so they are carrying very heavy incentives. We expect that trend to continue and then some in 2015," she said. A previous report also claimed that the 2015 Sonata wasn't living up to sales expectations in part due to its more traditional styling. But the company shot down those claims because the sedan was still rolling out the entire range to dealers at the time. Even now, Hyundai is still adding the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In to the lineup in the coming year.