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Strange, unfunny Hyundai N Performance commercials badly miss the mark

Take a minute and watch the video above. After, you might have questions. I will try to help you with these. But first, here are some questions for you: No matter whether you thought the ad was good or not, does it get you excited about the N Performance subbrand? Do you want to find out more about it? I suspect the answer is "no" for most of you reading. Unfortunately, reading what Hyundai and the ad agency said about these ads isn't going to help much. Intended to skewer traditional luxury advertising tropes, the agency says, these ads are a "tongue-(stuck firmly)-in-cheek poke at automotive and luxury brands taking themselves too seriously." R/GA is the ad agency behind these ads, and its chief creative officer, James Temple, told AdAge, "We want people to rethink their views of Hyundai as a practical, compromise choice, to a brand which shows people through the power of 'N' that they make cars that are fun to drive and which aren't like anything else out there." OK. So, poke fun at luxury and automotive advertising that takes itself too seriously. And to be fair, this sort of thing has been done before to great success and general acclaim. Remember Volkswagen's "Unpimp The Auto" campaign? It cleverly took aim at a then-trendy aspect of the tuner culture and literally crushed it with a new GTI. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The message was clear: Your over-tuned Ford Focus is both gaudy and inferior. Step up to a GTI, which by the logic of the ad, you don't need to throw tuner parts at to have fun. It built excitement for the hot hatch while earning some automotive credibility by throwing shade at MTV's over-the-top " Pimp My Ride," at that point rapidly losing its halo of tuner coolness. "Pimp My Ride" was a big, easy target to mock. And the relationship to automotive performance (or lack thereof (most were plays on the "Yo dawg I heard you like ..." theme, anyways) made the analogy work. Where the Hyundai ads step off is the target for ridicule. R/GA claims it's roasting automotive brands, and they can say that all they want — I don't see it. I see a childlike understanding of how to dismantle the tropes of a classic Calvin Klein ad — monotone, lots of black, shirtless models, personal beauty products — over which the lightest veneer of automotive reference is applied. So the perfume smells like burning tires. That's still a humorous ad about perfume.

Hyundai previews new Creta crossover in first design sketch

It was barely a week ago that Hyundai announced the name of its upcoming subcompact crossover, the Creta. And now the Korean automaker has released the first sketch. The design bears obvious links to the larger Santa Fe (which was just unveiled in facelifted form) and the new Tucson (unveiled in Geneva), particularly at the front end with its angular eyes and trapezoidal grille. Hyundai promises "a bold front, voluminous side, [and] sporty rear," with a hidden A-pillar and an overall "premium look." Called the Creta, the new small crossover is set to take on the likes of the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, Jeep Renegade, and others in an increasingly vital, growing, and competitive segment. HYUNDAI MOTOR UNVEILS FIRST RENDERING OF CRETA SUB-COMPACT SUV Hyundai Motor Company today unveiled its first rendering of the upcoming Creta, sub-compact SUV. The design of Creta follows a premium look, based on Hyundai Motor's evolved design philosophy. Harmony between a bold front, voluminous side, sporty rear and other details complete the premium sub-compact SUV design. Creta with its bold and glamorous looks feature singular hexagonal radiator grille, sleek profile and a stable stance. The hidden A-pillar was applied to grant a unique and dynamic image, hinting at an open and airy cabin. Related Video:

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: April 2013

Learning To Love Understand You
I will admit, I haven't had the nicest things to say about our long-term 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo since its arrival in our fleet earlier this year. I can't exactly say that I've bonded with our turbocharged Hyundai, despite the fact that I've driven it quite a bit since its arrival in the Autoblog Garage. Several of my friends will no doubt recall me saying things like, "I love everything about this car - except driving it," which is a shame, since the driving aspect is what's supposed to make this car so special. I'm a big fan of the base Veloster, and this one has the extra power bump that the naturally aspirated could really benefit from. So what gives?
Recently, I took a trip to the south of France, where I drove the brand-new Ford Fiesta ST along the lovely roads of the Alps. I adored that car - it's everything a hot hatch should be, and it's priced right, too. But when I came home and picked up the Veloster Turbo at the airport, I found myself disappointed. The Ford I drove in Europe was similar to the Hyundai in terms of size, function, equipment and price, but it was far better to drive. To be fair, that car wasn't even out to benchmark when the Veloster Turbo debuted, but my already sour feelings only got worse at that moment.