2010 Hyundai Sonata Se Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Hyundai poaches BMW M engineering chief to lead new performance division

The Hyundai Motor Group may be getting more serious about its performance credentials, but in order to realize its goal of making more serious performance machinery, it's going to need the expertise to get there. Fortunately that's just what it's acquired in hiring Albert Biermann. The former chief engineer at BMW M GmbH, Biermann has been working for the Bavarian automaker for over three decades now, and since his appointment as Vice President of Engineering at the M division, was most recently responsible for developing the latest M3, M4 and M6 – not to mention bridging the gap between BMW's standard models and its M lineup with the M Performance range. But now the 57-year-old German has been named the Korean group's new head of Vehicle Test & High Performance Development. In his new job, Biermann will be based out of Hyundai's R&D center in Namyang, South Korea, and will be tasked with "the development of new high performance Hyundai and Kia models" while also working to improve the two brands' ride, handling, safety, reliability and NVH reductions. The appointment makes Biermann the second high-ranking German executive the Korean automaker brought on board, after chief designer Peter Schreyer. Although Hyundai recently shut down its US racing program with Rhys Millen Racing, it has embarked on an ambitious assault of the World Rally Championship, and recently opened a test center at the Nurburgring with an eye towards launching a new N performance line that sounds like it'll be right up Biermann's alley. News Source: Hyundai Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Hyundai Kia Performance Hyundai N albert biermann

2020 Virtual Geneva Motor Show Editors' Picks

There may not have been an actual Geneva Motor Show this year, but there were still loads of car reveals that happened the week that the show would have happened. So we still wanted to highlight what our favorites of the would-be show. Our list of cars seemed to match the theme of the reveals, too, highlighting over-the-top supercars and forward thinking electric vehicles. Scroll down to see our favorites. Fifth Place: Aston Martin V12 Speedster - 21 points Managing Editor, Greg Rasa: Astons are works of art, and this one's ready for the Louvre. The design nods to Aston history are nifty. It looks like a jet fighter, except those have canopies. Not sure what 186 mph would be like in this, but don't try it in summer when there are bugs. Contributing Editor, Joe Lorio: Admittedly, this one is a little silly. A $950,000 sports car with no roof? A 700-hp two-seater with no windshield? But the offerings at the Geneva auto show have always tilted toward absurdity, and Aston’s V12 Speedster is endearingly outrageous as a fighter plane for the street. Third Place (Tie): Volkswagen ID.4 - 26 points Senior Producer, Chris McGraw: I don't have much to say about this other than I am a huge fan of more EVs coming to the market, which is why two-thirds of my picks are electric, including the ID.4. Producer, Alex Malberg: Any new fully-electric crossover is a vote for me. The fact it doesn't look terrible and VW will be including AWD later are bonuses.  Third Place (Tie): Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio GTA - 26 points Road Test Editor, Zac Palmer: Hard to argue with the logic of this one. The Giulia Quadrifoglio is already the best driver in this class of hot sedans, so why not extend the lead with a special model. That wing is Type R levels of high, and I completely approve. Associate Editor, Byron Hurd: Love this car. Love it, love it, love it. It's beautiful, aggressive and fast. I'd take it over an M3 or C63 any day. As cool as the GTAm is, though, I'd rather stick to the four-seat GTA. Something about a four-door car with two seats just doesn't really work for me. I haven't alienated ALL of my friends quite yet. Second Place: Hyundai Prophecy - 35 points Senior Editor, Green, John Snyder: I get whiffs of the Genesis Coupe from this sleek concept. I like the focus on form, with interesting details to discover if you look for them. West Coast Editor, James Riswick: Does it look like a Porsche? Sure, but Porsches look neat.

Hyundai's Santa Fe for SEMA has 1,040 hp and rear-wheel drive

Bisimoto, working with Hyundai, will not disappoint at SEMA this year. Continuing its tradition of absurdly powerful versions of ordinary cars, the company will show off a Santa Fe with 1,040 horsepower. Not only that, but this crossover, named "Santa-Fast," also sends that power through a six-speed manual to the rear. To create this monstrous machine, Bisimoto started with a normal 3.8-liter Hyundai V6. The company then completely rebuilt the engine with forged pistons, stronger connecting rods and more aggressive cams. After that came a pair of Turbonetics turbochargers that can reach a peak pressure of 39 psi. That's a lot of boost, and in turn a lot of power, so the computer limits boost in certain gears to help with traction and, you know, not totally destroying the tires. Connected to this engine is a mix of other Hyundai parts, starting with a six-speed manual transmission from a Genesis Coupe R-Spec. The power then goes back to a differential from a Hyundai Equus. This differential resides in a completely new, custom rear subframe built by Rothfab. The rest of the crossover is fairly standard SEMA fare. It gets a flashy livery, big Buddy Club brakes, Fifteen52 wheels, KW coil-over suspension, a roll cage and Momo racing seats. It's a solid looking package, and we can't wait to see more photos of this nutso build. That being said, Bisimoto's other project, a Hyundai-powered 911, could give this Santa Fe a run for its money. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bisimoto Hyundai Sante Fe: SEMA 2016 Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Aftermarket SEMA Show Hyundai Crossover hyundai santa fe bisimoto santa fe