2015 Hyundai Sonata Se on 2040-cars

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2015 Hyundai Sonata gets a shadowy preview

It's only been on the market since 2010, but such is the hectic pace of the family sedan world that the Hyundai Sonata finds itself as the elder statesmen of the midsize segment. The current, sixth-generation sedan put the Korean automaker in the hunt with its audacious Fluidic Sculpture styling and bold powertrain choices (it was the first to eschew a six-cylinder option), but time has brought with it tough new competitors from the likes of Ford, Honda, Mazda and others, so it's time for a new model.
Previewed here in this official teaser rendering is an all-new, seventh-generation model, and at first blush, it looks markedly more conservative and refined than its predecessor, with more restrained surfacing and a more traditional six-sided grille. Scheduled for a world premiere in Korea later this month, the Sonata is expected to make its first show circuit appearance at the New York Auto Show in April.
Built atop a platform with significantly more advanced high-strength steel (51 percent vs. 21 percent) and increased use of structural adhesives, the Sonata's bones promise to be both more rigid (by 40 percent) and lighter. Cloaked in Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 bodywork, so far Hyundai isn't saying much about powertrain updates, but it is trumpeting a redesigned interior with a new infotainment interface and redesigned seats.

Bisimoto tunes Hyundai Ioniq SEMA show car for efficiency, not power

Automotive tuner Bisimoto is probably best known for its wildly powerful SEMA show cars, such as its 1,029 horsepower Honda Odyssey, and last year's 1,040-horsepower, rear-drive Hyundai Santa Fe. But this year, the company tried something different, building a Hyundai Ioniq hybrid not for power, but for fuel economy. According to Hyundai and Bisimoto, the resulting HyperEconiq managed to repeatedly exceed 80 mpg, based on 83 tests by the tuning company. That's a seriously impressive gain considering the standard Ioniq hybrid is rated at 57 mpg city and 59 mpg highway. Bisimoto was able to do this by enhancing just about every aspect of the car inside and out. But the most obvious changes are on the outside. The HyperEconiq features a custom body kit with front and side splitters, and a rear spoiler. There are also some prominent wheel spats, something we haven't really seen since the first-generation Honda Insight. The car also features lightweight, one-piece carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution, and they're shod in high-silica low rolling resistance tires. Aluminum brake calipers further lighten the car, and coilover suspension lowers the car for better aerodynamics. There are a few other mechanical changes under the skin, too. The engine features unique low-friction 0W20 oil from PurOl. It has also been tweaked so that more air can be pulled in during valve overlap, and the exhaust was upgraded to improve exhaust flow out of the engine. The overall look is rather attractive. The body kit makes the car look sportier and more aggressive, and the carbon wheels are a nice accent to the dark gray color. We're still undecided on the looks of the wheel spats, but if they're functional, it's hard to argue with them. It will also be interesting to see if hypermiling upgrades enter the aftermarket mainstream. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bisimoto Hyundai HyperEconiq: SEMA 2017 Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Aftermarket Green SEMA Show Hyundai Fuel Efficiency Hatchback Hybrid Sedan hyundai ioniq bisimoto

Motorcyclist gives rude driver a taste of instant justice

A British motorcyclist proved that no good deed goes unpunished recently when he tried to return a motorist's wallet and got nothing but abuse for his trouble. According to the Daily Mail, a motorcyclist somewhere in England spotted a driver in a silver Hyundai pull out of a gas station with a wallet and cellphone on the roof. As the driver pulled off, the wallet slid off the roof and landed in the street, where the motorcyclist retrieved it. With wallet in hand, the motorcyclist set off in pursuit of the Hyundai driver, but when he approached the car the driver didn't seem too happy to see him. As the rider approached, the Hyundai driver tried to escape him, then spat a string of profanity at the rider as he pulled up to the car's window. The motorcyclist then flung the driver's wallet at him through the car's open window, whereupon the driver quickly changed his tune. "Thank you so much, bro!" the driver is heard saying in the video. The motorcyclist decided that he'd had enough abuse and wasn't buying the Hyundai driver's improved attitude, so he decided to extract a little revenge. He grabbed the driver's phone off the Hyundai's roof. He held it up to the driver of the car and then casually tossed it on the ground. Then the motorcyclist rode away, presumably believing he'd taught the rude driver a valuable lesson. Related Video: News Source: The Daily Mail Auto News Weird Car News Hyundai Motorcycle road rage good samaritan motorcyclist