2019 Hyundai Sonata Se on 2040-cars

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Hyundai announces pricing for Ioniq Electric subscription service

When we first drove the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, we learned about a unique subscription program that would be available for Hyundai Ioniq Electric buyers in California. Instead of a traditional purchase or lease, it would be a no-haggle program with unlimited mileage and service and wear items covered. At the time, though, Hyundai didn't have pricing set for the program. Now it does. It also has a name. It's called Ioniq Unlimited+. The way it works is that after a consumer has their credit approved, they put down an initial $2,500 payment, and then pay a set monthly fee for the 36-month term. Pricing varies depending on the trim level of Ioniq Electric. The base model has a monthly fee of $275, the Limited goes for $305, and the Limited with the "Ultimate" package costs $365 per month. All of those prices are before tax. The advantages to this program over a typical lease are in all the included goodies. The initial tax, title, license and fees are covered with the down payment, drivers have no mileage caps, and charging, service, and wear items are all covered for 50,000 miles. If you're interested, hopefully you live in California, since that's the only state in which the program is offered. But, if the program is successful, there may be a chance it expands to other models and regions. Related Video:

Hyundai Veloster N TCR gives the hot hatch legit racing credentials

In addition to debuting the Elantra GT N Line, Hyundai used the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit to debut a new race car, the Veloster N TCR. With a 350-horsepower turbo-four, it is eligible to race in the 2019 International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Michelin Pilot Challenge series and the 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge. According to Hyundai, the Veloster N TCR was designed by the same Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing team that created the i30 N TCR and shares about 85 percent of the "core components," including the engine. The Veloster N TCR is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder that makes 350 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm. Power is sent to the front wheels using a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifting and an AP Racing cerametallic two-disc clutch. Life Racing handled the ECU, the power management system and the instrumentation. The Veloster N TCR rides on MacPherson struts with adjustable dampers up front and a multi-link rear suspension, also with adjustable dampers. Behind the Hyundai Motorsport 10x18 wheels, two-piston calipers up front and six-piston Brembo calipers in the rear handle braking. The exterior, which features a ferocious widebody aero kit and enormous rear trellis wing, uses steel and composite fiber paneling for the bodywork. With an added steel roll cage and the driver in the car, the Veloster N TCR weighs a claimed 2,833 pounds. Hyundai admits that the move works well for marketing its cars. Previously, the i30 N TCR has been racing in markets where the i30 N road car is not available. In the U.S., the i30's equivalent is the Elantra GT, but Hyundai does not offer an Elantra GT N in America. It does, however, now offer the new Veloster N here. So now fans of the touring car racing series will be able to watch a car that they can walk into the dealership and buy. The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season starts on Jan. 25 at Daytona International Speedway and spans 10 races across North America. Bryan Herta Autosport, the designated Veloster N TCR retailer in the U.S., will race two cars in the upcoming season. Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins will race one, while 20-year-old Mason Filippi and 18-year-old Harry Gottsacker will drive the other. They will go against the likes of the Honda Civic Type R TCR, the Volkswagen GTI TCR, and the Audi RS3 LMS TCR.

Hyundai CVVD engine brings another dimension to valve timing

A new technology from Hyundai Motor Group places another marker on the march to more efficient internal combustion engines. Called Continuously Variable Valve Duration, the innovation permits two options for how long the intake valves remain open during the combustion cycle. The feature adds a third take on valve chicanery, atop variable valve timing that changes when valves open, and variable valve lift that changes how far valves open. Hyundai says the feature returns a 4% improvement in performance, a 5% increase in fuel economy, and lowers emissions by 12%. Hyundai applied for two patents on the valvetrain process in South Korea in 2011 and again in 2015. The altered valve duration in this latest iteration is made possible by two movable arms inside the camshaft. Each arm is anchored at its base to a pin at the center of the camshaft, while the end of each arm extends toward the edge of the camshaft. Changing the position of the pin in the center of the camshaft changes the angle of the arms relative to one another, which moves the camshaft along its mounting rod. Voila, a new intake cam profile that either lengthens or shortens valve overlap.   During low-speed spells at low load, CVVD opens the intake valve from the middle to the end of compression stroke. The weaker detonation isn't a factor at low load, and the reduced friction during compression improves fuel economy. During heavy engine loads, the intake valve closes at the beginning of the compression stroke to maximize the amount of air mixed for detonation, boosting torque. Four additional features enhance the benefits of CVVD. A more powerful direct injection system increases fuel spray pressure from 250 bar to 350 bar. Hyundai doesn't go into details on its Integrated Thermal Management System, but says the ITMS "quickly heats or cools the engine to the optimal temperature." Low-friction components lower overall engine friction by 34 percent. And a low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation layout diverts low-pressure exhaust gas from the traditional EGR route to the turbocharger compressor under high load for better fuel efficiency.   The first engine to boast the new tech is the Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi four-cylinder, which produces 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It will appear in the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Turbo going on sale in South Korea later this year.