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First Hyundai N car coming to US in 2018, and we think we know what it is

SEOUL, South Korea - At the worldwide debut for the all-new Hyundai Kona compact crossover in South Korea, a group of journalists was given a sneak peek at Hyundai's new N performance car division. The group, led by Albert Biermann, has been tasked with giving Hyundai a performance image beyond the occasional car like the Genesis coupe or Veloster Turbo. Its first project, the i30 N, is nearly complete. Unfortunately, it's not coming to the US, though we will be getting our very own N car sometime next year. Now, Biermann and Hyundai will not say what that car is, but all signs point to the Veloster. Hyundai won't comment on future products, but we saw at least three distinct versions of the Veloster testing at Namyang during our visit. There was a standard model with center-mounted trapezoidal exhaust tips. There was a turbo-badged model with two round center-mounted exhaust tips. Finally, we saw what is surely the N model. This had a hidden N badge in the grille (in the same place as the i30 Ns that we saw) and exhaust tips that were pushed to the corners of the bumper. We weren't allowed to take photos of anything, but the new Veloster has the same basic asymmetric shape as before, as seen in some spy photos. The interior looks to be similar to the i30, with a floating infotainment display and a clean and simple layout. Unfortunately, most of the exterior was still covered in camouflage. Despite the parade of cars, there was nothing on the exterior that we haven't seen in spy photos. Other details are scarce, but look for the turbo model to retain the 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four, good for at least 200 horsepower. That should give the N model plenty of breathing room. We believe it will get the same engine as the i30 N, meaning a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four making at least 250 horsepower, possibly more. While we didn't get a chance to drive the i30 N, the cars made all the right noises when blasting about. According to Biermann, it was the sound of tuned Hondas and Kias blasting about Hyundai's R&D facility that really kicked things off with N. Engineers were buying other cars since there wasn't much on offer. Hyundai wanted to give people cars they could track and tune and be just as fast as the competition. We have high hopes for both the Veloster N and the N division as a whole. Biermann was formerly the vice president of engineering for BMW's M division and was in charge of the development of the M3, M4, and M6.

Hyundai Motor's two R&D vice chairmen reportedly resigning

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor Group's two vice chairmen in charge of research and development have offered to resign, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. R&D president Albert Biermann is likely to be named the new head of the division, two of the sources added, declining to be named as they are not authorized to speak to media. Hyundai is battling a plunge in sales, profits and its share price, and the reshuffle would be the latest since Hyundai promoted Euisun Chung in September to executive vice chairman, moving him closer to succeeding his octogenarian father as head of South Korea's second-largest group. The group has appointed new product strategy, design chiefs and replaced senior executives at its overseas operations, including China and the United States. The latest shake-up at the group, which includes Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors, could be announced on Wednesday, one of the sources said. It is "part of a generational change Chung is pushing for," another person said. A Hyundai Motor spokesman declined to comment. The group's vice chairmen, Yang Woong-chul and Kwon Moon-sik, both aged 64, told senior officials on Tuesday that they would leave the company, the sources said, declining to say why they had offered to resign. Biermann, a former BMW performance vehicle development official, adds to a flurry of foreign executives that Chung, 48, has brought in to the company typically dominated by Koreans. In October, Thomas Schemera, also a former BMW executive, was appointed to lead product planning for autonomous cars, connected and electrified vehicles, while Luc Donckerwolke, a former Bentley design chief, was appointed to oversee design at Hyundai and Kia. Hyundai Motor's third-quarter net profit plunged by two-thirds, hit by U.S. recall costs that added to its problems. The automaker was already suffering with weak sales in its key U.S. and Chinese markets. Hyundai's share price is down more than 10 percent this quarter, despite a recent rebound driven by a share buyback plan announced on Nov. 30. Reporting by Hyunjoo JinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe spotted with rumors of a V8 underhood

Our spy shooters have captured a Hyundai Genesis Coupe mule testing in Sweden. This is merely the current body cut-and-pasted to fit new internals, so don't be disappointed by its looks; we're looking forward to inspiration from the HCD-9 and perhaps grand touring inclinations on the production car whenever it appears. The photographers said they noticed the hood's been modified, perhaps to clear the 5.0-liter V8 from the Genesis sedan. That engine would be part of the plan to push further upscale said to be planned for the Genesis Coupe, along with the fender arch cutouts on this mule that push the wheels to the corners for a longer wheelbase that will make more room for passengers. Rumor has been that the next car will do a much better job of swallowing four adults. The company's HTRAC all-wheel drive is expected to be an option, Hyundai having said five years ago that the feature is being engineered into the Genesis family platform. A reveal probably won't come until sometime in 2016.