2014 Hyundai Veloster Turbo R-spec on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Genesis luxury sedan range to get its own U.S. dealership network

Hyundai is informing its dealers that its 2-year-old luxury brand Genesis is ready to fly the coop. The company says it will focus in 2018 on building out a network of around 100 Genesis retailers with the goal of eventually operating standalone facilities to better distinguish the high-end brand. First dibs on applications for the new franchise licenses will go to existing dealers who also sell Genesis in "defined key markets," the company says. New Genesis showrooms will initially operate from temporary or shared facilities, with standalone facilities taking shape over the next three years. "At Genesis, we believe in putting our customers first and giving them a proper ownership experience," Erwin Raphael, general manager of Genesis Motor America, said in a statement. "To ensure that happens, we need to take this next step in the separation of the Genesis brand from our parent company." Genesis earlier this month announced the opening of its first headquarters-owned standalone showroom in the Gangnam business district of Seoul, South Korea. The two-story facility flips the script on typical dealerships by limiting exposure to the products from the outside "to maximize a private and personal setting that enhances the interaction between the customer and the product." The showroom also incorporates the brand's scent and sound, and it features a private Launch Bay for test drives and engagement with the vehicles via the virtual reality-based Genesis Virtual Guide. Hyundai launched Genesis as its standalone luxury nameplate in December 2015, though the Genesis had been a Hyundai sedan model name for several years prior. At the time, it said it planned six models by 2020. Most recently, we heard that Genesis is planning a third crossover for 2021, plus its long-planned electric car in the same year. Sales of its G80, G80 Sport and G90 in the U.S. nudged above 20,000 last year. It recently launched the G70, an entry-level compact sedan.Related Video:

Race Recap: The Lion roars at 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

The 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is in the books, and so are a lot of new records. It was a 16-hour workday for drivers and spectators, and we spent almost 12 of that at 14,110 feet trying to stay hydrated and sane. The biggest news has already made it around the world, that being Sébastien Loeb's run of 8:13, one most people are convinced will stand for some time unless another manufacturer wants to shower money on the mountain.
As always, however, a million other things took place on that sliver of road named for Lt. Zebulon Pike. For the complete race results you can still catch the live timing info here. For our report on the day, read on...

Hyundai Ioniq launches in Korea before challenging Prius in US [w/video]

Enough with the teasers already: Hyundai has officially launched its first dedicated electrified vehicle. The Korean automaker is naturally rolling out the all-new model in its domestic market before sending it our way. But when it does arrive, it will offer a choice of three powertrains with decreasing levels of reliance on fossil fuels. Hyundai isn't saying how far or how fast the Ioniq hybrid will travel, but it will travel on electric mode at up to 75 miles per hour. Deriving its name from an amalgamation of "ion" and "unique," the new Ioniq bears a shape largely dictated by aerodynamic requirements, helping the Ioniq achieve a drag coefficient of just 0.24, and lending it a similar appearance to the Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius, and Honda Insight. Unlike those vehicles, Hyundai will offer a fully electric version of the Ioniq at some point in the future. For the time being, the manufacturer has only detailed the hybrid version. The powertrain is built around a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder Kappa engine rated at 104 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque. It's paired to an electric motor that's good for another 43 hp, giving the system a combined output of 139 hp and as much as 195 lb-ft, transmitting power through a new six-speed dual-clutch transmission with a lithium-ion polymer battery pack, hidden under the flat-folding rear seat to maximize passenger and cargo space, supplying the electric motor. Though the focus here is clearly on efficiency, Hyundai says it has also designed the Ioniq to behave in a sportier fashion than its rivals. Hyundai isn't saying how far or how fast the Ioniq hybrid will travel, but has disclosed that it will travel on electric mode at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. To further its range, the automaker fitted an efficient HVAC system, mounted low-rolling resistance tires, and developed a system that predicts energy requirements based on the programmed route and on traffic patterns to optimize charging and required level of gas engine assistance. It also made the vehicle as light as possible, using high-strength steel for the structure and aluminum for non-structural panels. Even the cargo cover is 25 percent lighter than a conventional one, and the construction uses a variety of renewable and recycled materials like (sugar cane and soybean oil) that are both environmentally friendly and lighter.