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2019 Hyundai Veloster N First Drive Review | Naughty and Nice

NuRBURGRING, Germany — The N in the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N's name supposedly represents Hyundai's R&D base back in Namyang. For the excuse to visit Germany I'm glad N also stands for Nurburgring, the track on which it was honed and symbolic of the car enthusiast culture it wants a piece of. Because here in the Eifel mountains it feels like a permanent party for gearheads. The parking lot where you access the Nordschleife for the legendary "tourist laps" is buzzing with cars from every corner of Europe. The air around the track is thick with barbecue smoke, hot brakes and adrenaline, high-performance engines echoing across the rolling landscape long after the track has shut down for the day. It's a heady atmosphere, and exactly the spirit Hyundai wants to capture for an American audience in the Veloster N. The man tasked with doing that is Albert Biermann, recruited from an equivalent job at BMW M for his instinctive understanding of what enthusiast drivers want. Proof of that is evident in the number of M2s and M3s you see pounding the Nordschleife tourist sessions. Hyundai is clearly hoping he can channel that expertise into its own products. He makes the right noises about the brand's home being in Korea, but on a sunny evening in the German countryside with a pilsner in hand, it's clear this is his comfort zone and N most definitely stands for Nurburgring. Next day we're out on the track itself, the exit from the pit lane so abrupt I've barely selected second gear before filtering out onto the Nordschleife. I've bagged first place in the train of cars behind an instructor in an i30 N, the Elantra GT relative that launched the performance brand to the European market last year to critical acclaim. And I'm determined to make him work for his lunch. They might have a different look and distinct chassis tuning, but the i30 N and its Veloster cousin are pretty much interchangeable in terms of hardware. Like all N products, the Veloster N will be manual-transmission only for the near future, partly out of deference to enthusiasts and partly out of lack of a suitable in-house gearbox. And they have the same 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine driving the front wheels with 275 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's a big jump from the 201-hp, 1.6-liter Veloster Turbo Ultimate and puts it square between the Golf GTI and all-wheel-drive R, which is no accident given Volkswagen's performance products are the benchmark Hyundai needs to exceed.

Nine things we learned driving the 2017 Hyundai Elantra [w/video]

You know how there are pretty much no bad cars anymore? Manufacturers have switched their efforts from eradicating badness to improving on good things. If the last Elantra had any real issues, it rode kind of poorly and had a so-so interior. This 2017 model fixes that while quietly improving on just about everything else too. Not a lot of it is noticeable on its own, but it adds up to a better car. Read our full First Drive for the usual impressions, or if you prefer, take them in via this new format we're trying out. Cutting right to the chase, here are nine things we learned from our time in the 2017 Hyundai Elantra. It looks like three or four other cars, but that's a good thing. The old model of derivative styling took a few well-known designs as inputs and spat out a bland object reminiscent of nothing and everything at once. Because there are no new ideas, and since recycling is a thing, designers have thankfully moved on to picking and choosing the pieces that work best and knitting them together into a cohesive design. On this Elantra, that means some Dodge Dart (RIP) in the hood and front fenders, a bit of Jaguar in the headlights, and hints of Mazda in the way the front end comes together. The result is handsomely inoffensive – less character than the last Elantra, maybe, but it all works. And the interior is a big step up in terms of materials, layout, and design. Have a look at our 360-degree VR overview below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. It will talk to your phone. Every Elantra but the basiest base car comes with a touchscreen head unit. On models with the Popular Equipment Package, that's a seven-inch head unit with normal radio functions plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The Limited with Tech Package swaps that out for an eight-inch display with nav and the same smartphone projection powers. The ride is better than the last Elantra's. The front and rear suspensions have both been tweaked for the 2017 model, and the car is supposed to be much more rigid. It's most noticeable over big bumps; the car doesn't shudder like it used to and the suspension manages body movement well in almost all situations. There's still some body roll, but the front seats have surprisingly large bolsters that keep you in place. The steering is as numb as most other electric systems, although it does feel less artificial than on previous Hyundais.

Hyundai To Fight $248 Million Judgment Over Fatal Montana Crash

A Montana jury has levied a $248 million ruling against Hyundai in the case of a crash that killed two occupants in July 2011. The automaker plans to appeal the ruling. Cousins Trevor and Tanner Olson were driving a 2005 Hyundai Tiburon when they hit another vehicle head-on. According to lawyers representing their family, the steering knuckle on the car cracked and this allegedly caused it to lose control. Hyundai claimed that fireworks had been let off inside the vehicle, which caused the driver to swerve. The company alleges that evidence that could have proved its innocence was barred from the case. The jury found in favor of the family and awarded them about $8 million in damages after a two-week trial. It claimed that Hyundai had shown "actual malice," according to Reuters. The jurors also slammed Hyundai with a further $240 million in punitive damages. Hyundai told Reuters that it plans to appeal immediately and called the verdict "outrageous." Autoblog has received a copy of the automaker's official statement, detailing its plans to appeal this case. Scroll down to read it. Statement by Hyundai Motor America While a tragic accident, Hyundai firmly believes the jury's verdict in Olson vs. Hyundai is mistaken and award of damages at three times what was sought by the plaintiffs is outrageous and should be overturned as Hyundai is not at fault. Eyewitness testimony established – and experts for both sides agree – that fireworks exploded in the unbelted teenagers' vehicle immediately before the July 2, 2011 accident, which involved the driver losing control, crossing the median and crashing head-on into an oncoming Pontiac at a closing speed of approximately 140 miles per hour – a speed confirmed by experts for both sides. Hyundai believes the jury's view of the evidence was distorted by a series of erroneous rulings by the Court, the most egregious of which prevented the jury from reviewing performance testing conducted by renowned failure analysis experts that would have disproven the plaintiffs' theory of the case – a theory derived by a local resident with no previous automotive experience. Hyundai will seek an immediate appeal. Technical Background The 140 mph closing speed head-on collision crushed the steering knuckles of both vehicles involved, a Hyundai Tiburon and a Pontiac Grand Am.