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Hyundai preps an off-road shredder for SEMA

Hyundai is teaming with Rockstar Performance Garage to bring a nitrous-powered Santa Fe to the SEMA Show later this month. It will share space with the Hyundai's collaboration with tuner Bisimoto, which spawned a wicked 1,040-horsepower rear-wheel drive Santa Fe. Where the Bisimoto concept was all about on-road performance, this new Santa Fe was built to handle the trails. It starts with the basic, 3.3-liter V6 Hyundai Santa Fe. Rockstar then thoroughly re-worked the crossover, adding an AEM cold air intake, Mishimoto cooling system, and a nitrous-oxide injection system. Big R1 six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes were also fitted along with King coilovers up front and shocks in the rear. Much of the rest of the suspension is custom, including tie-rods and control arms. Rockstar also added 17-inch KMC XD 301 Turbine bead-lock wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson Baja Claw 35-inch off-road tires. The engine exhales through a custom Magnaflow exhaust. The Santa Fe also gets bespoke bumpers and rock-sliders. A Warn winch, Bulldog LED lighting, and a roof rack add style and function to the exterior. Inside, passengers get new leather pieces and a Kicker audio system. Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Hyundai scores NFL sponsorship after GM exits

Hyundai replaced General Motors as the official automotive sponsor of the NFL with a four-season deal that was announced this week. Hyundai gets exclusive sponsorship rights for mainstream and luxury cars, though not for pickups – as it doesn't have one in its current portfolio. "There may be another automotive truck sponsor, but not one that competes with our vehicle lineup," a Hyundai spokesman said in an email. That leaves the door open for another truckmaker to enter the fray. GM used the NFL to promote its GMC division, which makes pickups and sport-utility vehicles. The Detroit automaker decided to quit the sponsorship, which it had held since 2001, a GM spokesman said. Financials were not released, but ESPN said the sponsorship will cost Hyundai $50 million a year, double what GM paid. It gives Hyundai access to NFL trademarks for use in its marketing and advertising, and Hyundai will provide promotional vehicles to the league for the Super Bowl and other events. Hyundai celebrated the agreement by lighting up its Fountain Valley, CA, headquarters this week with a football field and the NFL logo. Hyundai's sister company, Kia, is the official automotive sponsor of the NBA. "We are huge football fans at Hyundai and feel there is no better venue to reach consumers, increase consideration, and tell the Hyundai brand story," Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski said in a statement. Hyundai will officially kick off its sponsorship when the NFL season begins on Sept. 10 with a primetime game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Toyota Mirai rated at 67 mpge, 312-mile range The Environmental Protection Agency gave the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric car a 67-miles-per-gallon-equivalent rating. The figure is for city, highway, and combined driving. The EPA also said the Mirai will have a 312-mile range. The sedan will arrive in dealerships in California this fall and will cost $57,500, though incentives can drop the price significantly. The Mirai will also be offered as a $499-per-month lease. Both come with three years or $15,000 worth of free fuel. Toyota plans to expand sales to the Northeast United States later. Toyota's top female exec resigns in wake of arrest Meanwhile, in other Toyota news, the automaker's communications chief and top female executive, Julie Hamp, resigned.

Hyundai is working on a real-life 'Aliens' exoskeleton

Lots of companies are working on exoskeleton suits, but most are designed to slightly increase your lifting capacity, prevent injuries or help you empathize. Not Hyundai, though – the South Korean automaker is aiming for something more extreme with a " wearable robot" that it likens to an Iron Man suit. Workers piloting the device can lift objects weighing "hundreds of kilograms," according to the company. Soldiers can also use it to pack up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds) over long distances. The suit is a juiced up version of the H-LEX "wearable walking assistant" that Hyundai introduced last year. Unlike that lightweight version, which is worn like a suit, the fully mechanized exoskeleton "wears" you. However, Hyundai also has another version (below) that's much more lightweight with just a mechanical spine and legs strapped to the user. That model is designed to help "paraplegics, the handicapped and the elderly," according to the company. Hyundai says the project is part of its "Next Mobility" system "that will lead to the free movement of people and things." In other words, the car manufacturer is angling the suits as transportation, where other companies, like Panasonic and Daewoo, see them strictly them strictly as worker aids. Like Hyundai, DARPA is building an exosuit for soldiers for its "Warrior Web" program. As companies like Ekso Bionics have shown, however, such robotic suits may have the highest potential as rehabilitation aids. Related Video: This article by Steve Dent originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Auto News Hyundai Technology Smartphone Future Vehicles Military