2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0t on 2040-cars

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Hyundai and Rockstar team up to build Moab-inspired Santa Fe for SEMA

We're in the run-up to SEMA 2017, and the early looks at the show cars are rolling in. Hyundai is letting this render out early. It's called the Rockstar Energy Moab Extreme Off-roader Santa Fe Sport Concept, and that mouthful shouts everything Hyundai wants this thing to communicate from the top of its lungs. Most of those words, however, aren't likely on the minds of shoppers looking at this three-row crossover, but logic and SEMA do not always find each other. Before we get into details of this build, we reached out to Hyundai and a representative clarified a few things. This Santa Fe hasn't been out bouncing off rocks at Moab — yet. We were told it "will be HEAVILY tested at Moab and a special video prepared for SEMA." We can't wait. While Hyundai says this is an all-new vehicle, it treads much of the same ground as last year's nitrous-huffing Rockstar concept Santa Fe. The King coilovers, R1 brakes, AEM intake and Mishimoto plumbing are all present and accounted for. And yes, there's another Nitrous Express system installed. New wheels and tires are present, as is a new wrap and more LED lights up front. (Can there ever be enough lights on a show truck?) It doesn't look like a winch is fitted, but there's a rooftop tent. SEMA is coming up at the end of the month, so we expect more details on this and other concepts soon. Related Video: Featured Gallery Rockstar Moab Extreme Off-Roader Sante Fe Sport Concept: SEMA 2017 Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com SEMA Show Hyundai Crossover SUV hyundai santa fe

John Krafcik stepping down as Hyundai CEO, replaced by VP of sales

Hyundai Motor America has announced that its affable president and CEO, John Krafcik, will be stepping down from his post on January 1, at the completion of his contract. He'll be replaced by the current executive vice president of sales, David Zuchowski.
Krafcik has helmed Hyundai through a product renaissance that's seen the Korean automaker go from budget afterthought to household name in less than a decade, launching stylish new models and expanding into new markets. "On behalf of Hyundai Motor Company, we sincerely thank John for his visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction, which has driven Hyundai's record growth over the past five years," said Im Tak Uk, the COO and executive vice president of HMA's parent company, Hyundai Motor Company.
"It's been a sincere privilege and honor to lead Hyundai Motor America over the past five years, and I am confident that with Dave's succession, our brand will continue to expand and thrive for years to come," said Krafcik in a Hyundai press release, available below. "We have many of the best and brightest employees in the business coupled with a committed and talented dealer network that will continue to pay dividends."

Hyundai hits milestone with 10 million cars sold in US

Hyundai entered the US market in 1986, and initial success with the Excel was followed by a difficult period of quality woes. The company refused to bow out of the country, and began a turnaround. Now after nearly 30 years, the automaker is a highly respected player in the market and is celebrating the milestone of selling its 10 millionth vehicle in the US. Amazingly, just five models make up nearly 85 percent of Hyundai's lifetime US sales, and unsurprisingly the Scoupe isn't one of them. The brand's bestselling model in that time is the Sonata with nearly 2.5 million examples on the road and 24.98 percent of the company's total volume. At 24.85 percent of deliveries, the Elantra barely squeezes into second place, and the Santa Fe is a somewhat distant third with about 1.25 million deliveries. Rounding out the top five are the Excel – Hyundai's first US model – at 11.47 percent and the Accent at 11.03 percent. Since opening in 2005, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama has been responsible for a healthy portion of those 10 million total sales by assembling 2.66 million vehicles, including the Sonata and Elantra. "About 56 percent of the cars Hyundai sells in the United States are made here," company President and CEO Dave Zuchowski said in the milestone's announcement. Take a look at where Hyundai is today and at some of its vintage models in the gallery above. With volume up consecutively for the last seven years, it probably won't take another three decades for the automaker to celebrate the 20 million mark. Milestone Marks Automaker's Continued Investment in U.S. Market and Economy FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 28, 2015 – Hyundai marked a monumental milestone today, selling its 10 millionth vehicle in the United States. Having started in 1986 with a single nameplate, reaching 10 million sales is a significant achievement that showcases the success of Hyundai's continually expanding lineup. "The United States has been a key region of focus for nearly three decades, and this landmark achievement comes after years of accelerated growth and the strategic rollout of our product line," said Derrick Hatami, vice president of national sales, Hyundai Motor America. "Today serves as a testament to the design, quality and value of Hyundai's product portfolio. The American car market continues to be on the rise, with more than 17 million new car sales expected in 2015.