2011 Hyundai Elantra Pricing Released, Starts from $15,550

Hyundai revealed the US-spec version of its all-new 2011 Elantra in LA this week, and now the South Korean automaker has released figures and pricing for its fluidic compact sedan contender. Powered by a 1.8-liter Nu engine backed by a Hyundai-developed 6-speed transmission or a 6-speed manual, the Elantra boasts a 40 mpg highway, and 29 mpg city fuel ratings on any and every model. If you're inclined, scroll down for some comparison charts to see how the Elantra stacks up against the competition.
Hyundai's new Elantra, which began assembly this month down in Alabama, will be hitting lots before the end of 2010 with a starting MSRP of $14,830 (before a $730 delivery fee). That price includes standard stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, and a trunk-full of other electronic nannies.
The car's wheels will range from 15 to 17 inches, depending on the packages selected, while all models will get the 148-horse / 138 lb-ft engine that's cleaner than some hybrids. Elantras in some states will be rated at 145 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque while earning the right to be classified as PZEVs (Partial Zero Emission Vehicles).
Also available are a touchscreen nav system, iPod integration, segment-busting heated rear seats, and a 172-watt or 360-watt sound system, making the Elantra one potentially decked-out looker of a small car.
By Phil Alex

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Hyundai CEO says New Azera Coming Soon, will be More Upscale

You probably have noticed that Hyundai is on a roll lately. Whereas the newly-wed Fiat and Chrysler couple are trying to tidy up the mess left by Daimler -for the most part- with makeovers and tweaks, the South Korean automaker, which also owns Kia, is churning out one new model after the other.
More recently and following a barrage of presentations such as the new Equus, Genesis Sedan and Coupe, Sonata, Tucson, Accent (South Korea and Russia for now) and Elantra, Hyundai gave out the first renderings of its next brand new offering, the 2012 Azera. The family sedan, which will be sold as the Grandeur in certain markets, will slot between the Sonata and the Genesis in Hyundai's NA lineup.
While the official release didn't reveal much, Hyundai's North American boss and always eager to share info on the firm's future plans with the press, John Krafcik, spoke with Autonews on the sidelines of the Los Angeles Auto Show.
"We have changed everything, it's a remarkable car. It will surprise a lot of people." said Krafcik. Even though Hyundai NA's boss wouldn't confirm a U.S. launch date, he said that the new Azera "is not that far away."
Krafcik also revealed that like the current Azera, the new model will be front wheel drive offering a less sporty experience than the Genesis.
"The Azera is a front wheel drive car whereas the Genesis is rear-wheel-drive and performance-focused, so (the Azera) will have greater appeal in northern, snow-states where front wheel drive is important, but there will be a very, very strong level of differentiation between the two cars," Krafcik said.
No word on powertrain options yet, but it is likely that Hyundai will offer the Azera only with V6 engines to further distance it from the Sonata which is available exclusively with four-cylinder units. Expect to see the new Azera making its world premiere in 2011 and going on sale before the end of the year.
Source: Autonews

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2012 Hyundai Azera - Grandeur: First Official Pictures

Shortly after releasing some teaser renderings of the all-new Azera or Grandeur in South Korea and other markets, Hyundai today dropped the first real life photos of its full size sedan that slots between the Sonata and the Genesis. The pictures were escorted by a South Korean-language press release, but aside from a recap of the car's design features, Hyundai did not reveal any other details on the Azera.
From now, all we know is that the car is based on a front wheel-drive platform and is expected to arrive stateside late next year as the 2012MY Azera. We'll have more information as it comes in.

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Hyundai Group Overtakes Toyota as the Biggest Asian Carmaker in Europe

Battled by a series of recalls and dipping sales, Toyota is slowly becoming a shadow of the company that dethroned General Motors in 2009. And with Volkswagen's mind clearly set on world domination, it can't be good news for the Japanese maker that it also lost its top position among Asian makers in Europe, to Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate KIA Motors Corp.The two Korean companies sold a combined 521,369 vehicles in the first ten months of 2010, a 4% improvement over the last year, earning them the title of the biggest Asian carmaker in Europe with a market share of 4.5%. Meanwhile, Toyota's figures, including Lexus sales, dropped by 17% to 511,754 units, which accounts for 4.4% of the European market.
To their advantage, Hyundai and KIA have a more diversified range with the likes of the ix35 SUV, i30 and cee'd compacts, and momentum on their side, as all those recalls and controversy is costing Toyota an arm and a leg, not to mention the bad publicity.
"Hyundai and Kia have clearly benefited from Toyota's massive recalls," said Ahn Sang Joon, an auto analyst at Tong Yang Securities Inc. in Seoul. "They have also expanded their model lineups in European markets giving more choices to consumers."
Furthermore, analysts think that Hyundai Motor Group's sales may climb even more in 2011, seeing that it'll launch models specifically tailored for European taste.
Excellent North American sales are the icing on the Koreans' cake: Hyundai grew by 21% in the U.S. this year, with the Sonata spearheading the success, having a 64 percent jump in demand. And there's more to come with the new Elantra sedan, Azera mid-sizer and Veloster small coupe, just to mention a few of the debuts planned for next year.
Toyota, on the other hand, is on a downward slope, with sales dropping 6.3 percent in the U.S. this year. Nevertheless, we wouldn't be so quick to write off the Japanese brand yet as you never know what the future may bring.
By Csaba Daradics

Source: Bloomberg

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Power to the People: BBR-Cosworth Supercharge Mazda MX-5 to 235HP

Owners of the latest generation MX-5 / Miata seeking more oomph from Mazda's best seller will be happy to know that BBR has joined forces with Cosworth Engineering to develop a supercharged conversion package for the 2.0-liter version. The BBR-Cosworth collaboration for the Mk3 2.0-litre MX-5 focuses around a fourth-generation Eaton MP62 supercharger mated to a Cosworth designed cast integral inlet manifold, which is said to be optimized for both performance and fuel economy - although we'd take the latter with a grain of salt.
In stock form, the MX-5's 2.0-liter naturally aspirated powerplant delivers 158-horsepower. After the implementation of the supercharger and Cosworth's inlet manifold, output is lifted to a dyno proven 235 bhp at 7130 rpm, with a healthy 190 lb.ft of torque available at 5260 rpm. That's an increase of 77 bhp and 51 lb.ft over the standard model.
The company said the fitted price for the BBR-Cosworth Mazda MX-5 Mk3 supercharger upgrade kit is set in Britain at £4,995 (approx. US$7,750). BBR added that it will also be supplying BBR-Cosworth kits for DIY fitting, complete with all options and full installation instructions, but the tuning house has not yet released pricing.

BBR–Cosworth Mazda MX-5 MK3 supercharger specification

• Cosworth Inlet manifold housing
• Eaton 4th generation MP62 Supercharger
• Intercooler (Air to water)
• High flow calibrated injectors
• High flow air box, with high flow air filter
• Competition high grade hoses and fixings throughout
• BBR Auxiliary Interceptor 2010 engine control unit (ECU) with 3-D mapping and MAP sensor
• BBR-Cosworth identification badges

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U.S. Government Buys 1 out of 4 Hybrid Models Produced by GM and Ford

Hybrid vehicles have been on sale for more than a decade now, but despite all the efforts, they have not yet won broad acceptance in the United States. Two years ago, President Obama’s administration set out to to simultaneously support auto workers and a national transition to fuel efficient technologies by heavily investing in a government fleet of hybrids. According to a report from Bloomberg, Uncle Sam bought almost one out of every four hybrid cars produced by Ford Motor and General Motors since President Obama took office in early 2009.
The outcome, though, wasn't what they would have wanted it to be, as hybrid sales remain on a downward slope for the third consecutive year. Nevertheless, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will continue to buy hybrid vehicles in the hope that the public will eventually follow suit.
“At some point, the reality is that for this technology to be accepted, it needs to be done without a government crutch,” said Jeff Schuster, director of forecasting at J.D. Power & Associates in Troy, Michigan. “But without a huge gas-price increase or further government demand, the natural demand just isn't to be there.”
In the first two years of the Obama administration, GSA bought some 14,584 hybrids, or about 10 percent of the 145,473 vehicles acquired by the agency the same period. In 2008, hybrids accounted for just 1 percent of total government fleet purchases. Most of the cars were bought from Ford and GM. The prices for these models ranged from $23,072 to $47,079, with the report claiming that the government paid an average of $5,281 less for the cars than dealerships sticker prices.
According to data acquired by the news agency, GSA purchased about 14 percent of Ford Escape hybrids and around 29 percent of all Ford Fusion hybrids manufactured since Obama took office. In the past two years, the U.S. government bought only 17 Prius models and 5 Honda Civic hybrids.
The eco-friendly fleet purchasing trend will continue in the future with the GSA announcing that it will add all-electric vehicles such as GM’s Chevy Volt to the government fleet. President Obama has set a goal of 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015 and has committed more than $11 billion for this purpose.
A recent J.D. Power report said global sales of hybrids are expected to rise from 954,500 units this year to 5,2 million in 2020.

Source: Bloomberg / Businessweek