Hyundai cars

Video: Hyundai Genesis Coupe takes on...an arrow?

We’ve seen automakers subject their sports cars to some pretty weird races, but we gotta say, this one is something we haven’t seen before.

In its attempt to "discover new possibilities," Hyundai wants to find out if a car can go faster than an arrow. So they set out about and tried to answer that question by bringing in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe to go toe-to-toe with an arrow. The car 2013 Genesis Coupe is capable of producing 350 horsepower, which, of course, is pretty fast. But is it fast enough to beat an arrow?

In this video, which Hyundai swears is 100% legit, we find out that the Genesis Coupe actually had a rolling start instead of starting on the block. From there, it appears that the Genesis Coupe did, in fact, beat the arrow to the target, something that we doubt it can accomplish without that rolling start.

Nevertheless, it’s an answer to the question, although we’d like to see if it can hold up with the Genesis Coupe doing that 0-60.

2013 Hyundai Elantra GT

Sitting alongside the Elantra Coupe, at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show is Hyundai’s competitor for models like the Ford Focus, Mazda3, and Volkswagen Golf. The Elantra GT is the third vehicle in Hyundai’s 7/11 product initiative (seven new or redesigned models in the next 11 months), next to the the Veloster Turbo and the refreshed Genesis Coupe.

The new Elantra GT features the same 1.8-liter Nu four-cylinder engine with 148 HP and 131 lb-ft of torque as the sedan and the coupe variants. The engine is mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission and delivers a fuel economy of 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.

The Elantra GT features the same "Fluidic Sculpture" which includes an aggressive profile and low overall height, as well as sleek side mirrors. The interior offers comfortable seating for five people or can accommodate four passengers with long items such as golf clubs or snowboards.

UPDATE 06/13/2012: Hyundai has announced prices for the 2013 Elantra GT that will arrive in dealerships later this month. The new Elantra GT equipped with a manual transmission will be priced at $18,395 and the automatic version will be priced at $19,395. Hit the jump for the full pricing list.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT.

Rumors: Hyundai To Reenter the WRC With Modified i20

About 10 years ago, Hyundai Accent owners ever walked with their chests puffed out a little bit, as their daily driver econo-hatch was actually being raced in the World Rally Championship. Despite the impressiveness that Hyundai actually got this car into the WRC, it was a widely unsuccessful attempt because it never got a podium appearance and Hyundai cut funding in 2003.

It looks like Hyundai is ready to jump back into the WRC circuit, only this time with a more highly modified vehicle. It will also not be an Accent, but rather a heavily modified i20. However, don’t expect this Hyundai rally ride to look as much as the i20 in your garage as the Accent rally car did, as this model will sit on a chassis that is significantly wider and lower than the factory model.

In addition to the modified chassis, this i20 will ditch the 1.2- and 1.4-liter gasoline engines that it comes standard with and instead have the turbocharged 1.6-liter from the Veloster. There is no way that Hyundai would enter the WRC with a stock 201-horsepower 1.6-liter engine, so we assume that Hyundai will pump this engine to over 300 ponies to keep it competitive.

We definitely expect a much better performance by Hyundai this time around because the company has really come into its own when it comes to technology. Hyundai has also become one of those brands that folks can rally around, as it has really come from often being the butt of automotive jokes to a well-respected company that actually gives the big boys – Honda, Toyota and Nissan – a run for their money. So, don’t be surprised if to see the fancily written “H” on the podium at some point in the 2013 WRC series WRC.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

The 2012 Hyundai Veloster made its debut at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and it warmed our hearts in terms of looks, but its 138 HP leaking out of the Gamma 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine chilled us to the bone. Shouldn’t a "sports car" have a little more push that that? Hyundai’s answer to that question came to the 2012 Detroit Auto Show when they unveiled the new Veloster Turbo - a model powered by a new 1.6-liter turbocharged-gasoline direct injection engine that delivers a total of 201 HP.

Next to a more powerful engine, the new Veloster Turbo will be distinguished by a bigger, bolder hexagonal front grille, sculpted side skirts, and new dynamic rear bumper with prominent diffuser vents. The car sits on a new set of 18" gray wheels with chrome inserts. For the interior, Hyundai has added full leather seats with the word "Turbo" stitched into the seatbacks and an exclusive Supervision Cluster that offers the driver information in a larger, clearer, and more interactive format.

UPDATE 06/04/2012: Despite previous rumors, the Veloster Turbo won’t be priced under $20k. Hyundai has announced today prices for the new Veloster Turbo: $21,950 for the Veloster Turbo equipped with a 6-Speed Manual Transmission and $22,950 for the 6-Speed Automatic version.

Hit the jump to read more about the new 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo.

2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift Car

The flock of drift race cars scheduled to compete in the 2012 Formula Drift season just got a lot more interesting with the introduction of Rhys Millen’s prized steed.

Over the past few years, Millen has competed in Formula Drift with a Hyundai Genesis Coupe and now that the latter has a refreshed 2013 model, it was only right for Millen to get his own race-tuned, drift-spec Genesis Coupe.

“I’m pleased to have Hyundai’s ongoing support for the 2012 season,” Millen said. “This begins the fourth year of our racing relationship with Hyundai, and we want to continue to build upon our success in both developing and racing Hyundai’s race-proven products.”

So here it is, fellas. Unbeknownst to a lot of folks, the car carries a 2013 Genesis Coupe body shell with all the mechanical components being modified by Rhys Millen Racing. The result is a pretty bad-ass Korean drifting machine capable of producing a very impressive 600 horsepower.

How will Rhys Millen fare against the competition? With a car like this by his side, there’s no doubt RMR will be making some serious noise in the 2012 Formula Drift season.

UPDATE 05/31/2012: Hyundai USA has unveiled a new video featuring Rhys Millen as he talks about the 2012 Formula Drift Race season and the preparations that lead up to the 2012 Formula Drift season. Enjoy!

Subaru BRZ battles Mazda MX-5 Miata and Hyundai Genesis 2.0 Coupe

The Subaru BRZ may only be a few months old and despite the fact that deliveries to owners have yet to commence, this brand new rear-wheel drive out of Japan has already proven itself to be quite the performance car, even if it did get beaten around a Japanese racetrack by its twin-brother, the Toyota GT 86 recently.

In Road & Track’s latest road test, they took the aforementioned Subaru BRZ out onto public roads to see how it would perform when pitted against its main rival, the Mazda MX-5 Miata as well as the Hyundai Genesis 2.0 Coupe.

We won’t ruin the result for you, but keep in mind the following performance specifications when watching the video.

The BRZ features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer style engine which was developed in conjunction with Toyota to produce 200HP and 151lb-ft of torque, while the base Mazda MX-5 Miata produces significantly less at just 167HP but does turn out an impressive 158 lb-ft of torque. On the other hand, the Hyundai Genesis actually produces the most of the bunch with 217HP and 217lb-ft of torque; however, it does weigh significantly more than the other two due to its larger proportions.

Rumormill: BMW and Hyundai Joining Forces

Just over 10 years ago, Hyundai was still pretty much the black sheep of the automotive industry. Despite the fact that the Hyundai Excel of the 1980s won several awards, Hyundai’s quality was still considered low and very few took them seriously. In the past 10 years, Hyundai has managed to dig itself out of the grave that it placed itself in and is now a legitimate competitor to import giants like Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.

Regardless of the brand’s recent resurgence, no one would ever suspect that the words “BMW” and “Hyundai” would ever be used in the same sentence, except in the case of someone saying “I can’t afford a BMW, but this Hyundai will do.” Well, that was until just now…

There are rumors being passed around the automotive world that Hyundai and BMW have been seen courting one another rather intensely, as reports indicate that Chung Euisun, the son of Hyundai’s chairman, and BMW brass were discussing sharing engine development costs.

These types of development sharing partnerships are not uncommon. Currently, we have Audi sharing its cost with VW, Toyota and Subaru joined up for the BRZ/GT 86/FR-S project, and in the past we have seen Ford and Mazda joining forces. However, those collaborations are all pretty much linear, as they are all on the same level with each other. With exception to the top-level Genesis sedan and Equus, Hyundai couldn’t be much more non-linear with BMW. In fact, Hyundai is pretty much the anti-BMW.

In reality though, Hyundai does build quality engines now and they still remain significantly cheaper than BMWs. With CAFE regulations becoming more of a reality every day, BMW needs to find a way to increase its vehicles’ fuel mileage without sharply increasing cost. Sharing some developmental cost with a company that produces quality and economically friendly engines just might do the trick.

As expected, both companies have adamantly denied any discussions of collaborating, but that means nothing in this day and age. Nearly every car company denies everything until they decide to officially release it.

We’ll keep you updated on this situation as more info comes out.

Image is of the 3.8-liter Lambda engine with direct injection (GDI) technology found in the 2012 Hyundai Genesis.

2012 Hyundai Veloster "Motorcity" Rally Car

Rhys Millen Racing will be entering a new season of the Global RallyCross Championship with a new partner in tow. Oh, and they’re also bringing along the Hyundai Veloster with them to build on last year’s fourth place finish.

RMR is building on a new partnership with Disney for the 2012 Global RallyCross Championship and they’re set to compete this season with a unique Veloster Rally Car that comes with a specially wrapped livery featuring Disney’s new racing-themed TV series, Motorcity.

Just in case you don’t know, Disney scored huge on the Cars franchise and they’re branching out with a spin-off TV series. So what better way to promote a racing themed TV series than to have it promoted on an actual race car. That’s exactly what RMR and Disney were looking for when they tied up to plaster the Veloster rally car with the Motorcity livery.

As far as the car itself is concerned, the number 12 Veloster will be powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers an impressive 500 horsepower and is mated to an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission. In addition, the car will also carry a new custom suspension and a new set of 18" HRE wheels wrapped in 245/40-18 Hankook Racing tires. Stopping power comes from 14" Alcon brake rotors and six piston Alcon calipers.

The Motorcity-wrapped RMR Veloster Rally Car will be driven by Stephan Verdier, who is personally looking to improve on last year’s fourth place finish. Despite having one of the coolest cars on the grid, Verdier will have his hands full this season competing against some pretty staunch rally heavyweights, including Tanner Foust, Ken Block, and Travis Pastrana.

At the very least, though, he’s going to have an entire demographic of kids rooting him on.

First Official Image of the 2013 Sante Fe

Hyundai was not shy about releasing a number of teaser images ahead of the Sante Fe’s official debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. They’ve spent the whole month of March bringing out these images and we’re just about fed up with the wait. Thankfully, we came across a little banner that helped us out on the journey. Say hello to the first official image of the 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe.

It may only be a few hours until the New York Auto Show officially opens it doors, but that was still too long to wait. After twelve years on the market, the SUV was well in need of a new generation. This new Sante Fe takes its design inspiration from the Veloster and the new generation i30. The car features Hyundai’s new Fluidic Sculpture design language, a set of new headlamps and taillamps, and a new set of 19-inch aluminum wheels.

The current model is offered with engines like a 2.4-liter gasoline engine with an output of 174 hp and 197 HP diesel engine capacity of 2.2 liter. For the new model, Hyundai will offer more power in out of a couple of four cylinder engines.

We’ll find out more about the 2013 Sante Fe as soon as New York opens its doors, so stay tuned!

2014 Hyundai Sonata

In 2010, for the 2011 model year, Hyundai tore down the Sonata’s bland mold and completely rebuilt it. This redesign produced one of the best looking Hyundai sedans to date, and the trend has continued with nearly every Hyundai since.

Well, 2014 will mark the fourth year that the Sonata has donned this look and compared to some of the newer Hyundai vehicles – except the Accent – the Sonata now looks outdated. Not necessarily old, but it simply doesn’t fit Hyundai’s new, more aggressive styling. Hyundai plans to take care of this issue before this body style hits five-years old, as the budget automaker’s CEO announced that the Sonata will receive an upgrade in 2014.

Taking a look at the 2012 Sonata, which competes with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima, the Sonata’s drivetrain options stand tall. With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out up to 200 horsepower, while getting 35 mpg on the highway, and a 274-horsepower, 2.0-liter engine that gets 34 mpg on the highway, the competition just can’t hang with it. All Hyundai needs to do is a mild facelift to keep buyers interested in the Sonata.

As of yet, there is no mention of what direction Hyundai will go with the Sonata. With its accounting for 35% of all Hyundai sales in 2011, chances are the Sonata’s upgrade won’t be too drastic. Then again, Hyundai has been pulling some rather interesting stunts lately, like releasing the rather un-Hyundai-like Equus luxury car and sporty, innovative, and economical Veloster. They sure have come a long way since I bought my brand new 1999 Accent for a cool $9,000. We will continue to provide updates on this future upgrade as details roll out, so stay tuned.

Note: Current model pictured.