Advertisement

DUB Magazine works on the Hyundai Equus for SEMA

November 1, 2010 at 4:47 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans


Click to enlarge

Blame MTV and the rappers. Now, SUVs and big cars have to be blinged out to the max for street cred and Hyundai doesn’t want to be left out with its luxury flagship. Besides the Equus souped up by Rhys Millen Racing, the SEMA show in Las Vegas will also see this – the DUB Edition Hyundai Equus – being paraded.

The famous fabricators at DUB Magazine have done up the Equus in a look that “tuners will not mistake for anything but the DUB Magazine style.” Exterior parts include the Trex DUB Design mesh grille and custom body kit, tinted windows and tail lights, and a custom two-tone, gloss black-and-matte charcoal paint job. The Equus will also feature a custom suspension riding on 24-inch TIS modular style wheels.

ICE wise, DUB will put in a custom trunk enclosure that will be fitted with Infinity Kappa components including nine Infinity Kappa Series speakers, KAPPA ONE mono and KAPPA FOUR four-channel amplifiers. This will be merged with the Equus’ factory Lexicon audio system. The limo’s cabin will get custom leather and suede trim, an illuminated headliner and custom rear bucket seats.

14 Comments      

Rhys Millen pimps Hyundai’s flagship Equus for SEMA

October 13, 2010 at 11:45 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans


Click to enlarge

Here’s an unlikely “victim” of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. Hyundai is soon to launch its S-Class segment Equus flagship saloon in the US, but Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) have already got their hands on the luxury car, “pimping” it with exterior, interior and performance upgrades.

Helmed by the famous racer of the same name, RMR calls their creation the RMR Signature Edition Equus. It comes in two-tone carbon fibre and Red Bull Racing blue satin clear paint by BASF, together with carbon mirrors, front chin and rear deck spoilers plus giant 21-inch alloys. Inside, the Signature Edition Equus will sport embroidered headrests and floor mats plus ostrich hide (what?) leather seats with suede accents.

Performance wise, a special air-intake and stainless steel sport exhaust adds 30 horses to the 4.6-litre V8 engine for 415 hp. To match the added power, the Equus will also get a high-performance 14-inch brake kit.

“This is the third consecutive year we’ve partnered with Hyundai to bring a must-see car to the SEMA Show. The intelligent luxury platform of the new rear-wheel drive Equus is a perfect vehicle for tuners who have graduated from other segments and want to work with the best the automotive industry has to offer,” Rhys Millen said.

11 Comments      


Hyundai release i20 Sports Edition CRD model in Paris

October 5, 2010 at 4:24 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, Hyundai, International News

Hyundai and its European R&D Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, has developed an i20 Sport Edition, in cooperation with German high performance tuning company Car Research and Development (CRD), a Brabus-related company.

Essentially a body kit package direct from the manufacturer, it adds exterior enhancements such as a body-coloured front skirt, flared wheel arches, a glossy radiator grille mesh insert and black bezel headlights with day time running lights. Housed under those flared wheel arches are 17-inch Brabus alloy wheels shod in Yokohama tyres, along with glossy B-pillars, smoked windows and dark red tinted rear lights.

Moving on inside, orange leather lines the Recaro seats, while a black leather gearshift cover with orange-colored seams, a chrome gear shift knob, a leather-wrapped center console, leather-covered door panels, and a 7-inch touch screen navigation are added to give an interior to match the exterior.

For more pictures look after the jump for a picture gallery.
[Read more...]

35 Comments      

Paris 2010: Hyundai’s new B-segment MPV, the ix20

October 4, 2010 at 4:58 am By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, Hyundai, Koreans

This is the Hyundai ix20 which made its world debut at Paris. Described by its maker as “MPV” and “B-segment”, one can see this as a Matrix replacement. It’s actually a restyled Kia Venga, which means it’s a still a five seater, but a large one that offers more space than Hyundai’s traditional B-segment supermini, the i20.

To give you a better idea on the size, the ix20 is 4.1 metres long and has a 2,615 mm wheelbase. The 3,920 mm long Honda Jazz, which is a very space efficient B-segment car, has a 2,500 mm wheelbase while the original Naza Citra (Kia Carens) had a 2,560 mm wheelbase. Sitting inside to snap the cabin shot you see here, I can confirm that the car does feel very spacious thanks to its tall roof.

It doesn’t look too gawky from the outside though. The ix20 features Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture” theme so you see a lot of design lines all over the place. The face is prominent, thanks to the hexagon grille (check out the unique detailing) and large upswept headlamps, and is easily recognisable as the Tucson’s sibling. Hyundai says that this is a “friendly face” – what do you think?

All four engines – two petrol and two diesel from 77 PS to 125 PS – are Euro5 compliant. Every drivetrain combo except for the 1.6 auto will be available in Blue Drive form, which consists of Integrated Stop & Go (ISG) tech, low rolling-resistance tyres and an alternator management system. Hyundai expects a maximum 5-star Euro NCAP rating for the ix20.

Designed and developed at Hyundai’s R&D centre in Russelsheim, Germany, the ix20 will be made at the company’s newest European plant in Nošovice, Czech Republic. Perhaps Hyundai should locally assemble this model in Malaysia, too. Gallery after the jump.
[Read more...]

75 Comments      

Hyundai-Sime Darby: Sonata recall does not affect Malaysia

September 28, 2010 at 11:11 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News

As we reported yesterday, the Hyundai Sonata is being recalled in the USA over a shaft joint in the steering column that could be not properly assembled. We also said that South Korean made cars aren’t affected (our cars are imported from there) and that there won’t be a similar recall in Malaysia. Now, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has confirmed that the recall does not affect Malaysia.

“The recent voluntary recall includes only the YF Sonata that is produced in Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, US. Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) confirmed that the YF Sonata produced in the Korea Asan plant and is not included in this recall,” the press release from HSDM read.

Mr. Dennis Ho, Managing Director of HSDM said in his statement that HSDM assures Malaysian car owners the quality of the cars it distributes and that Malaysian Hyundai car owners need not worry about the safety of their cars.

If you’re in the dark about what we’re talking about, read yesterday’s post here.

22 Comments      

US made Hyundai Sonata recalled, local cars not affected

September 27, 2010 at 6:01 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News

The current Hyundai Sonata is being recalled in the USA over a steering shaft problem. This recall exercise will involve 139,500 model year 2011 cars that were assembled at the company’s Alabama plant from December 2009 to this month.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report explains that “on some of these vehicles the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connections may have been either improperly assembled or insufficiently tightened.” The worst case scenario is “a complete separation of compromised attachment of the connections, such that the driver could experience a loss of, or reduction in, steering capability increasing the risk of a crash.”

Sonatas brought in to dealers will have their shaft universal joint connections inspected for proper assembly. The power steering software will also be updated free of charge.

Local owners need not worry. Hyundai Motor Company has confirmed that Korean made Sonatas are not affected, and our market’s Sonata YF rolls out from HMC’s Asan plant in South Korea. Our sources have confirmed that there will be no recall in Malaysia. By the way, local spec Sonatas do not use the US market car’s EPS steering, but a hydraulic setup.

51 Comments      

Production-ready Hyundai Solaris unveiled for Russian market

September 22, 2010 at 1:27 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News

Hyundai has revealed the production version of the 2012 Solaris for the Russian market, which pretty much is a Hyundai Accent. The renamed Accent will be produced in St. Petersburg and is based on the RB Concept, first seen at the 2010 Moscow Motor Show.

As previously reported, Hyundai will be sticking to the 1.4 litre Gamma CVVT and the 1.6 litre Gamma CVVT, mated to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. The 1.4-litre engine generates 105hp and 136Nm of torque while the larger 1.6 gives you 121hp and 155Nm of torque.

Accommodating the Russian weather, the Solaris has special add-ons such as rear heating ducts, a 4.0 litre washer fluid reservoir with a fluid level sensor, a 60Ah battery for higher cold start performance, wiper deicer, front seat warmers as well as heated outside mirrors.

All these look like luxury trim to you and I, but these features are live savers in the harsh Russian climate. In terms of exterior design, we also see the use of Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture’ design language. The company says that it is supposed to resemble a calligrapher’s “orchid strokes”.

The Solaris will hit Russian streets sometime next year and will include a hatchback variant later that year. Hyundai are expecting to sell up to 85,000 units per year. Continue reading to view more initial images of the Hyundai Solaris.
[Read more...]

51 Comments      

Hyundai BlueOn: the Korean company’s first full EV

September 18, 2010 at 10:42 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Hyundai, International News

Hyundai has officially unveiled their first fully electric car, called the BlueOn. The company first previewed an electric car concept, which was based on the previous i10 model at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009.

The BlueOn is based on the 2011 Hyundai i10, measuring in at 3,585 mm in length, 1,595 mm in width and 1,540 mm in height. This shell is powered by an 81hp electric motor that generates 210Nm of torque. Power will come from a 16.4kWh Lithium ion polymer battery that is said to have a longer lifespan and storage capacity compared to a nickel metal hydride battery.

Furthermore, the new powertrain gives the BlueOn an acceleration figure of 0 to 100km/h in 13.1 seconds, going on to reach a top speed of 130km/h. The car travels 140km on a single charge. When it runs out of juice, it can be recharged with a 220V household socket in six hours. A 380V power outlet on the other hand, replenishes 80 percent of its power in 25 minutes.

If noiseless electric cars are your worries, Hyundai has fixed that problem by installing a Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS) that creates an artificial sound to alert pedestrians of its presence. Hyundai plan to make about 2500 units by the end of 2012 and will be promoted in the next G20 summit. Look for pictures after the jump.
[Read more...]

44 Comments      

Hyundai i10 given a minor facelift for Paris 2010

September 14, 2010 at 1:14 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans

The Hyundai i10 has been given a little facelift – it now features the new hexa-trapezoidal grille that it has been putting on all its new cars in certain markets, as an alternate to the ‘angry crab grille’.

We only have the front three quarter view at the moment. The new grille also comes with new foglamps and new headlamps. The new front end has a lot more detail compared to the pre-facelift but one wonders if it will make the front end too fussy compared to the rest of the car. We’ll post the interior and rear photos as soon as they are released.

UPDATE: We now have interior and rear photos after the jump. They’ve not professionally shot though, looking more like camera phone photos snapped of a car in storage. The rear end looks like it has new tail lamps and a reworked rear bumper.
[Read more...]

41 Comments      

Hyundai release images and initial details of ix20 mini MPV

September 14, 2010 at 1:08 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans

Pictures of the new Hyundai ix20 compact MPV have been released by Hyundai ahead of its Paris debut. It is pretty much a Matrix replacement. Previously, the only images we had of this car were sketches released by the Korean brand.

Intial details state that the car will use a 1.4 litre petrol engine that produces 89 hp and a larger 125 hp 1.6-litre variant. A diesel option will also be available for specific markets.

The mini MPV has a bag of goodies such as start/stop system, side and curtain airbags as well as ESP as standard. Outside, the design of Hyundai’s latest was based on the Kia Venga, developed in its European R&D centre in Germany. No doubt a great selling point.

Some speculate that the car will feature Hyundai’s intelligent asymmetric eco grille, which improves overall fuel economy and emissions. This has yet to be confirmed but all will be revealed in Paris at the end of the month. Look after the jump for high res pictures.
[Read more...]

51 Comments