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  • Facelifted Hyundai i20 gets super clean new diesel engine

    In Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans / By / / 16 comments

    These are the first images of the facelifted Hyundai i20, which will debut at Geneva 2012. Hyundai’s B-segment supermini wears a new face that’s in line with the brand’s new Fluidic Scupture image, although it looks milder compared to newer, clean sheet designs such as the i40 and new i30.

    In terms of dimensions, width (1,710 mm), height (1,490 mm) and wheelbase (2,525 mm) remain the same, while overall length has increased by 55 mm over its predecessor to 3,995 mm. As comparision, the 3,950 mm Ford Fiesta has a 2,489 mm wheelbase.

    The big news for Europe is a new 1.1 litre, three-cylinder ‘U-II’ diesel engine. This 75 PS unit is among four powertrain options for the refreshed i20 and has the lowest CO2 emissions of any conventional powertrain car on sale today. When mated to Hyundai’s Blue Drive tech, it emits just 84 g/km of CO2. This is even lower than some hybrids, and will be good for markets like the UK where car tax is aligned to CO2 ratings, not engine capacity.

    Besides this, there will be another sub-100 g/km diesel – a 1.4 litre ‘U-II’ 90 PS engine that emits 96 g/km. This is proof that diving into the deep end of the demanding European market is a sure way for a carmaker to improve itself. Sink or swim, as the saying goes.

     

  • Geneva preview: Hyundai i-oniq range-extender concept

    In Cars, Hyundai, International News / By / / 4 comments


    Click to enlarge.

    More from the Geneva front. The Swiss show, which kicks off this week, will see Hyundai showcasing its new i-oniq concept, which is an electric sports hatchback with a range-extending petrol engine.

    The i-oniq continues to evolve the company’s fluidic sculpture form language, with a design that combines gentle feature lines and muscular surface treatment to inject premium and sporty into the overall mix. Design cues include a ‘penthouse roof’ and LED headlights.

    The 4.4 metre-long vehicle seats four in its driver-oriented cabin. Plenty of high-tech equipment to be found in the driver interface and controls, so it goes, while passengers benefit from a lounge-style space designed to optimise comfort, featuring sculpted surfaces inspired by musical instruments, no less.

    It’s powered by a 1.0 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine mated, via a generator, to a lithium-ion electric motor, with 109 PS as the output figure. In electric-only mode, i-oniq has a range of 120 km, while with assistance from the petrol engine it can travel up to 700 km, producing just 45 g/km of CO2 in the process.

     

  • Kia releases first pics of K9 flagship – Korea only for now

    In Cars, International News, Kia, Koreans / By / / 137 comments

    Kia today revealed the first official images of its new flagship sedan. To be called K9 in Korea, it will be launched there in the first half of 2012. The K9 is Kia’s first rear-wheel drive sedan. As its name denotes, the big sedan slots in above the K5 (Optima) and K7, or Cadenza in export markets.

    “K9 is our first rear-wheel drive large sedan, created without compromise in its design, driving performance and new technologies. K9 sets a whole new level of standards and values in the large sedan segment, and its design will be another Kia demonstration of our brand’s power to surprise the world,” said Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing Group.

    The K9’s design concept is “high-tech luxury sedan” and Kia describes the front end as “imposing and characterful”. The BMW style front grille slats may be a touch heavy for some, but it does lend the car presence. The rear end reminds me of the Hyundai Grandeur. No word on what’s inside, but there’s a “3.8 GDI” badge at the back. The 2012 Hyundai Genesis is powered by a 3.8 GDI V6 with 333 hp and 395 Nm, 350 hp/400 Nm for the Genesis Coupe.

    It’s interesting to note that while the popular models at the lower end of the scale such as the Forte and Optima K5 sport sharp styling, the large higher end models like the Cadenza and this K9 have round edges and smooth lines.

    Kia-K9-(front-quarter)
    Kia-K9-(rear-quarter)
    Kia-K9-(side)


     

  • Hyundai i30 Wagon revealed ahead of Geneva debut

    In Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans / By / / 40 comments

    The second-generation Hyundai i30 that was unveiled in September last year welcomes a new family member in the shape of this wagon. Revealed ahead of its Geneva world debut, the Hyundai i30 Wagon shares engines and running gear with the five-door C segment hatchback, but has a longer body.

    Designed for European tastes at Hyundai’s R&D Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the i30 Wagon, at 4,485 mm long, is 185 mm longer than the five-door hatch, making it one of the most spacious vehicles in segment. It’s also 10 mm longer than the original i30 wagon.

    Compared with the hatch, the wagon expands trunk space from 378 litres to a best-in-class 528 litres – fold down the rear seats and cargo volume increases more than three fold to 1,642 litres.

    Like the hatch, the Wagon’s front is distinguished by Hyundai’s hexagon-shaped grille and prominent “eyes”. From the B-pillar backwards, the wagon has its own style. The roofline slopes to add dynamism to the fluidic sculpture body, while a pronounced swage line runs horizontally along the sides of the body and rises all the way to the rear lights.

    Click here for our previous post on the new i30 hatchback.

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  • 2012 Kia cee’d – more images of Geneva-bound hatch

    In Cars, International News, Kia / By / / 62 comments

    More images of the next-generation Kia cee’d have come about ahead of the five-door hatchback’s world debut in Geneva next month. Still nada as far as tech details go, but Kia says the new cee’d is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, with the same long wheelbase.

    Design-wise, the front of the new car gets the latest interpretation of the company’s trademark ‘tiger-nose’ grille as well as aggressive, wraparound headlamp clusters housing LED daytime running lights.

    Other new detail touches for the exterior includes a new, bolder, more sophisticated Kia badge, an indicator blade protrusion in the front headlamps, the Kia-signature windscreen head castellations, a chrome side glazing surround and a specific aerodynamic shaping of the tail lamp which extends into the adjacent bodywork.

    Meanwhile, there’s a completely new interior, offering a more premium look and feel and higher perceived quality, with the use of soft touch materials, as well as improved switchgear and enhanced driving position ergonomics – the dashboard layout features a cockpit-like design with an aircraft-themed, driver-oriented fascia.

    kia c'eed 3
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  • SsangYong XIV-2 concept to make Geneva debut

    In Cars, International News, Ssangyong / By / / 4 comments


    Click to enlarge.

    SsangYong is set to give its XIV-2 concept car its debut in Geneva next month. The eXciting User Interface Vehicle 2, to give it its full name, is the follow up of XIV-1 concept that was presented in Frankfurt last year, with a convertible twist to it.

    The XIV-2 measures in at 4.16 metres long, 1.82 metres wide and 1.56 metres tall, with a 2.6 metre wheelbase, and will be equipped with eco-friendly, fuel efficient 1.6 litre diesel and petrol engines meeting Euro VI emission regulations.


    Click to enlarge.

    The Korean automaker is developing the concept as a premium crossover utility vehicle, with a view of it becoming a strategic model for the global market. SsangYong says that the vehicle’s styling cues are based around ‘a special experience with fun’ theme, and blends the characteristics of a robust and powerful SUV with the dynamic style of an open top sports coupé.

    The XIV-2 features a one-touch automatic opening soft-top roof to provide ‘wind in the hair’ driving enjoyment, and its futuristic and aesthetic appearance is very much aimed at bowling over the younger generation.

     

  • Kia Red Rock Special Edition Soul – one more for the US

    In Cars, International News, Kia / By / / 8 comments


    Click to enlarge.

    Kia has unveiled the seventh in a series of unique SE versions that has come about with its Soul five-door hatch. This one, called the Red Rock Special Edition Soul, unsurprisingly derives its inspiration from the rock formations found in the North American Southwest.

    The production model includes a number of features designed to set it apart from other Soul variants, led by a lustrous exterior shade called Canyon. Other RRSE exterior features include a high-gloss black front fascia and mirror housings, while the interior gets exclusive black leather trim and brown cloth seats.

    The edition began life as a concept, premiering at last year’s New York auto show. Following its debut, the Red Rock Special Edition concept toured the US, and with enough favourable nods has made the journey from concept to reality. Proof then that there’s more than one way to stir your Soul.

     

  • Hyundai Elantra MD – four spec levels available at launch?

    In Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News / By / / 177 comments

    Ads for the new Hyundai Elantra have started cropping up all over the city and the virtual world (even on this blog), but we’ve had no official word on the launch date, specs and pricing yet. However, a quick scour on Mudah.my to look for pre-launch ads posted by Hyundai Sime Darby Motors salesmen reveal the following:

    • Four specs – 1.6 litre manual, 1.6 litre automatic standard spec, 1.6 litre automatic high spec and 1.8 litre premium
    • Six-speed for both manual and automatic gearbox
    • Auto headlamps
    • Smart key with push start button ignition
    • Supervision meter cluster (self-illuminated)
    • GPS navigation
    • Reverse camera
    • ABS, ESP and Vehicle Stability Management
    • Dual airbags
    • iPod and USB support
    • 5 year or 300,000km warranty

    The images posted on Mudah also show an Inokom badge on the car instead of a Hyundai badge. So far there are two price ranges indicated on the classifieds ads – about RM85k to RM90k and another price range of about RM120k. This probably means the 1.6 litre models will be around the RM85k to RM95k mark, while the 1.8 litre while be around RM120k+. UPDATE: It appears that all the ads advertising the high spec Elantra for over RM100k have gone missing from Mudah – what’s going on?

    You might be wondering what Vehicle Stability Management is. It’s basically a system that manages the ESP stability control system as well as the electric power steering to take the car’s safety assist systems to a higher level. For example, when a driver accelerates or brakes on a split-traction surface (slippery wet puddle on one side, dry pavement on the other), your steering will normally pull to one direction.

    VSM detects this condition via the ESP system, and sends a signal to the electric power steering to apply steering assist – up to 8Nm of counter steering force to keep the vehicle steady; VSM works the same way during sudden lane changes or fast cornering.

    Once again, these are just specs and pricing taken from salesmen ads on Mudah.my, and are in no way the confirmed specs released by Hyundai Sime Darby Motors. And of course, it’s likely that some of the features above, like the auto headlamps, GPS and reverse camera would most likely be reserved only for the 1.8 litre variant.

    Sources – Mudah ad 1, Mudah ad 2, Mudah ad 3

    7134386366
    7137262187
    7158272488
    7172547449

    7191277922
    7551819606
    7564902581
    7570058230

    7570550079
    7587700861
    7595732331

     

  • Kia KH: first sketches of all-new RWD flagship sedan

    In Cars, International News, Kia / By / / 38 comments

    Kia has revealed the first sketches of what will be its all-new flagship sedan, which is set to be introduced in the Korean market sometime in the first half of the year. The KH, as it’s codenamed, won’t just be limited to the domestic market – Kia says the car will be its flag-bearer in other markets globally.

    No details about the car, save that it’ll have the honour of being the company’s first rear-wheel drive vehicle. Kia says that the the design concept behind the KH is tagged as ‘distinctive, modern and classic,’ but there are enough family-look cues on call, the radiator grille design being one of them.

    kia kh 1
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  • Hyundai i30 launched as the Elantra GT in the US market

    In Cars, Hyundai / By / / 23 comments

    Hyundai has introduced the European market i30 in the US, but the Euro-centric i-prefix name has been swapped for the moniker “Elantra GT”, which identifies the i30 as being part of Hyundai’s C-segment family. So the Yanks have a total of 3 Elantras to pick from now – the sedan, the 2-door coupe as well as this 5-door hatch. Only one engine option so far – the 148 horsepower 1.8 liter 4-pot that they can get in the Elantra sedan, available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

    Look after the jump or click the image above for a full gallery.
    Read more ›

     
 
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