All-New Hyundai i30 At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

Hyundai plans to unveil a brand-new C-segment model to replace the first-generation of its i30 at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Like the current model, the 2012 i30 is a product of Hyundai’s design and engineering center in Russelsheim, Germany and is designed exclusively for the European market.
Hyundai's European design boss Thomas Burkle says the i30's styling represents the next evolution of the firm's form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. What this means is that it shares a lot of common design features with Hyundai's more recent models like the ix20, the ix35, the Veloster and the i40.
Recent spy photos suggest that the interior will also share many elements with the i40 and the Veloster coupe.
“When designing the new i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car which looks athletic while exuding a sense of constant motion, even when stationary," said Burkle.
"From the rendering, you can see how we managed to give the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions. In this way, the car is very close to the recently unveiled i40, and we want people to recognise the Hyundai design DNA on those two models,” continued Burkle.
Under the fresh sheetmetal, the i30 will likely feature MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Even though Hyundai is keeping its cards close to its chest, the engine line-up is believed to include the 140HP direct injection 1.6-liter gasoline unit from the ix35 as well as a more fuel efficient "Blue" edition.
Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “We expect this next-generation i30 to play a significant role in developing our brand image in Europe and strengthen the vehicle’s position as our best-seller in Europe.
Hyundai's Ford Focus and VW Golf rivaling i30 will be manufactured at the firm's plant in the Czech Republic before going on sale early next year.













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Honda Threatened by the Rise of the Koreans

If there is one Japanese company that can lay claim to having a reputation for innovation and advanced engineering, it is Honda.
It is a reputation built over more than 30 years, starting from the first generation of the Civic in the ‘70s and continuing throughout the years with novelties such as VTEC, the futuristic first generation Insight hybrid back in 1999, the S2000's high-revving 120HP-per-liter engine, the first practical supercar, the NSX – and the list goes on.
However, something seems to have changed, and not for the better.
In the USA, the Civic enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a reliable, frugal and well-made car. But when the new Civic sedan and coupe made their debut at the New York Motor Show last April, pundits were less than impressed. Then came the Consumer Reports test, and all hell broke loose.
While the Civic's predecessors had often been Consumer Reports’ highest rated small sedans as well as "Top Picks" in five of the last 10 years, the new model scored too low to be "Recommended". To make a bad situation worse, it was placed second-to-last in CR’s ratings of 12 small sedans, followed only by the revamped Volkswagen Jetta.
Is it because Honda decided to cut corners in designing the ninth generation of the Civic, reducing costs and, in the process, quality, or is it that the competition like Hyundai’s Elantra, have improved greatly in their latest iterations, catching up and even surpassing the establishment?
“When I saw the interior of the new Civic, it worried me” Tatsuo Yoshida, an auto analyst at UBS Securities, told Reuters. “The mileage was impressive. But Korean brands are upping the ante with game-changing improvements to their cars’ interior. For people buying a new car for the first time, they are becoming an increasingly attractive option”.
A more worrying prospect is the one expressed by Edmunds.com analyst Bill Visnic: that Honda is slowly, but surely, losing its character: “Honda built its reputation on engineering excellence. They are now becoming kind of a very normal car company”.
American sales are very important to Honda since the US is its biggest market, accounting for almost 30% of its global sales.
But the game is far from over as in 2010, Honda held a 10.7 percent share of the U.S. car market making it the country's number four automaker with three of its core models, the Civic, the Accord and the CR-V, occupying the first or second place of their respective segments.
Moreover, it seems that Hyundai is not stealing so many sales from Honda as the Civic's share in its segment has grown 2.7% in the last four years.
Apparently, the Koreans are filling in the void left by defunct brands like GM's Saturn and Pontiac. Moreover, it is difficult to judge buyers’ reaction to the new Civic since the March 11 earthquake in Japan has reduced inventory for all Japanese brands, with Honda’s US sales recording a 10% drop so far this year
Even if sales of the Civic improve, Honda needs to do something fast. According to J.D. Power, Honda’s main strength was its consistently high ranking in durability and reliability studies. That's what convinced many buyers to choose one of the firm's cars. In J.D. Power's latest report published in June, Honda still held the number one spot among the mass-market brands. In contrast, Hyundai ranked below average.
However, in another study that measures overall appeal, J.D. Power reported that Hyundai was the most improved brand: “Reliability is important,” admitted J.D. Power’s director of automotive research Raffi Festekjian. “But you know what? You still need to make a vehicle than is appealing, fun to drive and comfortable to sit in”. Unfortunately for Honda, in this survey it was fourth from the bottom.
Our take is that Honda needs to reinvent itself by bringing back some of the engineering magic that made its products stand out from the crowd and devote more resources on the design aspect of its cars as styling is becoming an increasingly important factor in consumer choice these days.
The Japanese company could communicate these changes with the introduction of one or more "halo" cars such as a replacement for the S2000 before applying them on mainstream models like the Civic. Lets not forget, Honda established the reputation of being an innovative automaker with cars like the S2000 and the NSX (sold as an Acura in North America but as a Honda in the rest of the world). 

 

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New Hyundai Azera and Fiat 500 Abarth At LA Show

Ah Twitter; the land of 140-characters where you can follow anyone without creeping them out has lately turned into something like a news board for automakers.

Instead of releasing an announcement on their respective websites, Fiat and Hyundai chose the social network to broadcast their 2011 LA Show debuts, which include the 2012 Azera and the 500 Abarth.
Starting from Hyundai, the South Korean automaker that could, will bring to LA the North American market version of its next generation Azera sedan, which has already been launched in its home market as the Grandeur.
The front-wheel drive Azera slots between the Sonata and the Genesis sedan and will most likely be offered with a 270-horsepower V6 engine.
Fiat's LA Show debut is the sport version of 500 mini called the Abarth. It features an aggressive bodykit along with a tuned chassis and a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine capable of delivering between 140HP and 180HP, depending on the model.

2012 HYUNDAI GRANDEUR

FIAT 500 ABARTH EU

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Internet - The Best Medium To Sell Your Used Cars

The Internet is the best medium today to sell your used car or anything else for that matter. Just be mindful of a few things for getting the best price for your car. There are several advantages of selling your cars online as compared to the conventional methods.

Before the Internet arrived, everything from finding a customer for your car, getting a job or buying a house was usually done through the Yellow Pages or the classifieds ads section of the local newspaper. Now, you can do any of these things in a much better way by using the power of the net. You can type a few search words into Google and find the relevant Internet directories where you can get your classified listed for a considerable period of time.

How to Sell Your Car Online

Thanks to the Internet, selling a car can be an easy task now. You just need to take care of a few things to get the best price for your car. They are discussed below:-

Pricing Your Car – When pricing your car, consider the mileage and condition of the car. Utilize a price guide like the Kelley Blue Book and NADA to find out your car's approximate value.

Make It Ready – If you want to obtain a good price out of your used car, you will have to do a slight touch up job on it. That includes washing, polishing, fixing the scratches and the dents and repairing the interior of your car, if required. Keep all the insurance documents and registration papers ready.

Let People Know – When you are ready with your car, search for an online platform to advertise. Advertise on several sites to maximize the potential number of buyers. When posting your ad online, make sure to include all the information related to your car such as color, model, price, mileage, contact number and suitable time to contact you.

Advantages of Selling Cars Online

You must be thinking as to why you should sell your car online. There are various advantages of selling used cars online as compared to other conventional methods such as newspapers and so on.

* The Internet is used widely and communication is easier and faster. Selling a used car through a website is a better option than any other conventional medium. Through a website your car would be reachable to a mass audience.

* Most online selling platforms would allow you to put relevant details like the model of the car, color, etc. which would give a better insight to your prospective buyer. Even if you forget to add some important details on your listing, you can do it anytime later.

* You get a way to advertise your car all across the world. All other ways of advertising have a limited audience.

* Buyers can ask for the information if required, which is contrary to the newspaper as it only provides one way of communication.

* You can put all information related to your car on the web. Such space would usually not be available on other mediums.

Selling used cars is now easier than ever before. While browsing on the Internet you will come across many service providers which are dealing in used cars for sale by owners. These providers have a large database and will enable you to sell your car sans any worry.

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2012 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai has blessed the South Korean market version of its Sonata mid-size sedan with its very first mild facelift. Just don’t blink because you may very well miss it.
The light cosmetic surgery on the outside brings a revamped front grille with a little bit less chrome on top and around the sides, plus new LED taillights at the back, reshaped mirror casings and a fresh choice of alloy wheel designs including a set of 18-inch multispoke rims.
There are some mild tweaks inside, namely the new trim options, higher quality materials, the addition of LED spot lights and improved standard equipment throughout the range.
In South Korea, while the Sonata continues with the 165-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit, matched to a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission, for the 2012MY, Hyundai replaced the 2.4-liter gasoline engine with the more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot rated at 271-horses.
Hyundai did not say when or if the styling changes will pass on to the international market version of the Sonata, but we promise to act surprised if the U.S. model receives a similar refresh within the next 12 months.

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Toyota and Honda want to Win Back Sales Share from Hyundai Sonata

Not too long ago, if someone told you that a South Korean model would challenge America’s best selling sedan, the Toyota Camry, you would have probably laughed in his or her face.

Needless to say, a lot has changed over the past few years with Hyundai and in particular itslatest Sonata sedan, not only challenging, but this past May even surpassing the Camry in U.S. sales for the first time in history.

Of course, the fact that Toyota’s production capabilities were seriously affected by the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan, played a significant role in Hyundai’s accomplishment.

Nevertheless, U.S. sales of the Camry from 2007 to 2010 dropped around 31 percent to 327,804 units, while the new Sonata, which was launched in January of 2010, saw its sales soar 35 percent to 196,623. In the first half of 2011, U.S. sales of the Sonata are up 29 percent to 115,014 units, while the Camry fell 4.4 percent to 147,469 cars.

And of course, Toyota is taking notice.

“Sonata became a very honorable contender in the market,” Yoshimi Inaba, Toyota’s North American chairman, told Bloomberg news on a July 12 interview. “We do have good respect for the model, and the sales figures show it’s increasing quite a bit.”

Toyota is planning to launch a new generation of the Camry later this year. According to the Japanese company, its bread-and-butter mid-size sedan will sport a more modern design as well as improved driving dynamics.

But Toyota isn’t the only Japanese automaker worried about the success of the Sonata; so is Honda which saw U.S. sales of its Accord drop 28 percent to 282,530 in the period from 2007 to 2010.

“We recognize that the Korean models are very competitive because of their good quality and affordable price,” said Keitaro Yamamoto, a Honda spokesperson in Tokyo. “Before, it was Accord versus Camry, but it’s definitely becoming Accord versus Camry versus Sonata.”

Honda is also said to be working on a redesign for its Accord sedan, which should arrive in North American showrooms sometime next year.

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New Generation Y Buyer Survey Spells Trouble for Detroit

Auto pricing website TrueCar studied the car buying behaviour of four million Gen Y (18 to 27 year-old) over a twenty-four month period and here’s what they found.

Scion took the crown for top brand, with 37.4% of the market and for top model (the tC coupe), with 21.2%, while second place went to Mitsubishi (32.1%) and their Lancer sedan (20.3%).

Mazda was the third most visited brand for Gen Y buyers, though only 17th in terms of model. The top four vehicle choices were Japanese, with a German in seventh place and a South Korean in ninth.

American carmakers secured fifth place in the model line-up with the Ford Focus Coupe, even though Ford only scored a mere 5.1% of the market overall.

Nissan and Toyota scored big on Gen Y appeal, with Hyundai and Honda following close behind. Kristen Andersson, one of TrueCar’s automotive analysts describes the generation thusly:

“Generation Y buyers want vehicles that look distinct and can be tailored to their individual tastes. Buyers from this generation are also looking for vehicles that have the technology features they are accustomed to built into the vehicle at an affordable price.”

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