The annual "Car Wars" report by Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy predicts that, despite their seizing of U.S. market share over the last few tumultuous years, Korean brands Hyundai and Kia will give it all back and then some to companies like Ford, General Motors and Toyota by 2016.
Murphy bases his predictions not on tea leaves or crystal balls, but rather the rate at which automakers launch new products. Ford will replace 26 percent of its product line over the next four years, a number that represents 46 percent of its volume, while General Motors will replace 25 percent and Toyota 24 percent. On account of these new product launches, Murphy says Ford can expect to add 0.8 percentage points of market share, General Motors will recover 0.5 points and Toyota will add another 0.3 points.
Other automakers that won't be so aggressive in turning over their lineups with new models include Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and the European brands, which Murphy surmises will all remain flat in terms of market share.
Hyundai and Kia, meanwhile, will be introducing fewer new models than the rest and therefore, Murphy predicts, will see a 0.5 decline in U.S. market share.
Of course, these are all just predictions and can be blown to bits with the next unforeseen economic crisis or natural disaster, just like the last three years were. And there are other factors that might affect market share for each automaker during the next three years, including the availability of raw materials, exchange rates, union contracts, recalls and a million another minor things that might grow to become big things, not the least of which is consumers deciding they actually like all those new products being launched.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crowned two sedans and a hatchback as Top Safety Picks: the 2013 Chevrolet Malibe Eco, 2012 Hyundai Azera and 2012 Toyota Prius c. The redesigned 2013 Malibu joins its 2012 model-mate as a Top Pick, and the 2013 earned a good side impact rating even without its optional side airbags.
The Prius c also has siblings that have won the award, the Prius and Prius v. The Azera had been rated in a few earlier tests, but in completing the testing regime with good marks all 'round it earned the accolade. The Top Pick moniker is given to vehicles that score "Good" in the IIHS's front, side, rollover and rear-impact tests.
Have a look below for video of the Malibu and Prius c going through their side-impact exams.
Continue reading IIHS crowns three new Top Safety Picks [w/video]
Safety features like airbags are supposed to keep us safe in the event of a collision. But one driver allegedly met with a nasty surprise when an airbag in his car reportedly sliced his ear in half.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the incident occurred on April 7 when an unnamed owner of a 2012 Hyundai Elantra was in a crash. Apparently the side curtain airbag on the driver's side rapidly inflated (like it's supposed to) but took with it a metal bracket (which it's not). The result was a severe laceration to the driver's ear in an automotive reenactment of Holyfield-Tyson II.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is apparently looking into the event, but has yet to issue a recall. Hyundai for its part insists the incident was isolated, and that it has not received reports of anything similar happening to any other drivers.
Baboons are curious creatures. And, thanks to their opposable thumbs, they are rather excellent at satiating that curiosity, no matter what impediments stand in their way. Apparently, that includes door handles.
Hyundai decided there was no better way to test the durability of its i30 hatchback (that's the Elantra GT here in the States) than to send it into Knowsley Safari Park, near Liverpool in the UK. Specifically, into the Baboon habitat.
As you'll see in the video after the break, the primates do their very best to rip the little hatchback to shreds, biting every surface, jumping up and down and from door to door and generally mucking about. How does the Hyundai cope with this kind of abuse? Scroll down below to find out yourself.
Continue reading What kind of baboons would do this to a Hyundai i30 hatchback?
Bid farewell to the Hyundai Sonata equipped with a manual transmission. The Korean manufacturer has discontinued the third-pedal in its midsize sedan for 2013, though buyers can look forward to more standard equipment on next year's model. With such a small take rate, Hyundai saw no reason to continue offering the six-speed manual in the base GLS model. That means the six-speed automatic transmission is now standard across the line, though the four-door will see an uptick in price as a result. The 2013 Sonata now starts at $21,670, including a $775 destination fee.
Consumers can expect to find the same direct-injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder under the hood as well as an optional turbocharged direct-injection 2.0-liter four. Heated seats are now standard in every trim with the exception of the entry GLS model. The Limited trim bows at $26,620 with the 2.4-liter, which marks a $600 price drop compared to 2012. The impressive, standard panoramic sunroof is now optional, however. If you want the extra glass, you'll now have to step up to a $2,900 Limited Premium Package. Scroll down for the full press blast.
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, Hyundai has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
Truth be told, every 2012 Hyundai model save for the Elantra Touring already had a brake override system fitted. So why the announcement, and why now? Well, other than just tweaking Toyota, whose unintended acceleration problems led to widespread recalls, a Congressional investigation, and prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to propose requiring brake override systems on all new cars, the announcement likely has more to do with the end of Elantra Touring production than it does with anything else.
The old Hyundai i30, on which the Elantra Touring was based, has been redesigned, and reviews of the new model have already started showing up on foreign automotive websites. We won't get our version of the i30, dubbed Elantra GT here in the U.S., until later in the summer.
We'll be driving the GT in June and we promise to issue a full report, though we're going to try to avoid testing this new technology.
Continue reading Hyundai announces standard brake-override for all models
Automotive News reports BMW and Hyundai are currently engaged in talks that may lead to the two companies partnering on engine development. A German industry newsletter reported that Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-koo's son, Chugn Eui-sun, recently met with a small group of BMW executives in Munich, and that the move would likely help the two manufacturers offset the heavy costs of engineering a new engine group. That cost can be as much as $1.3 to $2.6 billion.
Not surprisingly, BMW refused to comment on the rumored deal, though the company has been quick to dismiss any notion of expanding its corporate partners beyond the current group. Right now, BMW works with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, Toyota and Daimler, though the manufacturer is also currently in talks with General Motors. Even so, BMW has made no secret of the fact that it is currently hard at work on a new engine architecture, and a corporate partner would be a smart way to spread development costs.
Hyundai sales are up 10 percent already this year, after ending 2011 on a 20-percent uptick. With its Alabama assembly plant already running over capacity, something had to change. In response, the Korean automaker will be adding 877 jobs at its Montgomery assembly plant to begin a third shift, starting in September 2012.
Hyundai said the plant is now responsible for creating over 3,000 total jobs, with the latest expansion adding some 20,000 units of annual capacity. Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama builds both the Sonata and Elantra sedans.
While this move will work as a short-term solution to Hyundai's capacity restraints, if the company continues to grow sales as it has in the past few years, it will soon be faced with the necessity of building another new production facility, as has been rumored for months.
Scroll down to read the full press release.
Continue reading Hyundai adding third shift, nearly 900 jobs in Alabama
Dodge Dart, Chrysler Q1 sales, FR-S and BRZ versus MX-5, 2013 Nissan Altima's Hyundai Sonata influence
Episode #279 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan, and Zach chat about the Dodge Dart, Chrysler's first-quarter 2012 sales, a Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ smackdown at Motegi with a Mazda MX-5, and the influence of the Hyundai Sonata on the 2013 Nissan Altima. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #280:
Lamborghini Urus
Dodge Dart
Scion FR-S vs. Subaru BR-Z vs. Mazda MX-5 Miata
Chrysler sales robust in Q1, especially in California
Nissan Altima redesign influenced by Hyundai Sonata
In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Hyundai Veloster
2012 Audi S5
2012 GMC Acadia
Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman
Runtime: 01:41:32
Get the podcast
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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We record Episode #280 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below, and chime in to direct our conversation. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #280
Dodge Dart
Scion FR-S vs. Subaru BR-Z vs. Mazda MX-5 Miata
Chrysler sales robust in Q1, especially in California
Nissan Altima redesign influenced by Hyundai Sonata
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, Hyundai has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
