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Report: UAW to hold sympathy strike for Hyundai workers in Korea

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai, UAW/Unions, South Korea

UAW logo The UAW has announced its support for Hyundai workers in South Korea who have been on strike since November 15. The employees are all temporary and contract workers who receive lower pay and fewer benefits compared to their full-time counterparts, and their strike has managed to shut down a production facility. According to the Detroit Free Press, the UAW says that at least one fifth of Hyundai workers are temporary and that those workers deserve the same pay and benefit as the automaker’s full-time employees. In addition, the UAW says that many of the Hyundai temporary workers are often hired by false contractors.

To that end, the UAW plans to hold a rally outside of Hyundai’s technical center in Superior Township, Michigan. The union also said that other organizations around the globe will stage similar protests, though where those rallies will take place and who will take part remains unclear.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

Report: UAW to hold sympathy strike for Hyundai workers in Korea originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hyundai, First Drive

Korean compact is a no-gimmicks eco-warrior

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

Were we the betting type, we’d put money on looming CAFE standards as the single biggest issue to keep auto execs awake at night. Organizations from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency have all made noise about increasing corporate average fuel economy standards to lofty figures that reside anywhere between 47 and 62 mpg in around 14 years – a blink of an eye in terms of product development. If you’ve been wondering why manufacturers continue to roll out a bevy of fuel-efficient, economical vehicles despite relatively stable fuel prices and luke-warm demand, wonder no more.

Hyundai, with its small-engined fleet of fuel-savvy bruisers, seems downright giddy at the news. The Korean manufacturer has announced that by the time 2025 rolls around, the company will have a corporate average fuel economy of 50 mpg. The groundwork for that dramatic increase is being laid right now with vehicles like the Sonata Hybrid and the most recent addition to the Hyundai stable, the 2011 Elantra.

The first-generation Elantra debuted four short years ago, but in meantime competition in the American small-car market has increased by leaps and bounds. Additions like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus have proven that domestic manufacturers are just as serious about producing compact, high-quality vehicles with excellent fuel economy as the long-reigning titans of the segment from Honda and Toyota. With its 40 mpg highway, stylish exterior and excellent drivetrain, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is set to put the rest of the segment on notice.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Elantra: First Drive

2011 Hyundai Elantra

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First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Elantra originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Hyundai launches Save the Asterisks campaign for 40-mpg Elantra

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Videos, Hyundai, Humor

Save the Asterisks

2011 Hyundai Elantra gets 40 mpg, no asterisks – Click above to watch video after the break

Hyundai has noticed an alarming trend: the needless wasting of perfectly good asterisks on window stickers all over the country.

Save the Asterisks The Korean automaker notes that some competitors create a special trim level for certain models that’s designed specifically to score a great fuel mileage rating from the EPA, while the other volume trim levels return a few miles per gallon less across the board. Since Hyundai won’t name names, we’ll do it for them: Chevrolet Cruze (Eco) and Ford Fiesta (SFE). Every single version of the 2011 Elantra, however, will achieve 40 mpg, as Hyundai likes to keep reminding us. No asterisks required.

It also bears mentioning that starting with the month of November, 2010, Hyundai is the first automaker to specify the actual number of vehicles it sells that achieve or exceed the 40-mpg benchmark on its monthly sales report. For those keeping track, the figure from this past November was 192 vehicles – expect that number to rise dramatically in the coming months when the new Elantra goes on sale.

Great fuel economy is only one part of a much larger puzzle to marketplace success. Fortunately, we’ll have a First Drive report of the new 2011 Elantra to share in short order, so we’ll have a better understanding of what, if any, concessions were made to manage its laudable efficiency metrics. Stay tuned for that, and check out Hyundai’s Save the Asterisks video after the break.

Gallery: LA 2010: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Live photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Video: Hyundai launches Save the Asterisks campaign for 40-mpg Elantra

Video: Hyundai launches Save the Asterisks campaign for 40-mpg Elantra originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: New Hyundai Azera/Grandeur caught in motion

Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Hyundai, Design/Style, South Korea

Hyundai Grandeur video screencap

Hyundai Azera/Grandeur caught running down the highway – Click above to watch video after the jump

We’ve seen spy photos of it running through Europe and renderings of what it will look like unmasked. Now we have clear footage of the 2012 Hyundai Azera/Grandeur as it rolls down the highway. The lines stay very true to what we saw in the rendering and the result is a uniquely-Hyundai, stylish full-size sedan. The big Hyun’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language comes through without being shoved in one’s face and the overall aesthetic of the car is quite appealing, with a look that reminds us of a slightly larger and more refined Sonata.

We’re really looking forward to seeing this one in the flesh, but for now all we have is the video that is waiting for you after the jump.Thanks for the tip, Paulo!

Gallery: 2012 Hyundai Grandeur/Azera renderings

[Source: YouTube via Blog.Naver.Com – Korean Language website]

Continue reading Video: New Hyundai Azera/Grandeur caught in motion

Video: New Hyundai Azera/Grandeur caught in motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How does Hyundai do business in the shadow of war?

Filed under: Hyundai, Kia

In the event of war, you can’t hurl Hyundais at the enemy

North Korean Shelling

Former General Motors Chairman Rick Wagner used to talk of “externalities,” those uncontrollable factors that he routinely blamed for the humbled automaker’s continuing decline. Other industry leaders preferred the term “headwinds,” but they were routinely referring to such matters as rising raw materials costs, unpredictable petroleum prices or, perhaps, an economic meltdown.

What most major automakers don’t have to worry about is the idea of having a shell land in the middle of their boardroom. But the news out of the Korean peninsula makes it clear this is a very serious, very real possibility for the folks who run Hyundai and Kia.

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading How does Hyundai do business in the shadow of war?

How does Hyundai do business in the shadow of war? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai-Kia overtakes Toyota as biggest Asian automaker in Europe

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

European car buyers have a favorite Asian automaker, and its name is no longer Toyota. Hyundai and Kia have tag-teamed to best the longtime Japanese automaker, with a four percent overall rise in total units through the first ten months of 2010. During that same period, Toyota-Lexus sales have fallen 17 percent, with Hyundai at 521,369 vehicles sold compared to 511,754 for Toyota.

Toyota’s recent tough road, along with the expanding number of quality offerings from Hyundai-Kia, have allowed the Seoul train to slide past the Japanese brand. Unless Toyota picks up the pace, that gap could widen because the Korean company is understood to have a greater number of new models planned for its European portfolio.

Of course, Hyundai has a long road ahead if it wishes to make the same claim here in the States, but it’s certainly moving in the right direction. Overall sales in the U.S. have risen 21 percent and demand for the redesigned Sonata has jumped 64 percent.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Hyundai-Kia overtakes Toyota as biggest Asian automaker in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: 2011 Hyundai Elantra offers 40 mpg from $14,830*

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

The rakish new 2011 Hyundai Elantra hits dealerships in the coming months and will be priced from $14,830 (*excluding $720 for destination) for the base GLS model with a six-speed manual transmission. This represents a $645 price increase versus the 2010 Elantra, though the 2011 model is $1,445 cheaper than a base Chevrolet Cruze and $1,440 less than a base 2012 Ford Focus – the Hyundai’s two main competitors.

All Elantras come equipped with a new 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine from Hyundai producing 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque, and the six-speed row-it-yourself gearbox is only available on the bottom-end GLS model – a new six-speed automatic is standard with all other GLS and Limited Elantras. What’s more, all Elantras are able to achieve 29/40 miles per gallon (city/highway).

Opting for the GLS Popular Equipment package adds things like 16-inch steel wheels, air conditioning, cruise control and a telescopic steering wheel, and the higher-end GLS Preferred pack adds alloy wheels and Bluetooth. The Elantra Limited starts at $19,980, and nets you standard equipment like heated leather seats (both front and rear), a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, foglamps and a sunroof. All Elantras are even available with an optional seven-inch navigation system, premium audio system and push-button start (for Limited models).

Full pricing and details are available in Hyundai’s press release, after the jump.

Gallery: LA 2010: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai Elantra

Live photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading LA 2010: 2011 Hyundai Elantra offers 40 mpg from $14,830*

LA 2010: 2011 Hyundai Elantra offers 40 mpg from $14,830* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster spotted on West Coast?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, Hyundai

Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster

Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our gadget-filled world means we almost always have a camera at the ready. Reader James W. was out and about on the highways of Southern California when he spied a camo-clad Hyundai on the move. With his iPhone 3GS at hand, he was able to snap a few photos of what appears to be the upcoming 2012 Hyundai Veloster.

The wheels and most of the lines match a set of spy photos we posted earlier in the year, with the exception of the large bulge on the roof, which could very possibly be just the wind yanking on all that black camo. In any case, Hyundai is clearly working hard to hide the design of the rear half of the car, which makes us wonder about that much-speculated rear-access door even more. Thanks for the photos, James W!

Gallery: Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster

Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster

Spy Shots: Hyundai Veloster spotted on West Coast? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai to be most American automaker by next year?

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Hyundai

One millionth Hyundai built in Alabama

Which automaker do you think is the most “American”? Some might say Chevrolet, since they’re the self-proclaimed Heartbeat of America. Others might say Ford since the Mustang is as iconic an American image as baseball and apple pie. What if we told you the answer might just be Hyundai? As of next year, 80 percent of the vehicles that Hyundai sells in the United States will be made here as well.

That number puts Hyundai above all other automakers in the United States. Ford and Chrysler don’t have exact figures, but estimates for the two manufacturers puts them both below 80 percent as those two automakers assemble many of their popular vehicles in Canada and Mexico. General Motors says between 60 and 70 percent of vehicles sold in the United States are built here.

The numbers may be quite interesting, but of course they don’t tell the whole story. The Big Three domestic automakers produce a much greater volume of vehicles in the United States when compared to Hyundai. For example, if GM built 66 percent of the vehicles it sold here in the states in 2009, it would triple Hyundai’s projected U.S. output for next year.

These figures are also based solely on final assembly. This is important to note because the U.S.-based automakers routinely manufacturer portions of the car in the United States, but the final product might be assembled outside the country. Hyundai, on the other hand, does final assembly on 80 percent of its models, like the millionth vehicle built at its plant in Alabama seen above, right here in the U. S. of A.

[Source: CNN Money]

Hyundai to be most American automaker by next year? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Preview: Gogogear Racing Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Hyundai, Racing

The Gogogear.com Hyundai Genesis Coupe – Click to enlarge

SEMA vehicles come in two main flavors: dropped and Dubbed, or race-prepped and rimmed. This Hyundai Genesis Coupe from GogoGear.com Racing obviously falls into the latter, and it “emphasizes racing reliability and high-end performance capabilities.” Not only that, but it apparently took some help from Hyundai’s California Design Center to create the yellow and silver paintwork.

GogoGear.com says “the aim” is to get the engine to produce 330 horsepower and 280 pound-feet, which shouldn’t be a problem. A Ground Control suspension keeps it appropriately snug to the bitumen, and StopTech brakes keep speed under control when corners approach. After we get a close look at this one at SEMA, it’ll be competing in next year’s U.S. Touring Car Championship, and there’s a chance it’ll show up at Time Attack events. More information can be found in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: GogoGear.com Hyundai Genesis Coupe Racer

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading SEMA Preview: Gogogear Racing Hyundai Genesis Coupe

SEMA Preview: Gogogear Racing Hyundai Genesis Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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