Hyundai is continuing its recent product onslaught with two new or redesigned models to be launched by January 2012.
Hyundai told dealers attending the brand's make meeting today that a two-door coupe version of the 2011 Elantra will go on sale this spring and a redesigned Azera sedan will go on sale in January 2012.
“They showed us a photo of it and it's gorgeous,” Doug Fox, a multi-franchise dealer who owns a Hyundai dealership in Ann Arbor, Mich., said of the Elantra coupe. “We weren't expecting that.”
Hyundai spokesman Jim Trainor would neither confirm nor deny the existence of an Elantra 2-door, but he stressed that no such vehicle would arrive this spring.
Fox said dealers were also shown a redesigned Azera large sedan.“It'll give us that step-up car from the Sonata for when Sonata owners come back and want something a little bit larger,” Fox said.
The Azera is scheduled to go on sale in January 2012, Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai's U.S. sales boss, told Automotive News. The redesigned Azera will be powered by a new 3.3-liter, gasoline, direct-injection V-6 that generates about 260 horsepower and is more fuel efficient than the current Azera.Zuchowski said the new Azera has the potential to sell 18,000 to 20,000 units a year in the United States, a major leap from the car's current volume. Hyundai sold 3,051 Azeras last year, a drop of about 20 percent from 2009.
New trim level for Genesis...
Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik also said the brand is adding a new highline trim level when the Genesis sedan gets its midcyle freshening for the 2012 model year. The new trim level will feature a new 5.0-liter V-8 engine from Hyundai's Tau engine family producing 429 horsepower and to a new Hyundai-developed eight-speed automatic transmission.
The model, to be called the Genesis R-Spec, will be shown at the Chicago auto show this week and will cost $45,000-$50,000, Krafick said.
Hyundai dealers are responding to the product onslaught by upgrading dealership facilities. Krafcik said 111 dealers have committed to either major renovations or to building a new stores this year, while 167 dealerships are making smaller scale improvements required by the factory to sell the new Equus sedan.
Last year, 103 dealers completed major renovations or built new stores and 158 completed Equus upgrades, Krafick said.“Most of these are high volume stores representing a majority of Hyundai sales, so most Hyundai customers are going to see brand new or substantially renovated facilities in 2011,” he said. “It's pretty cool, and we did it without a facility program.”
Lastly, Hyundai is planing on a RWD 3 series fighter with the styling of the Genesis coupe. All in all, I'll keep you posted.
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-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
Wow a V8 in the Genesis Sedan.
I want to see that in the Coupe LOL
^^There is already a potent V8 Genesis with 4.6L that cranks out 385HP.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
Mr.Goodwrench-G.T. wrote:^^There is already a potent V8 Genesis with 4.6L that cranks out 385HP.
I was thinking that after I hit the post button lol
I'm surprised they aren't keeping the 5.0 for the Equus only. Unless they've got another trick up their sleeve (V10? V12? More liters?). They also need to fit a small V8 in the coupe. Regardless, Hyundai is kicking ass, good for them.
PS - I saw an Equus parked at Chili's, definitely a very bold car. Looked good.
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- Sold my beloved J in April 2010 -
Hyundai in general seems to be crossing through the barrier that separates a cheap-o economy korean brand from successful mainstream in our country. When i tell people (mainly more of the "well off" people at work, but even some of my own group of friends) that hyundai is stepping it up and surpassing both american and japanese design and quality, they kind of laugh at me or shrug it off...just because it's hyundai. All that to say that their name precedes them, and not in a good way, but I'm sold on their latest/upcoming generation from the 2012 accent to the genesis.
Viper98912 wrote:I'm surprised they aren't keeping the 5.0 for the Equus only. Unless they've got another trick up their sleeve (V10? V12? More liters?). They also need to fit a small V8 in the coupe. Regardless, Hyundai is kicking ass, good for them.
PS - I saw an Equus parked at Chili's, definitely a very bold car. Looked good.
Amen.
And the Equus has a presence that demands recognition. Besides the car has it all.
oldskool (eco meatcake) wrote:Hyundai in general seems to be crossing through the barrier that separates a cheap-o economy korean brand from successful mainstream in our country. When i tell people (mainly more of the "well off" people at work, but even some of my own group of friends) that hyundai is stepping it up and surpassing both american and japanese design and quality, they kind of laugh at me or shrug it off...just because it's hyundai. All that to say that their name precedes them, and not in a good way, but I'm sold on their latest/upcoming generation from the 2012 accent to the genesis.
They are idiots in my book. From the moment they rely solely on name plate and MSRP and not on content and not knowing where the brand is heading or capable of.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
you know, i looked at hyundai's an i loved everything, except this in the sonata
i don know the HVAC just seems cheap to me with the little man plastic man
but this was the only thing i didn't like, i literally loved everything else
and i cant wait to see watt they do with the next azera
God, my folks have the 07 sonata, and im REALLY trying to get them to get the 2.0T Sonata because they love the look of it, and well, I wanna play with the BOOOOOOSSSSTTTTTT. But, they already said if they do get it, it will be the regular since they dont like leather (there nuts) and wont get the upper version of the car lol. DAMN! but ill say this Hyundai for what they are now, are doing damn well. There cars (especially there new lineup) are really doing great. My folks Sonata has over 50k on it, and its doing well. Needed brakes (normal) and needed a hub assembly (done under warranty) so Im gonna say there doing great as car as reliability now.
The HVAC on the Sonata isn't too bad. I think it took like only two minutes for me to get use to it. The HVAC man was awkward but again something I go used to in a hurry since my 2011 Mustang has something similar to that as well. The thing that really bothers me is the radio. Somehow, and this still boggles my mind, Hyundai managed to make a radio that doesn't have some sort of memory function once the car is turned off. Meaning that if you have a USB stick in the car and you're listening to one of your favorite artists on a random mix, it doesn't hold those settings once the car is turned off and turned back on. If I set my radio to RANDOM a certain artist, it should hold and maintain that function until I either change it or the battery dies. I shouldn't have to set it up every frickin' time I turn on the car. Oh this doesn't just apply to USB sticks but CDs as well. I haven't even tried setting the radio stations for fear if I do and the next time I turn my car on, they will rapidly be wiped out. Mike, I think you really want your parents in a turbo Sonata, you should really try to get them to test drive it before they test drive the NA version. The NA version in my 2.4 SE is potent enough for everyday work and travel but if the turbo version was available when I was shopping around and I had test drove it first, there would be no way I would have walked out without a turbo.
James, I'm pretty sure i read on a Genesis forum that the Radio memory function was fixed with a firmware update. You might want to go check that out at your local dealer.
"Formerly known as Jammit - JBO member since 1998" JBOM | CSS.net
Called a local Hyundai dealership to ask about that but they claim to not heard of anything. I'll try some Hyundai forums and see if they heard anything.
Oh another thing that bothers me about my Sonata is that according to the service guy at the dealership, it'll cost about $350 to upgrade the maps in my navigation unit from version 2 to version 3. I would think something like that would be complimentary for the for first 6 - 12 months of ownership, but I guess that shows my naivety about such technological items.
james, yeah i am trying. there 07 has done them good so there iffy on if they wanna trade it in or not. but im working on them hahaha. altho i was kunda disappointed to see them stop the v6 oltions in the sonatas. the 3.3 in the 07 is pretty quick. i was unsure of the 2.4 in them now, and still have yet to check then out and drive one. but in the end it will be my folks car so what they want they will get lil. i just hope they get the nice one and not the base. the 07 they have isnt the base but it isnt the loaded. it has the 17" wheels and the bigger motor but thats all they got aside from the standard options of power windows, locks and keyless entry. but i do have to say hyundai is really stepping up there game this year.
