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Hyundai and Kia announce $3.1-billion investment in US facilities

Update: A US spokesperson for Hyundai had no further information, but called the reports about the automaker's investments accurate. Hyundai and Kia announced this morning a plan to invest $3.1 billion into its US facilities over the next five years. According to Automotive News, the new investment is a 50-percent increase over what Korea's two largest automakers have brought to the US in the last five years. The automakers already have several large-scale manufacturing bases in the US, but the new investment could bring another plant into the fold. There is the possibility of producing a Genesis product in the US or building a new plant for a US-specific crossover. The announcement is the latest US investment plan as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office Friday. Trump has singled out automakers for not building cars in the United States, and Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler all announced plans to invest in the US since the beginning of January. Skeptics say these moves would have to be years in the making, though Trump has been quick to take credit for them. Not all of the new money will go toward building new plants. Hyundai and Kia could simply expand the already busy plants in Montgomery, AL, and West Point, GA. Beyond that. The automakers could further their research into electric and autonomous vehicles. Like many other automakers, the two Korean giants have backed down from planned expansions into Mexican manufacturing. Although many automakers currently build or were planning to build new vehicles in Mexico, threats of importation fees appear to be causing caused automakers to refocus some of their efforts toward US production. With all this new investment in the US, Kia and Hyundai said there will be no jobs moved to Mexico. Meanwhile, this morning GM announced plans to bring truck axle manufacturing back from Mexico. As with all of the recent announcements, Hyundai and Kia stated that Trump's upcoming presidency played no part in the decision to reinvest in the US. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Genesis Hyundai Kia Mexico Trump jobs investment

2014 Hyundai Equus priced from $61,000*

During an event in Ann Arbor, Michigan today, Hyundai officials confirmed that the updated 2014 Equus sedan, which goes on sale this week, will be priced from $61,000, *not including $920 for destination. That price is for the base-level Signature version; the upgraded Ultimate trim will carry a base MSRP of $68,000. Both prices represent a $1,750 increase over the 2013 model.
Hyundai introduced the 2014 Equus at this year's New York Auto Show, and while it hasn't been vastly reworked, there are a few thoughtful updates both inside and out. For starters, there's a restyled grille flanked with standard LED fog lamps, as well as new 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside, Hyundai has fitted a new instrument cluster and center stack, as well as more premium wood trim.
There's more technology inside the Equus, as well. The instrument cluster now benefits from either a 7.0- or 12.3-inch LCD information screen, and there's a 9.2-inch display in the center of the dash. For rear seat passengers, there are dual 9.2-inch monitors, as well as redesigned console controls.

Genesis teases future large SUV with GV80 concept

After years of rumors that Genesis would add an SUV to its lineup, Hyundai's in-house luxury brand unveiled the GV80 concept at the New York Auto Show Wednesday. Genesis didn't reveal key details of the concept, such as its dimensions and whether it would fit three rows, but prior intel suggests a Genesis SUV would be a little larger than a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a little more expensive. However, the press release does establish three facts: opulence abounds, the high-rider previews the brand's future design language, and a hydrogen fuel cell powers the GV80 – conceptually, at least. The overall shape – dressed in a "bespoke Ice Granite finish" – seems a touch common, although we must note that numerous players already crowd the large luxury SUV field. To give the GV80 a unique identity, Luc Donckerwolke, head of Genesis design, tapped the arsenal of luxury and detailing he amassed during stints at Lamborghini and Bentley. Genesis' trademark crest grille gets filled with diamond mesh, and sits in a contoured channel that defines a spine running the length of the SUV. The quad headlights are nothing more than four swept-back slits. Along the sides, 23-inch wheels frame a deep vent carved into the bodywork, while the mesh pattern in the five-spoke alloys matches the trussed B- and C-pillars. In back, thin, fiber-optic taillights emphasize width and stylized vents in the lower fascia cool the powertrain. The interior puts on the real show. An analog speedometer jazzes up the digital dash cluster, the driver's display flowing into a curved, 22-inch OLED screen set atop the "bridge" instrument panel. The display's two zones serve driver and passenger separately. The driver can use the glass touchpad multi-function controller and knurled metal wheel to toggle through functions, and the passenger taps the metal pinstripes set into the ash wood console and center tunnel. That tunnel runs the length of the cabin, creating four distinct seating areas. Rear-seat passengers can also touch the metal stripes to control seatback screens. Many cows died to create the interior ambiance, with smooth and quilted-diamond-stitched leather everywhere. Suede, polished aluminum, and slate ash wood provide contrasts from the dash to the cargo area. The GV80's "advanced plug-in hydrogen fuel cell" specs remain a mystery, but it might not be an empty tease. Two years ago, Hyundai showed off the Intrado compact CUV concept at the Geneva Motor Show.