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Hyundai bringing new Veloster model to Chicago

The quirky Hyundai Veloster range is expanding, and we'll see the next take of the Korean automaker's hatchback at the Chicago Auto Show next week. Buried in a release about the company's social media activities, which you can read below, is a line confirming the "reveal of the newest addition to the Veloster lineup."
Mum's the word on what to expect in the world of Veloster, but our best-guess is that it won't be something Earth-shattering. Keep in mind, Hyundai just used the LA Auto Show as its venue to debut the Veloster Turbo R-Spec - a lower-cost, performance-minded version of its hot-ish hatch. Whether or not this new model builds upon the base car (pictured) or the more potent Turbo, remains to be seen.
We'll have the full scoop next week, so stay tuned.

Hyundai will launch Genesis brand in December

Hyundai is about to go global with a new, high-end sub-brand called Genesis. Rumors of this spinoff have been swirling for years, but an announcement Tuesday confirms that the Genesis brand will launch in December of this year. "To elevate and differentiate the Genesis brand from Hyundai, a distinct design identity, emblem, naming structure, and customer service offering is being established," the automaker said in a statement. A Korean report states that Genesis will kick off with a new version of the Equus, set to launch next month, called G90. The rest of the lineup will follow suit with that naming structure (Infiniti isn't using it anymore, after all). The Genesis sedan as we know it will be called G80, and a new midsize model will be G70. A luxury SUV and sport coupe will round out the range, and all six models will launch by 2020. The rear-wheel-drive, midsize sedan is expected to debut in the second half of 2017. In order to properly create an identity of its own, Hyundai is creating the Prestige Design Division. Beginning in mid-2016, this group will be lead by Luc Donckerwolke, who was formerly responsible for design at several Volkswagen Group brands, including Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Seat, and Skoda. Hyundai Motor Group's chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, will oversee the work of Donckerwolke's new division. Genesis will initially launch in North America, China, Korea, and the Middle East. Hyundai says it will expand to Europe and other parts of Asia as Genesis grows. "The Genesis models will provide technological innovation, excellent driving performance and luxury to customers. Every Genesis model will be created with the needs of our customers in mind, so the resulting car will perfectly meet their needs without any unnecessary burden or excess," said Woong-Chul Yang, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor. Hyundai's full announcement can be found here, or in the press release below.

Kia Soul EV starts production next month amidst modest sales projections

The hamsters in those Kia Soul commercials? Looks like they'll be riding real quiet and quite clean a little sooner than we thought. Kia is now saying it will start production of the 2015 Soul EV next month, and sales will start later this year in the company's home country of South Korea. Additionally, according to Reuters, Kia is keeping sales expectations low, suggesting it should sell about 5,000 Soul EVs a year at a price of around $39,000, though the out-of-pocket costs should be cut in half because of South Korean government subsidies. Kia's taking a somewhat conservative approach to its early sales target as it focuses largely on the US and Europe during its first phase, said Kia spokesman Michael Choo. "We are currently conducting launch feasibility studies for the secondary phase of Soul EV introduction and plan to expand sales to other countries at a later stage," he said. "Hence, we believe the sales volume of the Soul EV will steadily grow following our initial full year of sales." As for the US, Kia spokesman James Hope tells AutoblogGreen that while the company hasn't set a definitive debut date, "we are targeting Q3 of this year." Hope says Kia isn't providing Soul EV sales guidance for the US, so we'll just have to see where the EV chips fall come September or so. Reuters also notes that sister company Hyundai will start selling its own battery-electric vehicle in 2016, a timetable confirmed by Hyundai Senior Vice President Lee Ki-sang. Both Kia and Hyundai are shooting for a South Korean electric-vehicle market that they hope will expand exponentially from a total of just 713 sales last year. The front-wheel-drive Soul EV will have a 81-kilowatt electric motor, and its single-charge range will be about 120 miles. The model was first shown off at the Chicago Auto Show last month, but Autoblog scored an early prototype test drive ahead of the reveal – check out our feature drive report here. Kia Motors shows Soul EV and next-generation hybrid powertrain at Geneva Show (SEOUL) March 4, 2014 -- The new Kia Soul EV made its European debut at the 84th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva, Switzerland, today alongside a special technology exhibit of the brand's next-generation hybrid powertrain.