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Hyundai Veloster Turbo BTR Edition goes demonic at SEMA

Just a few days after Halloween, Blood Type Racing's custom Hyundai Veloster Turbo R-Spec is bringing a demonic look to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas on Nov. 3. This mean little hatchback sports some sinister carbon black paint with crimson accents all around, and a set of red projector headlights top off the devilish details. What's happening under the hood is pretty fiendish, too. The BTR Edition Veloster starts with Hyundai's 1.6-liter four-cylinder, but it's strengthened with parts like forged connecting rods and pistons. The company then adds a high-boost Garrett turbo and retuned ECU. The result is over 500 horsepower to go like a bat out of hell. Beyond the wicked black-and-red aesthetic, Blood Type Racing also fits a carbon-fiber wide body kit, complete with crimson canards at the front corners. Inside, the interior is replaced with a four-point roll cage and racing bucket. The driver can still enjoy some music thanks to a suite of Rockford Fosgate speakers. The Veloster BTR Edition joins a growing slate of custom Hyundais at SEMA this year. In addition to this hellacious hot hatch, there's also a 500-hp Genesis Coupe and a 700-horsepower Tucson. BLOOD TYPE RACING RETURNS TO SEMA, BRINGING ALONG A SINISTER VELOSTER TURBO FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 7, 2015 – Blood Type Racing Inc., the renowned Chicago-based tuner known for his extreme take on Korean vehicles, has revealed its Veloster Turbo R-Spec built for SEMA. The BTR Edition Veloster has an evil twist, designed to look as though it just switched over to the dark side. The car will be revealed at Hyundai's SEMA press conference on November 3 at 11:30 a.m. PT, in Las Vegas. The vehicle's evil appearance began with a "Carbon Black" paint job, accented with a red racing stripe running from the front splitter up onto the hood. A carbon fiber wide-body kit gives the car a muscular, more aggressive stance, and front-mounted aero canards, front splitter and a rear deck spoiler provide down force at speed. Red accents on the custom SSR three-piece wheels, along with red projector "demon eye" headlamps add a final demonic touch to the vehicle's exterior. Using the Veloster's 1.6-liter "Gamma" four-cylinder as a starting block, BTR added new cylinder sleeves, a high-boost turbocharger from Garrett, and custom connecting rods and pistons.

S. Korea to raise concerns about EV credits, battery sourcing in U.S. visit

SEOUL — South Korean officials will meet U.S. counterparts this week to express "concerns" about the Inflation Reduction Act, which restricts who can receive U.S. subsidies for the production of electric vehicles and where firms can source battery materials. President Joe Biden signed into law this month a $430 billion bill, seen as the biggest climate package in U.S. history. The law requires that EVs be assembled in North America to qualify for tax credits, ending subsidies for several EV models, and that a percentage of critical minerals used in batteries come from the United States or an American free-trade partner. Automakers like Hyundai Motor face short-term competitive disadvantage to manufacturers of EVs that receive tax credits in the United States, while industry sources said Korean battery makers must make changes to mineral sourcing routes, which could affect cost adversely. South Korean officials are expected to tell counterparts from the U.S. Trade Representative's office and the U.S. Treasury that the new law may violate trade norms such as the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement and the WTO agreement, the industry ministry said. Korean automakers will consider adjusting production plans to prioritize the construction of U.S. plants for example, the ministry said, while battery makers will seek to diversify where they source minerals from. Under new rules to kick in next year, at least 40% of the monetary value of the critical minerals in batteries will need to come from the United States or an American free-trade partner, with that proportion rising to 80% by 2027. Globally, the treatment of some 58% of lithium, 64% of cobalt and 70% of graphite goes through China, according to ministry data. FALLOUT The new rules are a major complication for battery makers LG Energy Solution (LGES), SK On and Samsung SDI, battery industry sources said. South Korea's LGES supplies Tesla and General Motors, while SK On and Samsung SDI supply Ford Motor and Volkswagen among others. The three battery makers together command more than a quarter of the global EV battery market, according to SNE Research. "It's become a huge headache ... Automaker clients said they didn't expect this new law would take effect this soon," said a South Korean battery industry source.

Hyundai ranks highest in Total Value Awards with Equus leading all cars

Hyundai has taken the cake in Strategic Vision's 18th Total Value Index. The study, which looked at 45,952 new car buyers for 2013 models between September 2012 and March 2013, looks at the ownership experience along with the customer's views on the economic impact of the purchase in both the near and long term.
For the first time, Hyundai was ranked as the leading brand for Total Value, while its Equus luxury sedan scored both the highest overall score and took the crown in the luxury segment. Other Hyundai winners included the Sonata (tied with Fusion), Genesis Coupe and Elantra.
Ford scored quite well, too, taking the segment titles with the Fiesta Sedan (which tied with Elantra), Fusion, Focus Hatchback, Taurus (tied with Dodge Charger), Explorer and Lincoln Navigator. General Motors' cars and trucks managed to capture eight segments, while Toyota topped six areas.