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Hyundai to build test facility at N"urburgring

It looks as if Hyundai is set to build a test facility at the famous Nürburgring. Carscoop reports the Korean automaker has commenced construction on a 10,000-square-foot test center with access to the lengthy German track. Hyundai says the $7.3 million facility will help the company focus on improving the ride and handling of its vehicles through extensive research and development.
Sounds like a plan to us. While we've seen Hyundai vehicles improve on many fronts over the past few years, the company continues to struggle with suspension refinement compared to its Japanese, German and domestic rivals.
Automakers routinely flock to the Nürburgring for testing and development thanks to the track's unusual attributes. With a variety of surfaces, banking, turns, elevation and even weather, the circuit offers engineers the ability to put a vehicle through its paces in a wider range of conditions than most facilities.

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport Quick Spin | More than just affordable

A few months ago, a discussion at Autoblog HQ led to the term mildly spicy. Cars like the Honda Civic Hatch, the Volkswagen Golf and Mazda3 aren't quite GTI or Focus ST-level hot hatches, but they still provide a great mix of fun, practicality and affordability. The Hyundai Elantra Sport fits the same basic mold, minus the hatchback. That's why we were so eager to get behind the wheel of the new Elantra GT Sport. Same premise, better form factor. The Elantra GT and sedan aren't as closely related as their name might suggest. The GT is actually based on the European i30 hatch, which is why the styling for the two models differs both inside and out. Think Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. The suspension tuning is also slightly different, but both cars share the same turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four, mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual clutch transmission. It's good for 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That's roughly equal to the new 2017 Honda Civic Si, though the Honda weighs a few hundred pounds less than the Elantra. Still, the Elantra GT Sport feels just as quick as the Civic Si, even with the weight penalty. Minimal turbo lag means peak torque arrives at just 1,500 rpm. From there, power comes on smoothly, with all 201 horses running free at 6,000 rpm. The smooth shifter and well-placed clutch are a perfect match for the engine, even if it's not quite as slick as the Honda's. The dual clutch is a $1,000 option, but stick with the manual unless you really can't deal with three pedals. Michigan roads are known for being flat, straight and pockmarked. Thankfully, Hyundai managed to find some decent pavement just outside of Ann Arbor. The Elantra GT Sport uses MacPherson struts with twin-tube shocks up front with a multi-link independent suspension with monotube shocks out back. The standard Elantra GT uses a torsion beam out back, so the difference is noticeable. The ride is on the comfortable side of sporty. The car dealt with rough pavement well, though these were the best Michigan conditions we could have hoped for. It doesn't react quite as quickly as a Civic Si or Volkswagen GTI, but it feels right on par with with Civic Hatch Sport. Body roll is minimal and, given enough leeway, you can get the back end to rotate slightly when lifting off the throttle. There's mild understeer, but nothing egregious.

Hyundai Tucson N would be a hot hatch on crossover stilts

Auto Express reports that during last week's launch of the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe, the carmaker's global head of sales said a hotted-up N version of the Tucson "is under development, and other models will come after that." The remark should quell a year of speculation that a performance-oriented Tucson N had to figure somewhere in Hyundai's plans. The question now is when will the Tucson N get here. The N performance sub-brand's first product, the i30 N, just launched. We'd been told that a "fastback" would come next, probably an N version of the i30 Fastback going on sale in international markets this year. After that would come a B-segment vehicle — likely an i20 N, a road-going model of the four-door that Hyundai uses for the World Rally Championship. After that would come an SUV, however, we're also expecting a Veloster N to reach the U.S. market late this year. We know that the N division plans to take the time to make sure each model delivers all the goods — the i30 N's received uniformly high marks so far — so we could be looking at mid to late 2019 for a spicy Tucson. The hot crossover playground will entertain more global players by then — Seat just debuted its 296-horsepower Cupra Ateca in Europe, for instance — but in the US, the Tucson N could own a niche without a true competitor. The Mazda CX-5 earns across-the-board praise for driving dynamics, but its four-cylinder tops out at 187 hp and it would never be called a "lovable thug." Unless Ford decides to roll out an Escape ST after three years of scuttlebutt on the matter, nothing else in the segment could touch a 'roided Tucson, especially one given the full 271-hp from i30 N's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot. Related Video: