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Hyundai mulling four-door coupe model, V8 or V6 turbo for next Genesis Coupe

Hyundai is showing no signs of slowing down, with plenty of new product in the pipeline. This, according to a recent Automobile magazine interview with John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
Krafcik admits the Korean automaker is considering adding a four-door coupe to its lineup, possibly sharing some design elements of the HCD-14 Concept (shown above in Detroit). The brand's flagship Equus luxury sedan will receive a mild refresh, bowing at the New York Auto Show, and an updated Sonata is expected to follow on its heels. The executive dismissed suggestions of an upcoming current-gen V8 Genesis Coupe, saying the present platform cannot accommodate a V8, but an eight-cylinder engine or a turbocharged V6 is a possibility for its eventual successor.
Check out what the CEO had to say about Audi, why the new Honda Accord has Hyundai reconsidering a technology, and read a followup on the company's fuel-economy fiasco in the full interview at Automobile.

This is the Prius-fighting Hyundai Ioniq fully uncovered

Hyundai has thus far released a few teaser sketches to give us an idea of what its new Ioniq will look like, but this is our best look yet at the finished product. Spied completely undisguised during a video shoot, the forthcoming Ioniq looks pretty much exactly as you'd expect a dedicated electrified vehicle from Hyundai to look like. The Ioniq represents Korea's take on the four-door hybrid, ready to do battle with the likes of the Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt. Hyundai will offer three powertrain options, including a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full EV. The internal-combustion engine is expected to be a 1.6-liter inline-four, slotting in between the gasoline engines on the Volt (1.5 liters) and Prius (1.8 liters). It will be paired to an electric motor, and only Hyundai will let customers eliminate the ICE from the equation altogether – much like BMW does with the i3 – to more closely rival the Nissan Leaf instead. The front end looks distinctly Hyundai, while the tall tail closely follows the aerodynamic lead set by its rivals. And from what we can see so far, it looks like rearward visibility will be somewhat constricted by a high rear deck and small rear window. Earlier spy shots showed camouflaged prototypes with interiors that looked fairly similar to those on the Elantra and Sonata. Hyundai's most recent teaser renderings, however, showed promise for something more distinctive. One way or another, we'll find out soon enough, as the Ioniq is slated for unveiling in South Korea next month ahead of its motor show debuts in Geneva and New York in March and sales debuts later this year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Hyundai Ioniq: Undisguised Spy Shots Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Green Spy Photos Hyundai Electric Hybrid Sedan hyundai ioniq

Did Lexus make a BMW? Or did BMW make a Lexus? This and other 2017 surprises

It's that time of year again. The calendar is about to reach its end, Star Trek Cats 2018 is about to take its place, and I'm reflecting about all the cars that graced my driveway this year or summoned me to exotic places. You know, like Stuttgart or Phoenix. In 2017, I drove at least 57, and as I perused the list of them, I started to notice a common refrain: "This car surprised me." Most were pleasant surprises, but there were a few head scratchers and facepalms for good measure. In both cases, it was generally the result of car companies seemingly trying to break out of an existing mold. Nowhere was that more apparent than the pair of Lexuses slathered in Infrared paint: The LS 500 that left me this week and the LC 500 that was my favorite car of 2017. Though Lexus has been trying to shake its crusty, gold-packaged reputation for some time now, its efforts always seemed like an old man choosing Hollister to redo his wardrobe after realizing it hasn't been updated since 1987. I fell in love with the LC, genuinely floored by its near-perfect take on the GT. It's characterful in sound, appearance and tactility. It was at home in the city, in the mountain and on the open road. It was both comfortable and thrilling, and after driving the mechanically related LS 500, I can report that the LC's talents aren't an outlier. The LS 500's turbo V6 may make different noises than the LC's naturally aspirated V8, but it nevertheless invigorates the cabin when the car is placed in Sport+ mode. The steering is truly communicative, body motions are kept in miraculous check, and I absolutely forgot I was in an enormous luxury limo ... and a Lexus one at that. It was everything that the BMW 530e was not. I drove that on the exact same roads and was utterly bored the entire time. Generally doughy, lifeless steering, more distant than Planet 9. And no, the plug-in hybrid powertrain had nothing to do with that. At least it shouldn't. The Porsche Panamera S e-Hybrid I also drove this year proves that, as do the Hyundai Ioniqs, which are surprisingly adept and fun little cars regardless of what powers their wheels (Hyundai + hybrid = fun really blew me away). I would drive that Lexus LS F Sport over the BMW 5 Series any day of the week, which seems like a shocking thing to say in relation to either car. While Lexus is seemingly breaking out of its old crusty mold, BMW seems to be climbing into one.