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Hyundai poaches BMW M engineering chief to lead new performance division

The Hyundai Motor Group may be getting more serious about its performance credentials, but in order to realize its goal of making more serious performance machinery, it's going to need the expertise to get there. Fortunately that's just what it's acquired in hiring Albert Biermann. The former chief engineer at BMW M GmbH, Biermann has been working for the Bavarian automaker for over three decades now, and since his appointment as Vice President of Engineering at the M division, was most recently responsible for developing the latest M3, M4 and M6 – not to mention bridging the gap between BMW's standard models and its M lineup with the M Performance range. But now the 57-year-old German has been named the Korean group's new head of Vehicle Test & High Performance Development. In his new job, Biermann will be based out of Hyundai's R&D center in Namyang, South Korea, and will be tasked with "the development of new high performance Hyundai and Kia models" while also working to improve the two brands' ride, handling, safety, reliability and NVH reductions. The appointment makes Biermann the second high-ranking German executive the Korean automaker brought on board, after chief designer Peter Schreyer. Although Hyundai recently shut down its US racing program with Rhys Millen Racing, it has embarked on an ambitious assault of the World Rally Championship, and recently opened a test center at the Nurburgring with an eye towards launching a new N performance line that sounds like it'll be right up Biermann's alley. News Source: Hyundai Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Hyundai Kia Performance Hyundai N albert biermann

2014 Kia Cee'd GT

Kia may be an automaker with a lot going for it these days, but it's not yet one that takes pains to appeal to performance enthusiasts. Aside from its Pirelli World Challenge team, it doesn't support any major racing programs to speak of. And despite having showcased such concepts as the GT4 Stinger and the Provo, it doesn't really offer much in the way of performance models.
That is, at least not in North America. But at the Geneva Motor Show last year, Kia got itself into the Euro hot hatch game with the launch of the Cee'd GT (and its three-door compatriot, the Pro_Cee'd GT). It's based on the Korean automaker's European-market Volkswagen Golf rival that's now in its second generation and which, in its previous base iteration, served as the Reasonably Priced Car that celebrity guests drove on Top Gear before it was replaced by a Vauxhall Astra. Now with a GT moniker attached, the Cee'd has warmed up to the point that it'd potentially be better suited towards a proper romp down twisting B-roads than serving as a celebrity punching bag.
Since Kia's first genuine performance model (like the model upon which it's based) isn't offered Stateside, we jumped at the opportunity to drive it while on a recent trip to the UK. Read on to see what we found.

Hyundai, Kia electric vehicles to use Tesla's NACS charging ports starting next year

Hyundai and Kia say that they're adopting North American Charging Standard ports for their electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, which will give the vehicles access to thousands of Tesla Superchargers across the two countries and Mexico. Tesla’s Superchargers are coveted by other automakers because Tesla has more direct current fast-charging plugs in the U.S. than any other network, and its stations are in prime locations along freeway travel corridors. Hyundai Motor North America said Thursday that new Hyundai electric vehicles in the U.S. will come with the NACS port starting in 2024's fourth quarter. It will begin in Canada in the first half of 2025. Hyundai's luxury brand, Genesis, will also start using the NACS ports. Kia said it plans to build the NACS port into new electric vehicles sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, also in the fourth quarter of next year. “Having this kind of sprawling access to chargers will no doubt boost customer satisfaction, elevate the EV ownership experience, and enable drivers to reach more destinations across the continent on electricity,” Seungkyu (Sean) Yoon, president & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America, said in a statement. Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles with NACS ports will be able to access more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. This will double the size of the DC fast charging network available to Hyundai electric vehicle customers. The Tesla network will be able to support the charging speeds on HyundaiÂ’s advanced Electric-Global Modular Platform vehicles, including IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 and the upcoming IONIQ 7. Tesla's electric vehicle plug has steadily moved closer to becoming the industry standard. In June SAE International, formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers, said that it would set performance standards for TeslaÂ’s electric vehicle charging cords. The move by the key U.S. automotive industry organization came just weeks after Ford, General Motors and Rivian said they would join TeslaÂ’s large Supercharger network and adopt its NACS connector in new versions of their electric vehicles. Volvo Cars has also signed a deal with Tesla to join its charging network.