2013 Hyundai Accent on 2040-cars

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Hyundai spooks investors by paying $10B for new Gangnam HQ location

Doing things Gangnam style apparently costs a serious chunk of change, because Hyundai is reportedly paying roughly $10 billion for 19.6 acres (79,342 square meters) of land in the trendy district of Seoul, South Korea, to serve as the location for its new headquarters. That eye-popping number represents the highest amount ever paid for a plot of land in South Korea, according to Reuters. The hefty price tag reportedly scared investors enough for stock prices to sink dramatically.
Shareholders were apparently upset because the massive outlay could instead have been put back into the company for research and development or other improvements. Instead, the company reportedly bid triple the land's appraised value, says Reuters. The announcement caused Hyundai's stock price to plummet a massive 9 percent, and there were losses from Kia and the company's parts arm, as well. All told, the three of them lost nearly $8 billion in value from the falling share prices - almost enough to pay for the controversial land.
Hyundai currently has its headquarters on the outskirts of Seoul, but seems keen to move to the high-end Gangnam district to show off its rising status. It plans to build a new office complex, hotel, convention center and theme park on the site. According to an analyst speaking to Reuters, that could all cost an additional $6 billion to complete.

2017 Hyundai Elantra arrives with a host of upgrades [w/video]

We got a great idea of the 2017 Hyundai Elantra's styling when the company revealed it for the South Korean market a few months ago. Now, the US-spec car arrives at the LA Auto Show. The shape is just as expected, but Hyundai has new powertrains and tech in store, too. Hyundai designers simplified the Elantra's look for the latest generation. The sedan's nose now flows down to a hexagonal grille with horizontal slats, and squinting headlights flank it on each side with vertical LED running lights underneath. The new lower air dam leads air to wheel curtains that help lower wind resistance. The profile lacks the heavy sculpting of the current model, but a subtle character line sweeps up across the side for some visual interest. Narrow taillights stretch horizontally across the trunk. Even with the aesthetic changes, the overall size only expands slightly: length grows 0.8 inches to 179.9 inches, width increases an inch to 70.9 inches, and the wheelbase remains 106.3 inches. The interior features a more horizontal layout with metallic trim that runs across the dashboard. There are two infotainment choices beyond the base stereo. A seven-inch Display Audio system includes a rearview camera, and an eight-inch setup also has navigation. Both support Android Auto. Most trims of the 2017 Elantra feature a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that runs on the Atkinson cycle, and it produces an estimated 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai expects fuel economy ratings of 29 miles per gallon city, 38 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined with the six-speed automatic. The company also offers a six-speed manual only on the SE trim. The Elantra Eco arrives in spring 2016 with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder with 128 hp and 156 lb-ft and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The brand estimates 35 mpg combined with that combo. A much stronger platform is beneath the upgraded design. The Elantra now uses 53 percent advanced high strength steel compared to 21 percent before, and the change allows torsional rigidity to increase 29.5 percent. The engineers also work to improve NVH wherever possible with improvements like a hood insulator, thicker glass, sound-absorbing material, and plastic and rubber bushings for the front subframe. Drivers can order a plethora of driver assistance and safety tech for the 2017 Elantra including Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, adaptive cruise control and Blind Spot Detection.

Surprise Costs Have A Cost: Why we turned down the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

They say you can always tell the pioneers. They're the ones with the arrows in their backs. Unfortunately, that was our experience pursuing – and eventually rejecting – the new hydrogen fuel cell-powered Hyundai Tucson. I first heard about Hyundai's new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2013. As a tech buff, the thought of driving a new, clean technology vehicle sounded exciting. Best of all, Hyundai was wrapping the new vehicle in a smart, familiar package, as a loaded current-generation Tucson SUV. The FCV Tucson was billed as $499 a month with $2,999 down, with free fuel and free maintenance. Our family needed a new, small, fuel efficient SUV, so I signed up for information on the upcoming lease program. Someone has to go first. Why not us? In the spring of 2014, I learned more at a Clean Fuel Symposium, held on the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The panel was packed with experts on alternative fuel vehicles. One spokesperson outlined the chicken or egg problem with alternative fuels like hydrogen: fuels first or vehicles? Another said something that I should have heard more clearly. "If the argument [to move to alternative fuel vehicles] has to start with a change of behavior from consumers, that's a hard row to hoe." I would soon to learn what an FCV would really cost, both in hours and in dollars. Nonetheless, I was ready to try jumping the hurdles and get an alternative fuel car. A low impact on the environment, plus free fuel and a solo car pool lane sticker? What could go wrong? My wife was a much harder nut to crack. My habit of jokingly calling it a "nuclear-powered" car probably didn't help much either. Our conversations went like this: "A what kind of car?" "Hydrogen fuel cell." "What?" "It's essentially an electric car." "Don't those things have a really short range?" "Yes. That's what the hydrogen is for. You fill it with hydrogen to fill the fuel cell, instead of charging it overnight like an electric car." "Where do you get hydrogen?" "Well..." It turned out the nearest hydrogen station was in Burbank, about 13 miles from our house. In LA traffic, that could be more than half an hour's drive each way. Since there's an excellent bakery in Burbank (Porto's), I told my wife I was fine with taking the time each week to fuel up every 200 miles or so.