2014 Hyundai Sonata Se 2.0t on 2040-cars

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Hyundai Prius-fighting hybrid spied wearing new camo

Hyundai's engineers certainly don't want the public to see its upcoming dedicated hybrid model in several of these new spy shots, but the company can't deny that the machine is on the way. These test cars were first spotted last summer as Prius-like five-door hatchbacks. However in these photos and the second set, it would seem that the model has morphed into a more sedan-like shape similar to the Chevy Volt. Unlike the last time we saw this car during arctic testing, the vehicle no longer is covered in plastic concealment. That obfuscation has been replaced with a very effective camo pattern on everything but the roof, and in several photos, workers are actively standing in the way of the spy shooters' lenses. Beyond the whole model's general shape, there are a few details to pick out, though. You can easily spot the outline of the brand's hexagonal grille up front. There appears to be a rather complicated air dam design there, too. In profile, the shape of the rear hatch creates an integrated spoiler at the back. While the camouflage makes it very hard to tell, we don't see a plug-in port on this example. According to our spies, this test car was being driven with a slew of other electrified models, including a BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen e-Golf, and Kia Soul EV. Given that group, perhaps the engineers were specifically benchmarking the electric performance for this outing. Earlier reports suggest that Hyundai's latest hybrid could debut in the second half of 2016. Power reportedly comes from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with hybrid assistance and a lithium-ion battery. Plug-in and five-door hatchback versions are also rumored.

Hyundai's rakish HND-9 concept has lots of Seoul

Hyundai has unwrapped the HND-9 Sports Coupe Concept at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show. The design study is intended to give the world a glimpse at what Hyundai has planned for the look of its future products - an evolution of the automaker's current Fluidic Sculpture design language.
With classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive proportions, the HND-9 looks great, and engineers graced the concept with a 3.3-liter turbocharged, direct-injection engine good for 364 horsepower. An eight-speed automatic transmission shuttles that thrust to the rear wheels, while touches like butterfly doors give the machine a bit of flair.
Indoors, the HND-9 features seats built with a special mesh that changes colors depending on the viewer's angle. Designers modeled the cabin after a cockpit for a close, sporty feel. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

370-hp Veloster by Fox Marketing rounds out Hyundai's SEMA lineup

Hyundai is certainly bringing the horsepower wars to Las Vegas next month. We already know that its SEMA lineup includes a 1,000-horsepower Genesis Coupe, but now the company has announced that it is teaming up with Fox Marketing to create a 370-hp Veloster Turbo.
Keeping the Turbo's 1.6-liter engine, this show car gets an extra 169 hp by adding a bigger turbo and intercooler, cat-back exhaust and nitrous and methanol injection... oh, and the engine runs on 101-octane racing fuel. The brakes have been upgraded with six-piston calipers and bigger rotors, while the suspension now includes adjustable coil-overs. And since this is SEMA, this Veloster Turbo gets the requisite flashy exterior styling.
Scroll down for the full press release, but we'll have some better shots of this Veloster in just a few weeks.