2005 Hyundai Tiburon Gs Coupe 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

My year in EVs: 8 electrics that are changing the car industry

The year 2021 will go down as an inflection point in the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. It's when many much-anticipated models became reality. No longer sketches or sketchy prototypes, electric vehicles appeared from all corners with everything from the Lucid Air to Ford Mustang Mach-E changing how we think about transportation. I managed to drive a lot of them, and as I went through my notes, I realized IÂ’ve got a mini memoir of the seminal EVs of 2021. HereÂ’s my take on eight of them. Hummer EV Easily the most over-the-top EV I tested this year. The 1,000-hp super truck lived up to the hype with its domineering presence, stupendous power and simply being a reincarnated Hummer. I took it for a short spin on- and off-road at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Mich., and was impressed with the airy cabin, removable sky panels and expansive touchscreens. Yes, I crab walked, which felt like steering a pontoon boat, though I can see why it would be useful. Lucid Air Dream Performance The most beautiful sedan I tested all year, EV or otherwise. Unlike the futuristic Mercedes EQS — which is quite attractive — LucidÂ’s car is a blend of mid-century modern interior aesthetics and classic European exterior styling. When I walked up for my test drive, someone who IÂ’m pretty sure was comedian Jon Lovitz was sitting inside and taking it all in. As it sat in the valet of a hotel in a wealthy suburban enclave north of Detroit, the Lucid drew more attention than any of the Mercedes, Cadillacs or Lexus models passing by. The driving experience was enveloping. Starting at $169,000 for the Performance model (reservations are closed), the Lucid I sampled packed 1,111 hp and 471 miles of range. From the precise steering to the comfortable suspension, the dynamics were spot-on. It's a formidable product, and all the more impressive given itÂ’s LucidÂ’s first. Chevy Bolt EV The Bolt was the most pleasant surprise for me. It handled well, offered low-to-the-ground hot hatch dynamics and the steering was dialed-in. Adding a crossover variant for the new generation was a smart play. On a summer morning where I went to a first drive of the Ford Bronco at an off-road course, my hour-long commute in the Bolt was an enjoyable appetizer.  The Bolt was also my biggest disappointment due to its extensive recalls for fire risk. Ironically, I had the Bolt in my driveway when the initial recall went out for the previous generation (2017-19).

Hyundai, BMW and Ford win Concept Vehicle of the Year awards

More than two dozen jurors started with a pool of 23 concept cars introduced at the most recent Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto and New York auto shows, then pared it down to three winners in three categories for the twelfth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. The trophy-bearers are said to be those "vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry," and lead their classes in the Concept Car, Concept Truck and Production Preview divisions.
Hyundai had two cars as finalists for the Concept Car category, the competition boiled down to the Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis concept, Veloster C3 Roll Top, Honda EV-STER and the Toyota Corolla Furia. It won with the HCD-14 Genesis that was introduced at the Detroit Auto Show, a sharp sedan that sharply divided opinion between those who thought it was too much, those who thought it was too much Audi A7, and those who thought it was perfect. The award panel's judges, however, thought so much of it that it's got two awards in one sitting, not only taking concept car honors, but because it earned the highest overall score in the competition it also takes the crown for Most Significant Concept Vehicle of 2013.
The final selection in the Concept Truck category was down to the Ford Atlas, Kia Cross GT, Nissan Resonance and Volkswagen Cross Blue. The Ford Atlas took the silverware, after also winning the Eyes on Design award - shared with the Nissan Resonance - at the Detroit Auto Show where it was introduced.

The Hyundai Solus is a 500-hp Genesis Coupe for SEMA

Hyundai is working on a SEMA Show car again with its old pals at ARK Performance. This time the project is a wide-body Genesis Coupe dubbed the Solus, a performance concept theoretically aimed at the BMW M4 and Lexus RC F. The white paint is subtle for SEMA, but ARK Performance built new parts for practically the entire body. The bumper gets larger intakes and a carbon-fiber splitter, the fenders are widened at both ends, and a new hood fits the revised look well. Side skirts bring the styling treatment along the profile to highlight the more aggressive rear. The styling should mesh nicely with the 700-horsepower Tucson that's also coming to the event. ARK Performance didn't neglect the engine, stroking the V6 from 3.8 up to a full 4.0 liters and then adding a Rotrex supercharger. The result is a claimed 500 hp running to the rear through a six-speed manual. The company also installs its own coilover kit to help handling. This isn't the first Genesis Coupe Ark has tuned. The company has produced multiple tuned versions of the model for SEMA going back to 2010. Last year, it switched gears slightly with a 550-hp supercharged Genesis sedan called the AR550. Seventh Consecutive SEMA Vehicle Blends Premium and Performance Sponsorship Provided by Hyundai Car Care Express and Quaker State FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2015 – Leveraging its long-standing relationship with Hyundai Motor America, ARK Performance has released details on its race-inspired Solus Genesis Coupe, blending performance and luxury to take on vehicles like the BMW M4 and Lexus RC F. The vehicle will be revealed at Hyundai's SEMA press conference on November 3 at 11:30 a.m. PT. For the tuner's seventh consecutive vehicle built for SEMA, ARK added performance and luxury in tandem, creating a premium coupe that can go toe-to-toe with top rivals from around the world. Building on the success of last year's AR550 Genesis Sedan, the vehicle's design focuses on creating a wider visual look to give a more powerful stance using ARK's own "Solus" wide body kit. The interior also has been given a complete makeover with a redesigned dashboard, race-bred steering wheel and gauges, with ample carbon fiber. The Solus Genesis Coupe is sponsored by Quaker State and Hyundai Assurance Car Care Express, with more than 300 service centers nationally. Car Care Express provides customers with quick oil changes, tire rotation and other basic services in less than an hour.