2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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Hyundai's Genesis G90 stretches out back home in Korea

Hyundai is getting serious about competing in the luxury market with the launch of its expanded Genesis line. And in the Far East it calls home, that means stretched limousines. Enter the new EQ900L. The Korean automaker's new luxury flagship stretches the wheelbase of the vehicle we now know as the Genesis G90 – or as the Equus in its previous iteration – by an extra 11.4 inches to give the top executives at Samsung and LG extra room to stretch out while in transit from the office to the Psy concert. The elongated cabin space also allows for first-class reclining rear seats, adjustable in 18 directions and upholstered in semi-aniline leather. A long center console runs the entire length of the cabin loaded with everything from ambient lighting to a Lexicon sound system. The same 5.0-liter Tau V8 still provides motivation, channeling 425 horsepower through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four of the 19-inch wheels. That may not be enough to keep pace with the V12-powered Mercedes-Maybach S600 we get here, but it comes close to the S500 version sold overseas. Unfortunately for those of us living outside of Korea, the EQ900L is only being offered in its domestic market for the time being, where titans of industry can pick one up for 100 million won – equivalent to $84,000 at current exchange rates. Related Video:

Judge reduces damages in fatal Hyundai crash to $81M

Hyundai no longer has to pay $248 million as part of a court ruling from a fatal accident in Montana that killed two cousins in a 2005 Tiburon. The judge hearing the appeal revised the amount down to a total of about $81 million. She upheld the original $8.1 million in actual damages but reduced the punitive damages to $73 million from the previous $240 million.
According to Bloomberg, the judge refused Hyundai's desire to reduce the amount even further. She said in her court order that the company showed "an indifference to or reckless disregard of the health and safety of the motoring public."
In the original case, the families' attorneys alleged that the cracking of a faulty steering knuckle caused the fatal accident. Hyundai argued that fireworks had been let off inside the vehicle, which caused the driver to swerve and crash. In a statement released after the ruling, the automaker claimed that evidence supporting its defense was barred from the trial. According to Bloomberg, had the original amount of damages been upheld, it would have been the sixth-highest amount awarded by a jury in the US this year.

2013 Hyundai ix35 is a freshened-up Euro-Tucson

In places that aren't the United States, Hyundai calls its Tucson compact crossover the ix35. And as part of its Geneva Motor Show presence, the Korean automaker has debuted this freshened version of the C-segment CUV, showing some minor tweaks to an otherwise attractive package.
The most noticeable changes are found up front, where a revised grille slots in between newly designed headlamps that now feature LED running lights. Around back, the taillamps have also been given the nip/tuck treatment, and it appears some redesigned wheels have been included in this update, as well.
Hyundai has fitted its ix35 with a new, direct-injected version of its 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine (with undisclosed power figures, natch). And when it comes time to put that power to the road, driver's will be able to use a new selectable electric power steering system similar to what's on the Elantra GT and Santa Fe Sport, with normal, comfort and sport modes.