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Hyundai pushes on with development of delayed i20 WRC

It's a pretty big deal when a major automaker joins a top-flight racing series, and so it was when Hyundai entered the World Rally Championship with the i20 WRC last year. And while delays have postponed the arrival of its replacement, development presses on. For those unfamiliar, the i20 is Hyundai's rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta for Asian, European and other overseas markets. The Korean automaker introduced a new version of the i20 late last year, including a new three-door version that was supposed to serve as the basis for the new rally machine, but production delays meant Hyundai couldn't homologate the rally version before the end of this season as originally planned. So instead it will base the new competition machine on the five-door version and aim to launch it in time for the start of next season. "We had hoped to introduce the car later this season but unfortunately an issue with the homologation schedule - related to production of the three-door road version – will delay our programme," said Hyundai Motorsport chief Michel Nandan. "We have therefore opted to continue focus on the five-door version of the New Generation i20 WRC which will compete at Rallye Monte-Carlo next year." In the meantime, as you can see from the photos above, development continues apace. Test driver Kevin Abbring and his co-pilot Sebastian Marshall are being charged with its shakedown, along with Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul – the same duo that won the 2014 Rally Germany and which are currently ranked third in the 2015 World Rally Championship after placing second at round two in Sweden. They'll have to make do with the current car for the rest of the season, which continues with the fourth round later this month in Argentina. Hyundai Motorsport Continues New Generation i20 WRC Development - Hyundai Motorsport has recently carried out a four-day test in Spain with an upgraded version of the New Generation i20 WRC - Hyundai Motorsport confirms it will ramp up development of a five-door version of the New Generation i20 car in preparation for a full season of 2016 FIA World Rally Championship - The current Hyundai i20 WRC will run throughout the rest of the 2015 season April 10, 2015 – The Hyundai Motorsport team has recently completed a four-day test of the New Generation i20 WRC car in the Spanish region of Almeria.

Compact SUV Comparison: Specs, pics and reviews of every brand's crossover

Honda CR-V vs Toyota RAV4. Chevy Equinox vs Ford Escape. Mazda CX-5 vs Subaru Forester. Whichever combinations of compact crossover SUV you're considering, there's probably a comparison test or chart out there to read. Heck, you can even create a three-car comparison yourself here at Autoblog. However, if you want a bunch of that information all in one convenient place, well, here it is. Our mega comparison of specs, features and photos of compact SUV entries from every mainstream manufacturer that sells them. That includes the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, 2018 Ford Escape, 2018 GMC Terrain, 2018 Honda CR-V, 2018 Hyundai Tucson, 2019 Jeep Cherokee (it's already on sale with notable changes from 2018), 2018 Jeep Compass, 2018 Kia Sportage, 2018 Mazda CX-5, 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (none of Mitsu's SUVs are perfect fits for this segment, so we deemed the MEC the most competitive fit), 2018 Nissan Rogue, 2018 Subaru Forester, 2018 Toyota RAV4 and 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. We can update this comparison as more information about 2019 models is released, most notably the Forester and RAV4. Now, there are certainly some models that are smaller (Nissan Rogue Sport) or larger (Kia Sorento) that could also be considered, but we figured it was wise to stick with those in this sweet spot of comparable size and price. We also included links to Autoblog reviews, buying guides and smaller comparisons. Engines and Transmissions With rare exception, this segment features four-cylinder power. Sometimes it's turbocharged, often its not, but standard engine outputs are generally in the same ballpark. Therefore, we'd recommend focusing on torque output, as it's what will make a difference around town or when passing, and weighing that versus fuel economy (the Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 make particularly strong cases in this regard). Many drivers aren't too fond of continuously variable transmissions (CVT), either, so that's another thing to consider and note during a test drive. As you can see, several models are available with performance upgrades. Besides the Jeep Cherokee's available V6, all are more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The exception to this would be the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, as their 1.5-liter turbo engines don't prioritize performance. Instead, they serve as overall upgrades to the base naturally aspirated engines standard on only their base trim levels (CR-V LX and Escape S).

Hyundai appoints William Lee as global head of Genesis

SEOUL — Hyundai on Tuesday named its former North American chief, William Lee, to oversee its premium Genesis brand following the departure of Manfred Fitzgerald to pursue new opportunities. Lee faces the challenge of rejuvenating Genesis sales in the U.S. market and making headway in Europe and China, both tough markets to crack for luxury car sales. "The company expects Mr. Lee, in his new capacity, to lead the brand's further global expansion by leveraging his overseas business operations expertise," Hyundai said in a statement. "North America is an imperative market for the Genesis brand," it added. The news follows the appointment this month of Mark Del Rosso, a former president of Audi America, to oversee Genesis operations in North America. Genesis U.S. sales halved to 10,312 last year, although sales have picked up this year. The United States is the biggest overseas market for Genesis, which generated 72% of its sales in South Korea last year. Before his stint at Hyundai Motor North America, Lee oversaw Hyundai's Brazil operations and the U.S. unit of advertising arm Innocean Worldwide. Hyundai said in a recent earnings conference call that it has set up Genesis sales operations for China and Europe. Hyundai Motor Group's heir apparent Euisun Chung introduced the Genesis brand in November 2015, bringing in Fitzgerald, a former Lamborghini executive, a few months later to help the automaker shed its value for money image. Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Genesis Hyundai Luxury