Hyundai drops plan of bringing i10 to US, mulls i20/i30

A Hyundai executive has stated that the automaker has dropped considerations of bringing its exceedingly popular subcompact, i10, into the United States.

"The i10 is too small for the American market," says Brandon Yea, senior vice president of product planning at Hyundai and Kia. He was quick to say the official decision has not been made yet.

Instead of the i10, Hyundai is mulling the subcompact's larger siblings: i20 and i30. Hyundai has already unveiled the 2009 Elantra Touring, which is essentially the European-designed i30 CW, for the North American market. The i20, slated to debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show and due to go on sale in Europe in December, slots between the i10 and i30 and will also be built in India. As an immediate plan, Hyundal also plans to import more Elantras into the U.S. from South Korea in November, when Hyundai opens its new plant in Czech Republic.

Assembled in Chennai, India, the i10 has broken unparalleled sales records in some countries such as India. Demand for the i10 has also been very high in Europe, where Hyundai previously struggled.

[Source: Autoweek]

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Bookmark This: All the info you need for the 2010 Kia Soul

It is only a couple of weeks before the Paris Motor Show commences and Kia officially pulls the wraps off its unequivocally most anticipated car in the automaker's history, Soul. Due to go on sale around the world including Europe, Asia, and the U.S., the Soul is Kia's answer to the Nissan Cube, Scion xB, and the rapidly escalating demand for frugal, fuel-efficient, compact cars.

Penned by Peter Schreyer - the renowned car designer responsible for bringing the Audi TT and Audi's Bauhaus look to life - the Soul is Kia's boldest offering in terms of design ever, as evident from the slew of striking design elements such as the sleek front fascia and the bulging wheel arches. The eye catching theme continues inside with the sporty interior and the evident attention to detail judging from the official images.

The Kia Soul will be available in an array of different engines, depending on the market: a 126 horsepower 1.6L VGT diesel, a 126 horsepower 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder gasoline, and a 142 horsepower 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline. The 2.0L unit will be standard in the North American-spec Soul. All engines will be mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Following Scion's successful formula of giving its customers a slew of customization options, Kia will offer just about as many for the Soul. Cosmetic features such as 18-inch sport alloy wheels reminiscent of the Soul Burner Concept, exterior decals, front skirt, and alloy fuel filler door indicate Kia's ambition with the Soul.

The Soul is expected to go on sale in South Korea by November 2008. It will manifest to many parts of the world by mid-2009. The official date for the European launch is set for February 2009, while Americans will be getting theirs from April 2009. Production will commence at Kia's Gwangju facility in November 2008. In the U.S., the Soul is speculated to cost less than its primary rival: Scion xB.

Bookmark this page for all the latest news and images of the 2010 Kia Soul, as the days to the Paris Motor Show on October 2nd near.

Continued: Hi-res images (updated daily, commercials

UPDATE: New exterior, interior images added.











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Hyundai considers bringing i10 to US

Hyundai Motor India is currently studying its options to export the i10 from India to the United States. The i10 has been extremely successful in India and quickly rose to being the best-selling Hyundai in the country.

"We are studying the feasibility of beginning our exports to the U.S.," said Mr H.S. Lheem, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary celebration. The Hyundai i10 is only 140 inches long and 21 inches shorter than Honda Fit and is capable of up to 56 MPG. Escalating fuel prices has led to rise in demand for compact cars in the U.S. Hyundai will modify the i10 by adding more safety features, which is expected to increase its weight by 400 lbs.

Hyundai currently exports the i10 to nearly 96 countries but has stayed away from the U.S. market owing to the poor demand in compact car segment and intense competition. The i10 is assembled in Hyundai's Chennai facility in India.

[Source: CarTradeIndia.com]

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Paris Preview: 2010 Hyundai i20 (Getz)

Hyundai has released the first official image of the subcompact i20. Slated to debut at the upcoming Paris International Motor Show in October, the i20 will replace the Getz/Click/TB. Slotting between the i10 and i30, the i20 is designed with the European market, emphasizing build quality, comfort, and value.

The Hyundai i20 rides on an all new platform. It will be offered with 1.2L and 1.4L petrol engines, a 1.4L diesel engine, and a new 1.4L common-rail diesel that will power the fuel-sipping i20 i-Blue. The i-Blue's eco-friendly diesel produces 89 bhp and 162 lb.ft of torque. It features a 6-speed manual transmission rather than the standard 5-speed manual, low-resistance tires, under-floor covers, aerodynamic changes, and low-friction engine oil. These changes result in an emission rating of 99g/km of CO2 and achieve 68MPG.

More details will be released when the i20 debuts at the Paris Motor Show on October 2nd. A three-door variant is expected to be released a few months after the five-door's debut.

[Source: Hyundai]

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Speculation: 2010 Kia VG

An amateur rendering of the 2010 Kia 'VG' sedan has popped up on the net this morning. Looking at the recent spy photos of the premium sedan, the rendering looks nearly spot on to the actual prototype. This speculation gives us a preview of Kia's bold offensive into the premium arena occupied by the Volkswagen Passat and Lexus ES350. Designed by Peter Schreyer, the designing genius that has penned the original Audi TT and started the Bauhaus-look incorporated in current Audis, the VG will break new grounds for Kia's reputation in design.

The VG is set to debut in August of 2009. It will be available in many markets including North America and South Korea. The VG will be powered by a 280+ horsepower 3.8L Lambda V6.

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Korea: Ssangyong releases 3.2L V6 Chairman W

Ssangyong Motors has commenced sales of the 3.2L V6 variant of the company's flagship Chairman W sedan. Initially available with either a 3.6L V6 or a 5.0L V8, the Chairman W has been struggling in the sales charts, which triggered Ssangyong to broaden its potential market base. While the 3.6L and 5.0L variants are badged as CW700, the 3.2L version will be tagged as CW600.

The CW600 will pack many luxurious amenities found on higher trim levels such as a Mercedes Benz-sourced 7-speed automatic transmission, Harman-Kardon Entertainment System, Driver Information System (DIS), voice-activated navigation system with 8-inch touch screen, knee airbag, and touch-sensitive smart key.

The Chairman W CW600 competes with Hyundai's Genesis BH330. Thw CW600 Luxury is priced at 51 million Won (USD$47,144) and the CW600 Prestige is priced at 54.9 million Won (USD$50,749).

[Source: Bobaedream (Korean)]

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Spied: Kia Soul Caught Undisguised & Interior Shots

Here are the latest spyshots of the Kia Soul, slated to debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October. The prototypes caught in these pictures are clad in Tomato Red and Clear White. They also look to be the range-topping trims, as evident by the 18-inch alloys, chrome trims, and the diminutive rearview camera. A Kia executive told us that the Soul Burner Concept wheels seen on the recent teaser video with the bouncing wheels, the trademark H-grille, and other sporty visual aids will be optional. It implies Kia's influence from Scion with their customizable cars that launched them to success.

For the first time, we see the Soul's interior in full glory, sans any tapes or coverings. From the pictures, the interior looks to be high in quality compared to its targeted rivals such as the Scion xB and Nissan Cube. Taking into thought the Soul's estimated starting price of under $20,000 and we have an impending success.

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