Hyundai today surprised the automobile enthusiasts around the world by releasing the very-first picture of the all-new ix20 mini-MPV! The next-generation ix20 MPV is scheduled to make its official premiere at this year’s Mondial de L’Automobile in Paris on September 30th, revealed the South Korean carmaker.

The all-new ix20 MPV was designed at the carmaker’s European R&D centre located in Germany. According to Hyundai, the ix20 represents a striking departure from boxy “minivan” image typically associated with the segment. The forth-coming Hyundai ix20 is claimed to be the second European Hyundai model which adopted Hyundai’s new “fluidic sculpture” design language.

Hyundai ix20 is scheduled to hit the European dealer stores in the fourth quarter of the year. The model will be available with a wide range of fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines, complying with EURO5 emission standards. It will also feature ISG (Idle Stop&Go) system, as well as Hyundai’s ground-breaking Five Year Triple package, which includes a 5 year unlimited-mileage warranty, 5 years of free health checks and 5 years of roadside assistance. The ix20 will only be sold in the European market.

What we know about the all-new Hyundai ix20? It uses the same platform as Kia Venga mini-MPV. The engine line-up will consist of modern four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines with horsepower output ranging from 75 horsepower to 128 horsepower. The model is going to be built at Hyundai’s European manufacturing plant in Czech Republic, alongside its sister model Kia Venga.

Put also on display along the all-new Hyundai ix20 MPV will be a revised i10 mini-car. The 2011 Hyundai i10 will get a revised front fascia and new tail-lamps. The popular i10 will also benefit from other design and technical enhancements including the all-new 1.0L engine with CO2 emissions of just 99 grams per kilometer!

During the Paris Motor Show, Hyundai will also showcase the latest developments from its Blue Drive eco-focused program highlighting new environmental technologies set to contribute further to reductions in emissions from new Hyundai vehicles. Stay tuned for more Hyundai news from Paris!
Hyundai ix20 picture:

Hyundai announced it has added more content and a 10 more ponies to its Genesis premium sedan. The 2011 Hyundai Genesis, equipped with 4.6L V8 engine, now packs 385 horsepower on premium unleaded fuel (or 378 on regular fuel). According to Hyundai Motor America,  the V8 powered 2011 Genesis luxury sedan propels from zero to 60 miles per hour in only 5,3 seconds - that’s 0,4 second better than 2010 Genesis sedan!

The award-winning 4.6L V8 Tau engine delivers more horsepower and better torque than other V8 engines found on luxury sedans, such as Audi A8 or Lexus GS460. In addition the V8 Tau also delivers more hp per liter than any of these V8 competitors!

For the 2011 model year, Hyundai has further enhanced the astonishing list of standard equipment in the Genesis 4.6 by adding more premium features as standard equipment. The 2011 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 is now available with features that were previously optional.

Those include smart cruise control, heated and cooled driver seat, Lexicon surround-sound audio system with added 17 speakers, navigation System featuring the intuitive Driver Information System (DIS) with 8-inch screen, electronic parking brake, parking assistance system, adaptive front lighting system, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights and rear-view camera and parking sensors at front and rear.

The 2011 Genesis 3.8 retains the same content as the 2010 Genesis luxury sedan, and great starting price of $33,000, while the 2011 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 now starts at $43.000 (excluding freight). [Source: Hyundai]

With the introduction of three new models within the next few months, Hyundai wants to bring more first time buyers to the brand and become the third largest Asian automaker on the U.S. soil. Currently, the South Korean largest carmaker is in a fierce battle to take the No.3 spot away from Nissan. Through July, Nissan has sold 522.669 cars and trucks, while Hyundai (together with Kia), has sold 515.316 vehicles in the USA.

To keep the US consumers away from Nissan stores, Hyundai plans to introduce the 2011 Accent sub-compact car, next-generation Elantra sedan and Veloster coupe in the coming months. Here are some new details that recently emerged on the web and reveal more about the three afore-mentioned newcomers.

As already reported, the all-new Hyundai Accent, which made its early premiere as a RB concept car in Moscow last week, is going on sale in the US-market in mid-2011. Based on Hyundai Verna (on sale in China), the new Accent will feature several exterior styling updates and differently set-up suspenssion lay-out. The 2011 Accent will offer a choice of two four-cylinder engines (1.4L and 1.6L) generating between 105 and 122 horsepower.

Hyundai’s recently redesigned Elantra compact car, which made its official premiere at the 2010 Busan Motor Show, is scheduled to go on sale by the end of this year. The news comes from Edmund’s insideline.com, which learned that the 2011 Elantra will be powered by Hyundai’s 2.0L Theta four-cylinder engine. Hyundai will take the wraps off the US-market Elantra compact sedan at the forth-coming Los Angles Auto Show.

The last new Hyundai vehicle out of three, but probably the most wanted one, is the brand-new Veloster coupe. The entry-level Hyundai coupe, is set to make its official U.S. premiere at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with sales slated to commence before the end of 2011.

Expect the front-wheel-drive Veloster coupe to feature an exciting exterior appearance, 1.6L GDI engine making 140+ horsepower and perhaps, a new name as well!

Hyundai’s Accent RB concept vehicle gives us the very-first sneak peek at the up-coming, next-generation Hyundai Accent sub-compact car, which is scheduled to debut in the US market early next year. The US-spec Accent is expected to offer exciting exterior styling and advanced powertrain technology.

The US-spec 2011 Hyundai Accent will be built on the same platform as Hyundai Verna (on sale in China), however, the model will feature slightly different front fascia design. Th front fascia of the US-market Accent will incorporate hexagonal signature grille, attractively designed headlights and L-shaped front fog lights.

According to Hyundai, serial mass production of the Accent RB concept car in Russia is scheduled to commence in January 2011, while sales will begin in the spring of 2011.

Hyundai also revealed during the 2010 Moscow International Auto Show that the all-new Accent will be powered by automaker’s Gamma engine lineup consisting of 1.6L or 1.4L DOHC in-line 4 cylinder gasoline engines.

The 1.6L engine generates 122 horsepower, while the 1.4L unit produces 105 horsepower. Both will be mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission or a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. The US-market Accent is also expected to be available with more potent 1.6L GDI four-cylinder engine producing 140 horsepower.

Hyundai Accent RB concept car video:

Hyundai Motor Company took the wraps off its beautiful Accent RB concept car today. The concept car made its official debut at the 2010 Moscow International Auto Show and was put on display along new Sonata and ix35 crossover.

The hot-looking Accent RB concept car is believed to be previewing the US-market Accent, which is scheduled to go on sale early next year. The concept car features similar front fascia design as early prototype models caught in the States recently, which means that the US-spec Accent will probably look very close to the RB concept.

In comparison to Hyundai Verna (Chinese version of Accent), which was put on display for the first time in Beijing auto show last month, the RB Accent features slightly different front fascia design incorporating large hexagonal signature grille, new set of headlamps, sportier front bumper and L-shaped fog lamps.

According to Hyundai, the all-new Accent sub-compact sedan will be available with 1.4L or 1.6L in-line four cylinder gasoline engines when it hits the streets. The 1.6L engine packs 124 horsepower and 156 Nm of torque, while 1.4L unit generates 107 horsepower and 135 Nm of torque. The powerful and fuel-efficient Gamma engines will be mated to 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai also revealed that production of the new Accent is going to be launched at its manufacturing plant in Saint Petersburg, in January next year, while sales are expected to commence in the spring of 2011.

Hyundai Accent RB image gallery:

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So let’s take a look at some of the forth-coming Hyundai models:

All-new Hyundai small car

Earlier this year Hyundai Motor India revealed that there is a brand-new mini-car in works at Hyundai’s Namyang R&D centre located in Korea. The unnamed mini-car will make its official premiere in the first half of 2011, with sales commencing in the second half of the year. In the first phase of launch, the new mini-car will be sold only in India, while later it will also appear on some other International markets.

Hyundai i10 facelift

Hyundai i10 is the entry-level vehicle in the automaker’s European line-up. The popular i10 minicar, which competes head to head against European rivals, such as Fiat Panda, Kia Picanto and Peugeot 107, is getting a mid-cycle facelift for the 2011 model year.

According to latest reports from sources close to Hyundai, the 2011 i10 will get a refreshed front fascia, slightly updated tail-lights and new entry-level 1.0L engine, which will slot in below existing 1.2L Kappa engine.

Next-generation Hyundai Accent

Hyundai already revealed its all-new Accent sub-compact car at the 2010 Busan Auto Show. The car has an eye-pleasing exterior design with many styling ques taken from the 2011 Sonata sedan. Engine line-up has not been confirmed yet, but we are expecting the 2011 Hyundai Accent to feature a 1.6L four-cylinder engine under its hood.

2011 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai is all-set to officially unveil a completely redesigned Elantra compcat car in the USA. The 2011 Elantra is expected to make its official premiere at the 2010 L.A. auto show, which opens its doors in November this year. The all-new Elantra is a stunning compact sedan, which borrows many styling elements from recent Hyundai concept cars.

The all-new Elantra will be offered with Hyundai’s new 1.6L GDI four-cylinder engine, which is  10 percent more fuel efficient in comparison to its direct competitors. Mated to the six-speed automatic (or manual) gearbox, the engine develops 140 horsepower and 17.0 kg/m of torque. The 2011 Elantra will hit US showroom floor in spring next year.

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Earlier this day, several automobile magazines reported that Hyundai will officially launch its long-awaited Tiburon replacement at this year’s L.A. Auto Show. But Hyundai denied those rumors quickly by using its Twitter account and announcing that the production version of its Veloster coupe won’t be put on display at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.

This isn’t surprising at all, since we all know that Hyundai will make an official worldwide premiere of its all-new Elantra sedan in the L.A. this year. The production-ready Veloster coupe will likely be displayed for the first time at the next month’s Paris Auto Show, where the automaker will also debut the 2011 i10 minicar.

The 2011 Hyundai i10 sales will commence by the year’s end, while Veloster is expected to hit the European Hyundai dealer showrooms in the first half of 2011. At this point, it is not known when exactly the sporty two-door coupe will appear in the USA, but rumours suggest that Hyundai will put it on display at the North American International Auto Show in January next year.

Three years after its inaugural launch, the popular Hyundai i10 minicar is ready to get a mid-cycle facelift. The facelift will, reportedly, include minor exterior and interior styling updates, as well as some powertrain upgrades.

According to a source close to Hyundai, the 2011 i10 will get a new front fascia, which will feature Hyundai’s hexagonal signature grille, a new pair of headlights and slightly redesigned front bumper. The car will also get new tail-lamps, revised rear bumper and indicators on the rear-view mirrors. In addition to that, interior of the new i10 will also be upgraded, but details about that have not leaked out just yet.

After the popular i30 hatchback and hot-selling Tucson crossover (known also as Hyundai ix35 in some international markets), the 2011 i10 will become already the third new Hyundai vehicle to get a fuel-saving start/stop technology. As of now, the ISG technology has only be available in Hyundais sold on European soil, but earlier this year, the Korean carmaker announced its start/stop technology will soon expand to other models and markets.

The start-stop system will contribute to a significant cut in both fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions of the up-coming 2011 Hyundai i10. According to the automaker, in typical city driving conditions, with heavy traffic and constant stop-start motoring, the ISG system should cut the fuel consumption and emissions by up to 15 percent.

The facelifted Hyundai i10 is also rumored to get a new 1.0L gasoline engine, while the existing 1.2L Kappa engine will likely get a CVVT (variable valve timing) technology, which will improve the car’s on-road cappabilities and further lower its fuel consumption.

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Hyundai will introduce a budget entry-level sedan in Russia, which will be based on the upcoming Verna compact sedan (next-gen Hyundai Accent in the USA). The all-new budget model will receive a slight styling makeover for the Russian market and therefore will differ from the model sold in China and South Korea. It will also feature a specially tuned suspension set-up adapted to Russian road conditions.

The forth-coming Verna-based Hyundai car will be built at Hyundai’s St. Petersburg manufacturing plant, which will commence serial mass production at the beginning of 2011. Hyundai hopes it can reach 100.000 units-per-year production already by the end of 2011.

The new entry-level Hyundai contender is rumored to carry a $10.000 price tag, which means it will be more affordable than its main rivals. Those include sub-compact cars such as new VW Polo sedan, popular Ford Fiesta hatchback and Chevrolet Aveo, which has been one of the top-selling cars in the market this year.

Under the hood, Hyundai’s new budget model is rumored to feature one of the four-cylinder engines that are currently available in the Hyundai i20. It will either be powered by a 109-horsepower 1.4L engine or a 122-horsepower 1.6L engine. No diesel engines will be available.

Surprisingly, Hyundai began its ascent when the competition was struggling to stay afloat amidst the global economic crunch. The secret was to produce quality cars at affordable prices backed up by a generous warranty package. Hyundai kept its sales up and never looked back. Today, more and more people are looking to buy a Hyundai for its reliability, fuel efficiency and quality while sold at a relatively low price.

This Korean automotive line is now the fifth most sought after non-luxury car brand, according to the Kelly Blue Book Market Intelligence Brand Watch study. It finally kicked Nissan out of the list of top selling cars.

The Top Five Most Considered Car Brand according to the market intelligence brand watch are Ford (29%), Toyota (22%), Chevrolet (21%), Honda (20%) and  Hyundai (13%).

The percentages represent the number of people who choose to buy these products. There were about 3,000 car shoppers who participated in this study that was conducted from April 6 to June 17, 2010.

The car watch study revealed that car buyers are looking for five important car qualities in making a decision to buy. These qualities are durability and reliability, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, driving performance and safety, in that order.

It’s been a long time since an American brand led this list. Ford has taken the top spot, thanks in part to Toyota’s manufacturing booboos that have caused the Japanese carmaker to drop down the list.

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