The boars over at Top Gear probably deserved this. With the kind of humor and antics Jeremy Clarkson and his band of cohorts pull in each episode, it wasn’t long before someone makes a parody—and so they did. Hyundai does a fantastic job putting metaphors at work in their commercial entitled Top Deer. Enjoy.

Video: Hyundai presents Top Deer

Source: Jalopnik

And you thought America’s trio of muscle cars are sans rival. Throw in a Hyundai Genesis into the brawl and you’ll see just how far behind the three ponies from Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge are in terms of being a sports car from the infamously cheap Korean brand.

Who better than to prove this than Motor Trend, who pitted America’s muscle against the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. And the results? Well, we’ll let the engines speak for themselves.

Boasting of 305 horsepower from its V6 engine, the Genesis outperforms and outhandles the trio. Even the 2011 Mustang, with its upgraded engine, was no match in this test. Of course, American’s wouldn’t buy this story. It’s all up to the buyers who will ultimately see for themselves out on the road who’s got an engine that’s bigger than his ego.

Source: Autoblog

As Hyundai prepares to launch its third luxury model, the Equus (the first were the Hyundai Genesis and the Hyundai Genesis coupe), there is still the looming challenge to give these luxury models a different brand name to separate them from other Hyundai vehicles. But, everybody knows the great cost that such move will entail, and it will seem contrary to the main goal of Hyundai in its luxury models: quality at a lower cost.

Now, it seems that the company has finally found a way to deal with this dilemma. Instead of creating a new brand for its new luxury cars, Hyundai Motor America wants its U.S. dealers to allot a special area in the showroom for the luxury models.

According to the memo that WardsAuto has obtained, this “showroom-within-a-showroom” style is the lowest cost alternative to creating a new brand. It eliminates the great cost involved in launching a new name for the luxury models. Before dealers can implement this, however, they need to invest on some necessary additions.

To find out what these additions are and to know more about the plan, click here for the complete report from WardsAuto.

WOULD YOU BE ashamed of being seen in a Hyundai? Apparently, most people in Japan are. And nobody said it better than the drift Zen master Han Liu (Sung Kang) in The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift when he handed to his disciple, Sean Boswell (Lucas Black), a red-livery Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX: “You‘re representing me now. What you think, I’m gonna let you roll in a Hyundai?”

This coming from a Japanese character says a lot about Japan’s appreciation for the stereotypically-Korean cars sold by Hyundai. And now the Korean automaker is pulling out of Japan, with reason to do so. Since 2001, the automaker has only been able to sell 15,095 units in the country, as compared to Volkswagen which sold 61,996 units in 2008 alone. Beat that, Sonata. But regardless, Hyundai will continue to sell commercial vehicles in Japan. Despite having sold only 43 Universe buses in 2006, they’re keen on holding on to that small portion of the market.

Hyundai spokesman Oles Gadacz tries to explain their situation saying “If you’re not a Gucci or a BMW, there are very few who prosper there (in Japan)… Mass-market players have it very tough.”

Well, at least they won the Car of the Year award in the 2009 Detroit Auto Show with the Genesis sedan, besting the Ford Flex and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. That’s something to be thankful for. And mind you, its sinister sibling, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, is making a lot of noise in Formula Drift with Rhys Millen Racing and Red Bull Energy Drink. It has got a whopping 550hp Lambda V6, but that’s for another story. We’ll keep you posted on that one. It just might turn you into a fan.

Sources: World Car Fans, CNN, Conceptcarz

Budget tuners have something to look forward to during the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) next week: the debut of Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe R-Spec. To be offered at a starting price of $23,750, the R-Spec is basically the genesis Coupe 2.0 T Track without all the non-essential components.

The press release below highlights the features of the R-Spec:

Production R-Spec to Debut at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 27, 2009 — The Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec, the perfect blank canvas for tuners, priced at $23,750 is beginning to arrive at dealerships across the country. R-Spec takes the core performance equipment from the 2.0T Track model and eliminates non-essential convenience equipment to reduce both cost and weight. The Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec - the first production R-Spec model to arrive in the U.S. - will make its world debut at the Hyundai booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 3 - 6 (Booth # 24387).

The R-Spec allows enthusiasts to tune their own car to their desired specifications. R-Spec provides genuine track-readiness and powertrain scalability in an affordable model. The R-Spec adds core Track model performance equipment to the most affordable 2.0T model, such as: Track-tuned suspension, 19-inch gunmetal-finish alloy wheels with performance Summer tires, Brembo® braking system, Torsen® limited-slip differential and R-Spec badging.

In a special nod to tuners, R-Spec will also receive a set of front strut camber adjustment bolts (dealer installation - optional for customer to install) to further enhance initial turn-in and handling response. To reduce both cost and weight, the R-Spec eliminates some non-essential convenience equipment such as: Bluetooth®, automatic headlights, cruise control, trip computer, chrome interior accents and steering wheel audio controls. Genesis Coupe R-Spec is priced $3,000 less than the 2.0T Track model, leaving tuners with extra cash for their own choice of aftermarket performance upgrades. Appropriately, R-Spec will be available in three exteriors colors most common among international racing teams: Karussell White, Bathurst Black and Tsukuba Red. R-Spec comes with manual transmission only.

R-Spec equipment includes:

– 2.0-liter low-pressure turbocharged intercooled four-cylinder engine
with dual continuously variable valve timing delivering 210 hp, 30 mpg
EPA highway rating and a top speed of 137 mph
– 6-speed close-ratio manual transmission
– Electronic Stability Control with Traction control, ABS, Electronic
Brake-Force Distribution and Brake Assist
– 19-inch gunmetal-finish alloy wheels with staggered-width
high-performance summer-compound Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires
(225/40YR19 front, 245/40YR19 rear)
– Brembo® braking system with 13.4-inch ventilated front rotors, 42mm
four-piston fixed front calipers (red), 13.0-inch ventilated rear
rotors, 32mm+28mm four-piston fixed rear calipers (red)
– Track-tuned suspension (higher-rate coil springs, higher-control shock
absorbers, 25mm front stabilizer bar, 22mm rear stabilizer bar, front
strut brace)
– Torsen-type limited-slip differential
– R-Spec badging
– Tire Pressure Monitoring System
– Front, side, side curtain air bags
– Active front head restraints
– Driver’s lumbar support
– Air conditioning
– Remote keyless entry system
– Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
– Power windows (one-touch up and down), door locks and mirrors
– AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers
– iPod/USB/Aux jack connectivity
– Projector beam headlamps
– Lightweight temporary spare with aluminum wheel (T135/80D18)

– Note: Automatic transmission not available with R-Spec

Check out SEMA next week from November 3 to 6, 2009.

After Hyundai has amazed us all with the introduction of the Genesis sedan, the model that marked the automaker’s place in the luxury market, it’s hard to imagine that Hyundai still holds a lot of new surprises for all of us in its next Genesis. But, that seems to be the case now with the 2010 Hyundai Genesis already here.

The new Genesis packs more advanced components and systems that will surely make luxury lovers love it even more. There’s a significant increase in the number of its convenience features, from its Smart Cruise Control to its touch screen navigation.

The base model of the 2010 Genesis comes with a 3.8-liter DOHC Lambda V6 engine. Meanwhile, the more powerful version boasts of a 4.6-liter Tau V8 engine. The former can crank up to 290 horsepower while the latter can generate 375 horses.

The highlights of the 2010 Genesis include the following three features:

• Smart Cruise Control. This is an advanced system that can automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle according to the flow of traffic. The system works with the help of the vehicle’s braking and throttle assemblies.
• Touch Screen Navigation System. This is an in-dash navigation system (optional) that can be controlled either via the touchscreen or through your voice using a microphone located at the headliner.
• Automatic Parking Brakes with Automatic Vehicle Hold. This feature works automatically in certain conditions and it can also be controlled with just a press of a button, so there’s no need to keep on steeping on the brake pedal.

Word has it that this new Genesis will be on sale next month. With all the new features available, it will surely be a notch higher than the previous Genesis.

Check out the complete press release here.

[Photo: AutoSpectator]

If there ever was a name that has continuously resonated throughout the auto industry this year, that name would be the Hyundai Genesis. It came from out of nowhere, and it sort of started from scratch. When the Genesis was launched, the market was not ready for a Hyundai luxury car.

This new model came out as a challenge to the many already-established luxury automakers and to the many non-believers and doubters that the car has already converted since its launch. The powerful engine choices have awed car enthusiasts (in fact, its 4.6-Liter Tau V8 engine has made it to the Top 10 in Ward’s Auto World). Plus, its ultra luxurious features that match those of the top in the luxury market (with a great part of the price slashed), many luxury car lovers have learned to welcome and actually love the Genesis. Needless to say, it has brought a lot of glamour to the Hyundai brand and to Korean automakers in general.

And to celebrate the Genesis, Hyundai sent out a press release commending its flagship sedan and showing to the auto world just how many awards the Genesis has already gotten for itself since its launch. These awards are as follows:

• 2009 North America Car of the Year
• Motor Trend - America’s Top 40 New Cars
• J.D. Power and Associates - Automotive, Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) - Most appealing midsize premium car
• J.D. Power and Associates - Vehicle Launch Index (VLI) - Highest ranked 2009 all-new or redesigned vehicle
• The Car Book 2009 - Best Bet (intermediate category)
• About.com - Best New Car
• Kiplinger’s Personal Finance - Best New Model (sedans $30,000-$45,000)
• NADAguides.com - Car of the Month (April)
• NADAguides.com - Top 5 Luxury Cars
• NADAguides.com - Best Car Buy - Top luxury cars under $35,000
• Autotropolis.com - Car of the Year
• Cars.com - Car of the Year
• On Wheels - Car of the Year
• AutoPacific - Ideal Vehicle Awards - Aspirational Luxury Category
• AutoPacific -Vehicle Satisfaction Awards - Aspirational Luxury Category
• Consumer Reports - Top-Rated Vehicle (upscale sedan category)
• Consumer Digest - Best Buy (luxury segment)
• MyRide/Autobytel - Car of the Year
• Ward’s Auto World - 10 Best Engines (4.6 liter Tau V8)
• Automobile Journalists Association of Canada - Canadian Car of the Year
• Automobile Journalists Association of Canada - Best New Luxury Vehicle Under $50,000

The Hyundai Genesis indeed came, saw, and conquered. But it’s not yet the end; Hyundai seems to have some more surprises left with the Genesis’s sibling, the Equus. This time, we won’t be surprised and we will be ready when the said car comes!

Check out the complete press release at PR Newswire.

This Genesis coupe is equipped with Vossen Forged VF051 20-inch wheels, and the black and orange combination in the exterior and interior is simply hot. See the photos below:

Vossen Wheels is a wheel manufacturer that focuses on the luxury market, and it has been operating for more than a decade now. It offers wheels that feature a diameter of 19 to 22 inches, width of up to 11 inches, and a stainless steel lip that measures up to 4-inch deep. For more information about the company, visit http://www.vossenwheels.com/.

[Photo: Cars]

Hyundai has finally taken the next step up the luxury ladder. It has successfully reduced the price of its super-luxury car, the Hyundai Equus, from a staggering $96,000. The car now comes closer to $50,000, and this only means one thing—the Equus is now coming to the U.S.

An anonymous source from Hyundai has revealed that the Korean automaker is planning to bring the Hyundai Equus to the United States on July next year. The entry price would be lower than $60,000, almost similar to that of the Lexus LS460 but with more luxury features and high-end amenities. And just what are these features? Well, what can you say about reclining rear seats and massagers, to name just a few?

The Equus is a rear-wheel drive similar to the Genesis. And although it is powered by both the Genesis’ 3.8-liter V6 and 4.6-liter V8 engines, only the V8 will be brought here.

“We’ve established a baseline with the success of our Genesis,” Scott Fink, Chairman of Hyundai’s dealer council, told Auto Week. “If the price is in the 50s or high 40s and we can keep the residuals on par with Genesis, we might have something.”

[Photo Credit: Motor Trend]

Hyundai’s first attempt to enter the luxury market is an unexpected success, unexpected in a good sense. The Hyundai Genesis has already made a name in the industry, and it has not only awed people but has also managed to successfully prove its worth to initially doubtful car buyers. It’s competing with a lot of tough names in the luxury segment, but it stands out because of its affordability. In that sense, it’s even better than a lot of its competitors.

 And now, Hyundai is in its newest venture, taking one step higher and aiming to get into the super-luxury market with its Hyundai Equus. The Equus is on display at the New York Auto Show, supposedly to test the reaction of Americans to this newest Hyundai.

News has it that the automaker is planning to bring this super sedan here in two to three years. That is, after it has gotten its price down, closer to $50,000. Right now, the Equus starts at $96,000, and that’s the problem. Americans may not yet accept a Hyundai with a price as high as that. But if in two to three years, Hyundai will be able to successfully bring us features and capabilities comparable to those of the Mercedes Benz S-Class, at a much lower price… well, we’d all be so glad.