Three-door Hyundai i20 Officially Revealed

After an online leak spoiled Hyundai's plans, the Korean automaker decided to release the first official photos of the new three-door i20 ahead of its official unveiling at the Geneva motor show on March 3rd. There's not much to say about that the 3d i20 - besides being less practical than its 5-door twin, the only difference between the two variants concerns the upswept shape of the three-door's rear-side window.

Built on the same 2.525mm wheelbase and weighing 10-kilograms less than the i20 five-door, the new model will be available with the same engine range that includes three gasoline units (1.2L with 78PS, 1.4L with 100PS and 1.6L with 126PS) and four diesels (1.4L with 75 and 90PS and 1.6L with 115 and 128PS).

Hyundai expects that the1.2-liter petrol engine will be the best-selling power plant in the range.

The three-door i20 is available to order in most European markets, with the first examples arriving in UK showrooms this April.

Hyundai ix-onic Concept with 175HP 1.6 Turbo: First Photos of 2010 Tucson Study

This is Hyundai's ix-onic concept, also known as the HED6, and it previews the second-generation Tucson compact crossover / SUV that will be officially revealed in production form at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show this fall. Even though it's hard to deny the styling resemblances to the Ford Kuga, the ix-onic that was penned at Hyundai's European center looks way cooler than the anonymous Tucson.

The concept version of the 2010 Tucson that will be called in Europe ix-35 will be powered by Hyundai's new 1.6-litre turbocharged gasoline engine that delivers an output of 175HP. This engine will be available in the production version as well other Hyundai models in the near future. It will also be joined by a new 2.0-liter turbo diesel producing 184HP.

source:carscoop

Hyundai Equus Revealed to Journalist in Korea in advance of its Geneva release

The new Hyundai Equus has been unveiled in advance of its Geneva release. Hyundai showed off the Equus to several dozen journalists, releasing a few photos to boot.

Hyundai's luxury sedan hit the market in the late 1990s as a Mitsubishi-designed executive vehicle, that was also sold in Korea as a limo. It was not a worldwide vehicle, having been sold mainly in Korea, parts of the Middle East, and China, with a few exported to Europe. The vehicle received a facelift in 2003.

The new generation Equus has two engine choices, including a 3.8-liter V6 and a 366 horsepower 4.6-liter V8. At the event, they compared the power figures with the Lexus LS460L and the Mercedes-Benz S350L. Brimming with confidence, they even let journalists test drive all three cars at their own event, just to demonstrate the Equus' abilities to compete with more established luxury sedans. Some of the available equipment will include LED-lined headlights, oversized fog lights, dual exhaust, lane assist, a new computer system that analyzes data from the entire chassis, and pre-crash seatbelts.

The new Hyundai Equus will now have a further reach, likely getting a U.S. launch as the Genesis Prestige. It is expected to receive the attention of the worldwide media at the Geneva Motor Show. At the same time, it goes on sale in Korean dealerships as of 3 March.

Hyundai Santa FE Chinese Clone in Europe for sale

While here in the States Chinese automakers have yet to make their presence known, in Europe we're seeing more and more companies entering the market. One of the latest Chinese firms to land on European shores is JAC that has begun selling its cars in Greece. The vehicle you see in the above picture is the Rein, a clone of the first-generation Santa FE SUV with a set of Lexus RX-style tail lamps that is built by JAC in China under a license agreement with the Korean automaker.

The Chinese clone of the Santa FE is powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing an output of 142-hp and it is offered in two trims, Basic and Full that are priced at €17,900 ($22,800 U.S.) and €19,900 ($25,400 U.S.) respectively. Even though the Rein is a perfectly legit clone, we can't help but wonder what Hyundai and especially its official Greek dealer has to say about it. If anything else, from a buyers point of view, imports such as the Rein tarnish the Korean automaker's image in the market.