Kathy Jacksonkjackson@crain.com

Hyundai has a twofold goal: Becomethe fuel economy leader in the UnitedStates by 2015 and show technologicalprowess.

On the schedule for the next threeyears are smaller engines, direct-in-jection gasoline engines, hybrids,plug-in hybrids and fuel cell technol-ogy. Hyundai calls the fuel economyinitiative Blue Drive; the specificmodels will be labeled Blue Edition.

At the same time, Hyundai is try-ing to go upscale. The Equus, alarge, rear-drive luxury sedan with aV-8, bows next summer. The car,priced around $60,000, is aimed atthe BMW 5 series and Mercedes-Benz E class.

Hyundai’s grand plan is to elevatethe automaker’s global image.

“We want to show our technologyand improve our image, not neces-sarily make money on hybrids,” saidYang Woong-chul, r&d president atHyundai-Kia Motors. “We want to getpeople to drive our cars. We need toget people to the dealerships.

“We want to be the leader in fueleconomy and alternative fuels.Hyundai will be seen as a technolo-gy-driven brand with things likeeight-speed automatic transmissionsand telematics. We’re going afterPrius and Volt” with a plug-in, Yangsaid during an interview at the Seoulmotor show in April.

Nearly all of the technology will bebuilt in-house, he added.

Here is a glimpse of Hyundai’s ve-hicle plans for the United States forthe 2010 through 2012 model years.

Accent: The Accent Blue Editiondebuts for the 2010 model year.

Blue Drive’s mission is to createmodels with less content and lessweight, resulting in a lower price andhigher miles per gallon. For example,models will have a lower gear ratioand tires with less rolling resistance. A1 to 2 mpg improvement is expect-ed.

A lower sticker price will re-

flect the elimination of such equip-ment as power windows and doorlocks.

The Accent subcompact will be re-designed for the 2011 or 2012 modelyear.

Small coupe: A new, front-wheel-drive coupe will be the spiritual suc-cessor to the sporty Tiburon coupe,which went out of production at theend of the 2008 model year. The newcoupe will be a 2012 model, poweredby Hyundai’s new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

Elantra: The Elantra small car willoffer a Blue Edition for the 2010 mod-el year. A redesign is planned for the2012 model year.

Sonata: The Sonata mid-sizedsedan will be the first Hyundai vehi-cle to offer the automaker’s hybridpowertrain, arriving at the end of2010. The redesigned Sonata goes onsale early next year with the au-tomaker’s first direct-injection gaso-line engine, a four-cylinder.

The Sonata may be the firstHyundai model offered with a dou-ble-clutch transmission.

Azera: The near-luxury sedan is ex-pected to be dropped; the timing isunclear.

Genesis: The 2010 Genesis Coupewent on sale in February. The rwd cartargets the Chevrolet Camaro andFord Mustang.

The Genesis Coupe will be the firstHyundai nameplate to offer weekendracers a performance

version, called R-Spec. Sales beginlater this year. The stripped-downmodel is lighter and $3,000 less ex-pensive than the nonracer baseCoupe.

In the future, R-Spec racing en-hancements will be offered in other,unspecified Hyundai nameplates.

A freshening is planned for the 2011Genesis sedan along with the intro-duction of a Hyundai-engineeredeight-speed automatic transmission.A 2 percent boost in fuel economy isexpected.

Equus: Hyundai is aiming the Equussedan at high-end BMW, Lexus andMercedes sedans. A sticker price ofless than $60,000 is expected whensales begin next summer. Sales inSouth Korea began this year.

Amenities include a lane departurewarning system, adaptive cruise con-trol, heated steering wheel and a rearseat that massages the passenger’sback. A built-in cooler keeps bever-ages cold.

The Equus was developed on therwd Genesis sedan platform; thewheelbase was stretched 4.3 inches.The Equus is 11.4 inches longer thana 2010 Mercedes E-class sedan. TheGenesis and Equus sedans will sharea 375-hp, 4.6-liter V-8.

Blue-Will: This is the name given toHyundai’s plug-in hybrid concept.The production vehicle is expected todraw inspiration from the Blue-Willconcept shown at the Seoul show.

R&d President Yang says a fuel cellmodel is scheduled to arrive here bythe end of 2012. The lithium ion bat-tery will be supplied by LG Chem.

The Blue-Will concept is a sportyfour-door sedan powered by a 152-hp,1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine,mated to a continuously variable

16 • JULY 13, 2009

KOREA, INDIA, CHINA BRANDS FUTURE PRODUCT KOREA, CHINA, INDIA BRANDS

Koreans, other Asiansclimb U.S.sales chartRick Kranzrkranz@crain.com

Korean automakers now accountfor more than 7 percent of vehiclessold in the United States.

And the importance of Asian au-tomakers outside Japan is bound togrow. India’s Mahindra & MahindraLtd. is scheduled to enter the UnitedStates late this year. Tata Motors,which owns Jaguar and Land Rover,wants to bring its tiny Nano here.

While the initial excitement aboutChinese automakers has faded, oneChinese company struck a deal tobuy Hummer.

This week Automotive News beginsits annual future product series,starting with South Korea’s Hyundaiand Kia and India’s Mahindra.

Hyundai is the sales leader of thattrio. An example of Hyundai’s grow-ing confidence is its V-8-poweredluxury sedan, the Equus, which isaimed at BMW and Mercedes. U.S.sales are expected in about a year.

Kia will concentrate on exterior de-sign, adapting styling themes on the2010 Forte Koup to future models.Judging by media praise of the ForteKoup and the Soul, the brand’s U.S.styling studio seems to have foundthe groove Kia has been seeking.

Mahindra’s goal is less lofty but am-bitious. Late this year, its compactpickup goes on sale here, extensivelyre-engineered. A drawback could bethat only one engine will be offered, apricey turbocharged diesel.

Tata Motors says its bare-bones$2,500 sensation in India, the Nano,will be sold here in a few years. Thecar sold in India does not meet U.S.regulations, so don’t expect a $2,500price here.

The Korean presence could in-crease in a few years because of anAmerican brand: Saturn. RogerPenske plans to buy Saturn and stockthe brand with vehicles from GeneralMotors for now and from South Ko-rea’s Renault Samsung or other au-tomakers after that.c

GlossaryWhat do the styling terms mean?■ Freshen: Sheet metal

untouched; may include newgrille, fascia, headlights ortaillights

■ Reskin: Minor changes to sheet metal

■ Restyle: Extensive changes to interior and exterior; allsheet metal is replaced

■ Re-engineer: Vehicle’s platformor chassis and componentsreceive an extensive makeover to reduce noise, vibration andharshness; and improvequalities such as ride,handling, braking and steering

■ Redesign: New platform; newinterior and exterior styling;engine and transmission couldbe carried over

Hyundai: High-mpg, high-tech

For the 2012 model year,Hyundai plans a seven-seat crossover that will bebased on the HED-5concept, shown.

HYUNDAIAccent Blue Edition Accent redesign Small coupe debutsdebuts (or 2012)

Elantra redesignElantra Blue Edition Sonata redesign, debuts hybrid debuts Small 7-passenger

crossover debutsGenesis Coupe debuts Genesis sedan freshening

Tucson redesign Equus luxury sedan debuts

Santa Fe redesign

KIAForte sedan, Koup Rio redesign Possible Kue crossoverdebut

Optima redesignSoul debuts

Possible Amanti redesignSportage redesign(or 2011) Sorento redesign

Rondo restyle (or 2012)

2010 2011 2012MODEL YEARS

The Equus: Hyundai’s high-end answer to BMW,Lexus and Mercedes sedans.

The 2010 Genesis Coupe takes aim atFord’s Mustang and Chevy’s Camaro.

see HYUNDAI, Page 17

20090713-NEWS--0016,0017-NAT-CCI-AN_-- 7/8/2009 2:07 PM Page 1