In conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd is offering a ‘Special Hari Raya Service Promotion’ for all Hyundai owners in Malaysia.

During the promotion period, which lasts from 20 Aug to 9 Sept 2010 customers can enjoy:
- up to 20% discounts on selected parts
- 10-15% discount on labour depending on amount spent on parts purchase
- free mystery gifts

Hyundai i30

As if any further proof of Korean ascendency is needed, Edmunds.com reports that the Hyundai Sonata YF and Tucson LM, due to arrive in Malaysia later this year, have been among the most considered cars on their site for the past five weeks.

For five successive weeks, the Sonata was the most considered car in the website, and was joined by its stablemate, the Tucson in second place for the most recent week.

“Our two newest models, the 2011 Sonata and 2010 Tucson, are the heart of our lineup,” said Scott Margason, director, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “We’re excited to see such positive consumer reception, not just in online consideration, but where it really counts — our showrooms.”

“Hyundai is doing a good job of marketing, which is driving shopping consideration, but also converting consideration to sales,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst and editor-at-large, who reported on this in great detail for Edmunds’ AutoObserver.com.

“In March, Hyundai sold 18,935 Sonata models, putting it in the same volume territory as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which are perennially the best-selling cars in America,” Krebs added

Meanwhile, the Tucson moved 3,000 units into American homes in March, recording a 129% increase from the corresponding period in 2009.

In Malaysia, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motor Sdn Bhd held a media preview of the two models in early March. Our initial impressions of it were promising, though our full verdict is pending a proper test drive, when it finally arrives…

KON

See also:
- Next-gen Hyundai Sonata & Tucson previewed to Malaysian media – by KON (9/3/2010)
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> Upcoming new Hyundai: 2010 YF Sonata and 2010 LM Tucson – by SBY (21/5/2009)

At the ongoing New York Auto Show, Korean’s rising giant Hyundai debuted two new variants of new Sonata YF – the Sonata 2.0T and Sonata Hybrid. To be sold in the US market as 2011 models, both cars feature the latest all-aluminium Theta-II engine mated with the company’s newly-developed maintenance-free 6-speed automatic transmission.

First, let’s start with the Sonata 2.0T. It gets the 2.0-litre, 86mm × 86mm (bore × stroke) Theta-II engine enhanced with twin-scroll turbocharging and Gasoline Direct Injection. We are familiar with such trickery with the Germans, of course – Mercedes calls it Charged Gasoline Injection (CGI), whilst the VW Group calls it Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection (TFSI).

Hyundai Sonata 2.0T

But can we seriously contemplate comparing Hyundai’s products with the Germans? Yes, we can. Merc’s 1.8-litre CGI has thus far been tuned to as high as 204hp and 310Nm, while VW’s famous 2.0-litre TFSI engine produces 267hp and 350Nm, and this is for the Golf R no less. The Sonata 2.0T is rated to produce, drumroll please, 274hp @ 6,000rpm and 365Nm @ 1,800 – 4,500rpm.

Although it should be noted that the German examples utilize single-scroll blowers, how many of us predicted seeing a Sonata with more grunt than a Mercedes C-Class or VW Golf GTI? Even BMW’s much vaunted 2.0-litre N47 turbodiesel has no answer to this, being hopelessly outgunned at a modest 177hp and 350Nm. Fuel economy is also impressive, with Hyundai estimating 10.7 litres/100km for city driving and 6.9 litres/100km for the highway run.

2.0-litre, 274hp, 365Nm

Sending power to the Sonata 2.0T’s front wheels is Hyundai’s in-house developed 6-speed torque converter auto gearbox, which is designed to be maintenance free for at least 300,000km, or as long as the vehicle’s life under normal use. A manual overriding feature is included for the 2.0T, which can be activated by using either the gear lever or paddle-shifters.

Joining the 2.0T in American showrooms later this year is the Sonata Hybrid, which mates the 2.4-litre naturally aspirated Theta-II GDI engine with a 30kW (40hp) electric motor. Unlike most hybrids which feature CVTs, the Sonata Hybrid utilizes the same 6-speed auto as the 2.0T, but with its torque converter replaced by an electric motor and a high-efficiency oil pump. The whole system is lined up in what Hyundai calls the Hybrid Blue Drive architecture.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Running on the Atkinson combustion cycle, the 2.4-litre engine produces 169hp @ 6,000rpm and 212Nm @ 4,500rpm. The electric motor is rated at 40hp, and has 204Nm @ 0 – 1,400rpm. This endows the Sonata Hybrid with a combined output of 209hp @ 6,000rpm and combined torque of 264Nm. Arranged in full parallel architecture, the Hybrid Blue Drive system can run either on all-electric mode or parallel drive mode.

Power from Hyundai’s proprietary Hybrid Blue Drive system

The Sonata’s hybrid system stores its electrical charge in a 270V lithium polymer rechargeable battery (5.3Ah / 270V). Utilizing a polymer gel in place of liquid as the electrolyte, it is said to possess the advantage of allowing for lighter and more compact packaging being about 20% smaller than a lithium-ion battery pack. Hyundai further claims that this battery heats up less readily than nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion batteries, being maitainence free for at least 10 years or 240,000km in all weather conditions.

KON

Pictures: Official Hyundai release

See also:
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> Hyundai unveils 2nd gen Theta engine with Direct Injection – by KON (17/11/2009)
- Next-gen Hyundai Sonata & Tucson previewed to Malaysian media – by KON (9/3/2010)

Talk about it: Hyundai Sonata & Tucson 2010

Hyundai has today announced that it will unveil an all-new concept car at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show 2010. In a press release, sent to us with a sketch of the concept, Hyundai stated that the car, dubbed the i-flow, will ‘pioneer a new look for a D-segment sedan’.

Hyundai i-flow – the next Sonata? So quickly?

The new look being refered to is dubbed ‘fluidic sculpture’ in the press release, but it is interesting that Hyundai is debuting a new D-segment concept having only recently launched the new Sonata YF. Is the firm looking that far into the future that they are already preparing the YF’s  successor?

… but Sonata YF has just only been launched!

Sharing centre stage with the i-flow will be the next generation Tucson, set to go on sale across Europe during spring. Additionally, Hyundai will also take the opportunity to showcase the latest developments of its BlueDrive programme, an implementation of environmentally friendly technologies in similar vein to Merc’s BlueEFFICIENCY, or BMW’s EfficientDynamics.

Hyundai Tucson

KON

Pictures: Official Hyundai release.

Official Press Release by Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors Sdn Bhd

A recent charity expedition by 20 employees of Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (HSDM) brought cheers to 30 Semai families in Ulu Slim, Perak.

This was the first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity organized by HSDM for its employees. The group of 20 employees set out for Ulu Slim in five units of Santa Fe 2.2 Turbo Diesel in the morning and arrived at the Orang Asli settlement by noon.

Group Photo with Orang Asli Ulu Slim

The HSDM employees brought with them provisions of essential food items to cater to the needs of the 30 Semai families. Children at the Orang Asli settlement were then treated to finger food and snacks.

Dennis Ho, MD of HSDM presenting a goody bag to a family representative of Orang Asli Ulu Slim

While at Ulu Slim, employees of HSDM also took the opportunity to put the Santa Fe 2.2 Turbo Diesel to the test on an off-road terrain nearby, including hill climbing, river and bridge crossing as well as going down the slope.

The charity work, plus the test-drive session, was an enriching experience for the employees who found it to be fun and fulfilling. Based on the success of the first charity work, HSDM plans to organize more activities of a similar nature in future and especially for owners of Santa Fe.

Group Photo with the Santa Fe

Official Press Release from Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd

As one of the Official Partners of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its 2010 FIFA World Cup™ micro-website on Feb. 1st to mark the official start of its FIFA World Cup™ marketing activities.

Visitors to the site will have the opportunity to learn about 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and Hyundai’s online and offline promotional events, such as winning tickets, submission for the Be There With Hyundai Slogan contest which the winning slogan of the contest triumphs the chance for the slogan to be wrapped on the respective national team bus, playing online games and more.

Hyundai will also provide a link in the official website of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ (www.FIFA.com) that leads to its slogan contest site 「Be There with Hyundai」. This is the first of its kind for a sponsor, facilitating one-click access to fifaworldcup.hyundai.com, Hyundai’s newly opened micro-site for its World Cup marketing activities.

In addition to the online marketing activities, Hyundai will display some of its top vehicles at the respective stadiums during the games, including the all-new Sonata and Tucson ix (badged as the `ix35’ in some regions). To bring soccer fans closer to the FIFA World Cup™, various promotional events are in store such as the Fan of the Match, which gives one lucky winner the chance to be named best fan at the match.

Hyundai is confident its World Cup marketing activities will create a synergy effect that will help the company enhance its brand image, adding to the momentum of the successful sponsorship of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™.

Hyundai is one of the strongest corporate supporters of football in the world having served as the official sponsor of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea / Japan™ and the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ as well as many other FIFA tournaments. The company has extended its strategic sponsorship agreement with FIFA to cover the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup™. Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor Company will enjoy main sponsorship rights for all FIFA events, including the rights to use logos, emblems as well as signage display in the stadiums.

The site, http://fifaworldcup.hyundai.com, will be open throughout the 2010 FIFA Word Cup™ games.

Hyundai Motor Company yesterday published their official Korean domestic and worldwide sales figures for the entire calendar year (CY) of 2009, in addition to that of December 2009.

Year-on-year, December 2009 sees a 34.4% increase in overall sales compared to December 2008. While overseas sales rose by 23.4%, tax benefits from the Korean government to spur purchases of new cars saw an astonishing 82.2% year-on-year growth for their domestic market.

Also fuelling their growth is strong sales of their SUV models, which in overseas markets, outnumber the sale of Hyundai passenger cars.

Effects of the aforementioned tax incentives from the Korean government were also obvious when overall sales figures for the year are analysed. Whereas overseas sales grew by a modest 8.7%, domestic sales went up by 23.1%. Exports went down by 17.1%, but that’s because Hyundai’s overseas plants are gradually taking over manufacturing operations for international markets.

Hyundai Equus

From total global sales of 2.78 million cars in 2008, things went up by 11.6% to 3.11 million for 2009, marking the first time that the company’s year sales crossed the 3-million-cars threshold.

KON

Beginning next year, customers of the Hyundai i30 will have the option of specifying their car with what they call, no, I kid you not, the M-Sport bodykit. Available for booking from 1 Jan 2010 onwards, the first 50 takers of the i30 in 2010 will get the bodykit free of charge.

There are no changes under the skin. All upgrades (ed: a loosely used term, you understand) are purely cosmetic, and Hyundai-Sime Darby Motor’s press release confirmed as much. Even the interior is left untouched.

Changes brought about by the bodykit include skirts all-round, new sport rims, pieces of black plastic that visually magnify the front grille and fog lamp slots, exhaust tips flushed with the bumper, and another two black pieces of plastic plastered on the rear bumper.

The price of this kit? An additional RM8,000 to the i30’s sticker price.

The original car.

KON

See also: First Impressions: Hyundai i30

In the presence of some 600 specialists, Hyundai has unveiled the new 2.4-litre Theta II engine at the ongoing 9th Annual Hyundai-Kia International Powertrain Conference. Equipped with Gasoline Direct Injection, the aluminium block Theta-II is rated to produce 198hp @ 6,300rpm and 250Nm @ 4,250rpm for the Korean Domestic Market.

“The Theta II GDI convincingly demonstrates Hyundai’s advanced powertrain engineering capabilities,” said Dr. Lee Hyun-Soon, Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer.

In the Theta II GDI, fuel is directly injected into the combustion chamber at 150 bar in a two-phase injection process. The first of the two stages is what Hyundai calls the pilot injection, where a small amount of fuel is injected and ignited to send the piston downwards, triggering the power stroke. Then, in the second more powerful main injection phase, more fuel is injected and ignited. Hyundai claims that this split-injection technique ‘reduces loading on the catalytic converter and helps reduce emissions’.

Hyundai further claims a 7% and 12% improvement in low and high-end torque respectively when comparing the GDI against an non-GDI engine of equivalent displacement. Mileage improvements are claimed to be as high as 10%.

Additional innovations in the second gen Theta engine include a three-stage variable induction system, which varies the air-intake volume to ensure an optimal air-fuel mix under any engine load condition. Both the intake and exhaust valves are controlled by Hyundai’s Double Continuous Variable Valve Timing (DCVVT) system governed by a steel chain system.

Further innovations seen in the Theta II include various weight saving efforts such as a redesigned crankshaft and reinforcing of the engine block without adding further weight. Internal friction of the engine is reduced by switching from a fixed-type piston pin to a fully floating design.

According to Hyundai, the Theta II engine is expected to debut in the new Sonata during the first half of next year.

KON

Here’s a quick bit of news from Hyundai. The Santa Fe SUV, launched in the year 2000, with one new model change in between, has reached a cumulative sales figure of 2,000,000 units worldwide. Below are the sales figures sent to us from Hyundai Sime-Darby Motor Sdn Bhd.

In Malaysia, the Santa Fe is currently available in two variants, a 2.7-litre petrol engined version, and a 2.2-litre turbodiesel version.

KON