- Hyundai's Prius fighter, which was previewed two years ago in the Hyundai Blue-Will Concept, is bound for production, as the Korean automaker confirms that it will roll out two more 40-mpg cars in the "next couple years."
- Hyundai will not provide any details on the other 40-mpg car it has in the hopper, but it hinted to Inside Line that it uses a conventional internal-combustion engine.
- Hyundai also issued a statement today confirming that the 2012 Hyundai Veloster will "be priced below the Honda CR-Z hybrid."
NEW YORK — Hyundai will continue its crusade to roll out more 40-mpg cars in the short term, confirming on Wednesday at the 2011 New York Auto Show that it plans to introduce two more 40-mpg cars in the "next couple years." A Hyundai executive told Inside Line that one of those vehicles will be its Toyota Prius fighter, which was previewed two years ago in the Hyundai Blue-Will Concept that was revealed at the 2009 Seoul Auto Show.
The Blue-Will Concept was equipped with a gasoline direct-injection 1.6-liter engine mated to a continuously variable transmission and a 100kW electric motor. The concept used a lithium-ion polymer battery pack, a hallmark of Hyundai/Kia alt-fuel vehicles. Hyundai would not confirm whether the Prius fighter would be called Blue-Will or provide any other details.
It would not provide any details on the other 40-mpg car it has in the hopper, but a Hyundai executive who did not want to be identified said the second car would continue the trend of the Korean automaker "to be very aggressive with internal-combustion engines."
"The strategy of further developing the internal-combustion engine, with significant increases in fuel economy, is where we see the market going," the executive said.
"In addition to the new Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Veloster and Accent, Hyundai will introduce one more 40-mpg highway car and another achieving 40+ mpg in the next couple years," said Hyundai Motor America in a statement. "These additional models will further the company's 40-mpg highway sales volume growth as it steams toward its stated goal of an EPA fleet average of at least 50 mpg by 2025."
Ford is also on the same path, rolling out several 40-mpg cars.
Hyundai on Wednesday also said in a statement that the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, which replaces the Tiburon, will be priced below the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The 2011 CR-Z hybrid starts at $20,095, including a $750 shipping charge. When the Veloster debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai told Inside Line it would be priced at around $17,500 when it arrives in July.
Inside Line says: Hyundai's Prius fighter seems to be finally getting off the drawing board. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
krankshafted says:
04:04 PM, 04/21/2011
Hey, if Hyundai wants to be different, let them be.
tdiluv says:
04:04 PM, 04/21/2011
70 city and 60 highway would be a real PRIUS fighter!
wikiwiki says:
04:03 PM, 04/21/2011
Okay, enough with the curves and over-styled sheet metal already.
1919diesel says:
04:02 PM, 04/21/2011
P.S. I am a fan of what Hyundai/Kia has been able to do. We did test drive the new Sonata when shopping for my wife's ride. Very nice, it was way better than Toyota Camry (zzzzzz), Mazda 6 (cheap), or even Subaru Legacy (noisy CVT). And Hyundai is quickly becoming the MPG leader with so many models hitting the magic 40 MPG Highway. I agree that the Prius needs some competition and am looking forward to seeing if they can hit 50+ MPG w/the Blue-Will (needs a new name though, don't you think?)
BTTW, while I am defending both the "Old GM" and "new GM" based on the FACTS (and NOT my emotions about the Obama administration), I need to point out that I admire how FORD made it thru w/o any bailout - thanks to Allen Mullaly & their whole team. They did a great job and their cars are now top-notch (w/gas @ $4/gallon, I kinda wish I had the Fusion Hybrid). My ownership portfolio has included 6 domestic (all GM) and 6 imports: 3 Buicks, 2 Toyotas, 1 GMC, 1 Chevy, 1 Olds, 1 Volvo, 1 VW, 1 Subaru, 1 Infiniti...... and NO, I am not a fan of socialism or the WH agenda.
grantman64 says:
04:02 PM, 04/21/2011
I didn't know Chris Bangle (remember his "flame detailed" BMWs?) was working at Hyundai now.
OK, that was a joke.
But Hyundai's designers obviously drank Bangle's styling kool-aid, dropped some acid and then added an apparent infatuation with bug-eyed alien monsters. I know this is a concept, so they probably exaggerated the bodywork to grab attention, but damn, Hyundai has to back off on the (over)styling.
Case in point: compare the Sonata with its platform cousin, the Kia Optima. The Sonata is all swoopy character lines and that whacked-out Joker grimace - I mean, grille - in front, while the Optima is clean, substantial, and aggressive (who'd have thought we'd ever say anything like that about a Kia?).
In ten years, the Optima will be held up as a watershed event in Korean automotive design, while the Sonata's styling will be judged to be tired and overwrought.
1919diesel says:
04:02 PM, 04/21/2011
@ billsj:
WOW, you are seething at Obama and hating on GM & Chrysler, it makes me think you are a laid-off autoworker or a terminated car dealer.
Look, like it or not, GM has improved gas milage on nearly all their models. You put them (normal models, not the "ECO" ones) head-to-head w/Toyota & Ford, and GM is on top or equal. For example, my wife drives a new GMC Terrain (which is a very comfortable mid-sized crossover) w/4 cylinder direct-injection engine & 6 speed tranny. We AVERRAGE 26+ MPG mostly city/small town driving. When we go on the interstate @ 70-75 MPH we usually get 30 MPG. We can do better than 35 MPG if we stick to state highways around 45-55 MPH.
Now, look at the new Malibu with the same engine/tranny combo (I'm guessing it will produce 33+ MPG highway). Then there are the new "ECO" models using the e-Assist mild hybrid system which will return 38+ MPG Highway on the Buick LaCrosse, Regal or Chevy Malibu. These are cheaper alternatives to full hybrids like Fusion or Prius but delivering real-world results. I predict GM will sell these mid-to-full-size sedans like gangbusters because the Accord, Camry, Altima are still stuck at 30-32 MPG... so at 38 MPG we're talking 25% improvement... commuters will love it. If they can even deliver 28-30 MPG in the city we'll have nice mid-size sedans outperforming the Civic & Corolla!!!
Seriously, if you can get 38 MPG in a Civic or 38 MPG in a Malibu, with a family of 4 taking a 12 hour road trip, which car would you choose? Oh, and by the way, your MPG's go down when you strap that big luggage bin on top of the Civic!!!!
thaitanium15 says:
04:01 PM, 04/21/2011
@ billsj
Take the second half of your comment elsewhere.
The concept's rear however looks like an updated first-gen Honda insight. We'll just have to wait and see how it does against the Prii family.
billsj says:
04:01 PM, 04/21/2011
xorbe: umm, because MANY car companies have cars which achieve 68+ mpg in Europe. They have tiny little roads which are great for tiny cars. Get the whole story right before you start trolling. Here in the States, 40 mpg is rare unless you're talking hybrids. And with GM and Ford, you need to buy a special package just achieve 40 mpg, and the upkeep on that is expensive, such as having to buy low resistance tires. No thanks GM and Ford, get with the program and spend more money on useful R&D instead of trying to squeeze out a couple more mpg out of your v8's. We should have NEVER bailed out GM. Thanks Obama. You've been the most worthless president to date. The world loves you because you're pandering to them, but we don't love you much here. If GM and Chrysler were to have burned up in flames, other manufacturers would have had the opportunity to step up and create better competition. F'n Obama...wtf.
blackdynamite0 says:
03:58 PM, 04/21/2011
Prius could use some competition
But it looks like Toyota would rather compete from within (Next year's Prius C and this summer's Prius V)
BD
notabigdeal says:
03:56 PM, 04/21/2011
@xorbe
because we won't be getting that focus. This however, will probably end up here.