Hyundai waves big green flag for high-performance N line
FRANKFURT -- Hyundai Motor Co. plans to begin selling a high-performance line in 2017, possibly with new engines, crossovers and hybrid variants, to burnish its reputation amid flagging sales, led by the M Series chief engineer hired from BMW AG.
Under Albert Biermann, who joined the company from BMW in April, the focus on vehicle performance comes two years after Chairman Chung Mong-Koo promoted Peter Schreyer to oversee design at both Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motors Corp.
The carmaker is showcasing three models from its N-brand high- performance line at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.
The push to elevate performance comes as South Korea's largest carmaker, with its lineup of mostly sedans, misses out on the surge in demand globally for SUVs and crossovers.
It's also a continuation of the carmaker's years of efforts to upgrade its image as a maker of cheap, utilitarian cars.
"The next step is to increase the performance and to give our cars, when you drive the car, a little bit more of a driving character," Biermann, 58, told reporters. "We are really going for the established high-performance brands and want to compete with them."
Hyundai plans to improve and refine everything from the clutch paddle to the suspension when building N-brand vehicles to "change the character of the car," Biermann said.
http://www.autonews.com/article/2015091 ... 69954/1172
Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
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Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
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Re: Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
I'm confused about how it would work...
Motorcycle transmission?
Motorcycle transmission?
Re: Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
I think we're all a bit confused...tankinbeans wrote:I'm confused about how it would work...
Motorcycle transmission?
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
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'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
- theholycow
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Re: Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
It's clear to me that the article writer is a dumbass who doesn't know the difference between pedal, petal, peddle, and paddle.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
Put your car in your sig!
Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
Put your car in your sig!
Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
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Re: Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
theholycow wrote:It's clear to me that the article writer is a dumbass who doesn't know the difference between pedal, petal, peddle, and paddle.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
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Re: Paddle Shift - Meh, Paddle Clutch - Huh?
BMW M
Lexus F
Cadillac V
And now, Hyundai N?
Lexus F
Cadillac V
And now, Hyundai N?