Ace’s rally push goes electric

Hayden Paddon is first on the road with an electric rally car.

images Geoff Ridder

IN a variation on the theme of ``build it and they will come’’, rally ace Hayden Paddon faces a ``build it and they work out where you can take it’’ scenario with the fully electric Hyundai Kona rally car he unveiled today.

Paddon’s goal of competing in rallies with an electric car of comparable performance to modern day combustion engine gravel racers is not just a technology challenge. His pioneering programme means working with the sport’s local governing body to position the car in competition.

For the short term that means demonstration runs starting with a few quick blasts around the rallysprint course at the high-profile Battle of Jack’s Ridge event on Sunday November 14.

It will be a very public debut for a car that has only just completed two days of filming work.

By the end of November MotorSport New Zealand hopes to have published its first regulations for electric vehicles. Paddon’s hoping his car helps provide a framework for those rules.

``At the moment it’s going to be demonstrations,’’ said Paddon.

``Going forward we know we have to work with MotorSport New Zealand – one on the safety and two on the performance parameters to actually make it fit in.

``We have started that discussion but the key thing is nobody knows and we need the car running to see what it’s capable of. That gives us a benchmark to work from.

``I’d like to think within two years we can have it accepted within motorsport events including full-length rallies. In the short term we know people want it and it’s good for the sport.’’

There are few question marks over the performance potential of the car created by a small team of seven at Paddon Rallysport Group headquarters at Highlands Park.

In its current guise the car has electric motors and two-speed transmissions front and rear. Each motor has peak power of 200kW and about 360Nm of torque. Paddon says the car is geared to reach 240km/h and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a little over 3secs.

It’s possible to lift that performace adding another motor both front and rear to double the output to 800kW. Paddon says his initial goal is to tune the car so its comparable to the AP4-spec 4WD Turbo rally cars currently competing in New Zealand.

The EV is a little heavier at 1400kg but the weight is positioned low in the chassis of the Kona.

The battery electric powertrain has been developed from technology supplied by Austrian company STARD. It features advanced safety and control systems.

``It’s very similar to a Formula-E battery. It’s not like an OEM battery and it has a fire system built into it.

``If there was a problem, we have so much control technology in the car to shut things down before anything goes wrong. In the worst-case scenario, it’s got the emergency flood connectors. You flood the battery to stop the car from going on fire.

``The safety in the car is quite is quite phenomenal. It’s not like taking an OEM EV car, putting a roll cage in it and making it a club car. That’s a lot higher risk.

``That’s where it’s difficult for Motorsport NZ going forward, because it’s almost like two sets of regulations between an OEM car and a be-spoke motorsport design EV car.’’

Ahead of development work in the coming months, Paddon believes the tuning the software will outweigh the challenges of mechanical fine-tuning and durability.

``It’s all software. Mechanically the car is way simpler. There are less working parts and it’s strong and simple,’’ he said.

``Mechanically it’s pretty sound. We’ve done two filming days now with a brand-new car and had zero mechanical problems. If you had a combustion car, imagine the amount of teething problems you would have had?

``But we can have bugs in the software. We have to go through all the programming and tuning and that’s a whole different kettle of fish.’’

In order to have the range to complete a full rally, Paddon’s team has created a quick-change battery solution.

``We want to do battery changes. We are not interested in charging on an event,’’ Paddon said at today’s launch.

``We have designed the car for quick battery changes – five minutes we can change a battery.’’

He’s not saying how big the battery is but confirmed it has a smaller storage capacity than the 64kWh battery in the standard Kona electric road car.

The team is working in scale at the moment with enough battery power for short runs at full performance. From there it can calculate the size of battery needed before locking into that expensive choice.

The big rally battery will have to be over 100kWh,’’ said Paddon.

``But right now we have to calculate what we need. The big problem is the batteries are six-figures and if you get the wrong size battery now, you’ve got a battery that’s no good to you.

``With this prototype battery we can simulate very condition – hot, cold, uphill, downhill, twisty, fast - and from all that we can calculate exactly what we need.’’

Other key areas of the development programme will be tuning the torque vectoring and regenerative braking systems and an important aspect of rally safety ensuring the car makes enough noise to warn spectators of its approach.

Paddon talked of airflow systems similar to air raid sirens that would generate different levels of noise as the car moves at different speeds.

``It makes a bit of noise but it’s not at the level we want yet,’’ said Paddon.

``We are still working on a sound generator. We were hoping to have it done by now but there have been some hold ups. It’s high up on our priority list to get that right.

``It will be a different sound. It won’t sound like a combustion car but it will be relevant and be from the inputs of the driver. It’s got to sound real and sound exciting.’’

Paddon’s old racer inspires road special

Hyundai’s WRC racer has finally inspired a road-legal hot hatch  … which, in turn, has inspired another rally car.

TURN the clock back four years – Rally Argentina has just ended and Hayden Paddon has claimed his - and New Zealand's - first world rally championship win by 13.3 seconds from Sebastien Ogier.

What better way to celebrate a hero than with an appropriate hero car?

Back then, the timing was just all wrong. 

Hyundai’s performance arm was certainly ramping up a hot hatch division then, yet it was already apparent the first model to benefit hadn’t obvious link to the works World Rally Championship racer.

No argument, the resultant i30 N hatch turned out to be a masterstroke and the more recent liftback is just as good. 

Yet it always seems a pity that Hyundai didn’t do the obvious and start with a road legal firecracker edition of the i20 small hatch, given that’s the car they were running then – and are still running now – in WRC.

Amends have finally been made. An i20N road car is in the making. 

Sure, it’s not a fiery four-wheel-drive and Paddon has left the team in which he achieved his best international successes though, sadly, never another world championship victory.

Yet it’s still a car that has good ‘fit’ here:  Paddon’s still very heavily involved with the Hyundai brand at national level and there’s a neat twist in that, since announcing the road car, the maker has also made clear that it’ll be a basis for a dirt-tuned competition car, developed for privateers. Which surely also rises a potential for a driver who is still racing and preparing gravel blaster fare. 

So what’s stopping this realising? Remarkably, it could well be Hyundai New Zealand.

Whereas other distributors, including Australia (which also celebrated Paddon) have been quick to sign up the model, have rushed to sign on the new talent, Hyundai NZ – which is a locally-owned independent rather than a factory shop - is dragging its feet. So far there’s not yet any local commitment beyond comment that the car is “under consideration”.

Maybe a petition is needed. Though pocket rockets don’t create big sales, they have potential to be huge image makers. The Ford Fiesta ST and Volkswagen Polo GTI are good examples of being attention magnets.

The i20N could well be up to their mettle, given Hyundai says it used its WRC expertise in this project, and not just to give it a nicely muscular look.

Under that bonnet is a pukka performance mill, in the same of a reworked (as in, exclusive turbo, remapping, a high-pressure injection rail) version of the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine found in a number of other Hyundai and Kia models, tuned to produce 150kW from 5500-6000rpm and 275Nm from 1750-4500rpm. That’s less torque than the Ford and VW spin out, but slightly more power.  

The engine is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission and while four- wheel-drive isn’t on the menu, it does achieve a limited-slip differential in order to aid handling and grip. The chassis has also been reinforced at 12 different points, while the suspension features reinforced front domes and knuckles, new anti-roll bars, springs and shock absorbers and increased camber. 

It also delivers with launch control, which facilitates 0-100kmh in 6.7 seconds. Top speed is 230kmh. power to weight looks good, too. Surely it’s no coincidence the car clocks 1190kg – the same as the i20 Coupe WRC car? 

Five drive modes are delivered: Normal, Eco, Sport, N and N Custom, with the latter allowing customers to individually adjust the parameters of the engine, ESC, exhaust and steering. The stability system can also be programmed into three stages – on, sport and fully off.

The car states its intent at the kerbside, too. The ride height is lowered by 10mm, it sits on 18-inch rims (behind which are tucked enlarged brakes) and the styling includes red accents around the front, rear and side skirts, plus a WRC-inspired roof spoiler. A lip spoiler and wide radiator grille – with a pattern inspired by a chequered flag - enhance visual menace. 

The interior also adopts sports seats, N-specific steering wheel, gear knob and pedals and there’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system, N driving data, digital instrument cluster.

Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of active safety tech is included, with forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot collision warning, intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention warning system, high beam assist, lane following assist and rear cross-traffic collision warning.

And if you’d prefer it for weekend gravel road play? Well, that’s the i20 N Rally2, designed by an N-sport division, Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing, and intended for privateer teams and drivers. 

This one follows on from the Hyundai i20 R5 with which Hyundai Motorsport entered the Customer Racing arena at the end of 2015. That car has claimed numerous titles with customers, including national titles in Spain, Portugal and Poland since debuting late in 2016.

However, the brand says the i20 N Rally2 will be better, being “an improved all-round package” that builds on the experience gained by the department over the last five years.

Though the five-speed sequential gearbox from the i20 R5 remains the transmission for the new design nearly every other part, including the 1.6-litre turbo engine, is brand new.

The developer says new suspension components and dampers give the car more driver-friendly handling characteristics on all surfaces. This, it says, is vital in the Rally2 category, “which forms the basis for numerous national and regional championships as well as the international WRC 2 and WRC 3 classes, and are the cars of choice for both professional rally drivers as well as drivers who compete purely for pleasure.” 

An extensive testing programme for the i20 N Rally2 will begin later this month, with the first deliveries to customers and final homologation scheduled for mid-2021.

Sweet shift for Hyundai’s hotshot

One of the best hot hatches out there is finally coming up to speed in respect to transmission choice.

HARDLY ever seen but don’t be fooled – they’re out there.

Enough, in fact, to propose that were the owners to form an actual club, they’d struggle to call themselves ‘exclusive.’ 

Not with 100 cars on the register.

That’s the surprise count of examples of the best-reconciled (by far) sports model that Hyundai has yet created … with quite a lot of help from new friends recruited from one of the finer universities dedicated to the development of ‘everyman’ performance fare: BMW’s M Division.

Anyway, the tally of those who have bought into the i30N in its original hatchback and more recently-added liftback forms would seem to be worthy of acknowledgement and applause, given these are aimed at a relatively select audience.

Specifically, they ask owners to live with an ingredient most buyers of those cars no longer desire: An old-school manual gearbox. All manner of data in respect to this category show today’s buyer wants a two-pedal setup … not a full automatic (thank God), but a dual-clutch manual. It’s why the Volkswagen Golf GTi camp has a 98-point-something percent preference for DSG, and why the Renault Megane RS and Ford Focus ST have gone from stick shifts to paddles.

 In respect to that, good news from Hyundai, in two parts.

 First, i30 N owners to date aren’t afraid to exercise their left lefts and arms.

Says Hyundai NZ’s Kimberley Waters: “When we launched the i30 N in manual form we acknowledged then that we would only be playing in a small part of the sports hatch market …

“But in spite of only offering a manual transmission i30 N has exceeded our own expectations.”

So, a salute to those heroes. 

And now, a salvation for those hold-outs who love the car but have been awaiting the direct-shift alternate Hyundai and the N Division have been hinting at for at least 18 months.

It’s on the way. And with it, here’s hoping, a big increase in the fanbase for a car that’s definitely worth it … plus some stablemates, too.

Exactly when the updated i30 N will arrive has yet to be zeroed; all they’re saying for now is second quarter of 2021. These could be sleepness nights. 

As much as the “world-class wet clutch DCT”-  and, yes, in case you wondered, it IS the same eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox first put into the Veloster N, sold in North America – is the headline attraction, there’s more change besides.

Hyundai’s release of the carefully shadowed images here reinforce word that it will also arrive with some significant change to the styling.

A redesigned front end that gains a wider grille, bigger air intakes, and sharper-looking headlights with V-shaped LED daytime running lights are evident. Tweaks to the rear include a new-look bumper with a wider diffuser flanked by round exhaust tips. We’ve included an image of the current car to give an idea of the full extent of the change.

Also set to happen is that the hatch will adopt the revised and, yes, improved suspension tune that came with this year’s liftback.Also, the The 19-inch alloy wheels are now foreged alloys, for weight-saving, and wrapped in bespoke (hence the HN designation) 235/35 Pirelli P Zero tyres as standard.

What about some extra fizz under the bonnet? No word, sorry. Hyundai didn't mention if it's changing anything else under the bonnet. Power for the current i30 N comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged 202kW and 353Nm, enough to crack 0-100kmh in 6.1 seconds. While nothing is official yet, the dual-clutch could allow the i30 to speed its way into five-second territory.

Assuredly there’s already building excitement within Hyundai NZ headquarters in Auckland.

“We can compete in the whole market and expand the appeal in a fun and exciting segment. We expect that the i30 N DCT will welcome more local performance enthusiasts to the N brand.”

And when that happens? Well, it’s a good impetus for thinking about other N product also coming to the boil, she assures.

 “Hyundai Motor continues to add to the N range, and as and when they become available in right-hand-drive we look at them on a case-by-case basis for the NZ market.”

In respect to that, she adds, the Kona N and i20 N do already seem to look … well, kinda ‘right.’ We could see them within 12 months.

New Tucson gets local provider excited

Striking new design, heaps of new tech, a hybrid to match the RAV4 and a seven-seater option.

 POTENTIAL that Hyundai’s best-selling model here might emulate its big brother and format in a seven-seat option is not being discounted by its seller.

 In offering comment about the 2021 Tucson unveiled for global scrutiny (via a livestreamed online presentation) by Hyundai head office in Seoul today, the make’s national distribution has indicated it is giving consideration to taking the car in a new long-wheelbase format – that avails a third seating row – in addition to continuing with a five-chair layout that continues into a fourth generation.

The potential for the longer version – which measures 4630mm in length (so up 150mm on the short wheelbase), 1865mm in width (plus 15mm) and 1665mm in height (up 5mm), riding on a 2755mm (plus 85mm) wheelbase – is not being discussed by Hyundai New Zealand, though it has reminded that Tucson already strikes a strong chord with Kiwis, the model having achieved 23,000 sales since the nameplate arrived in 2004. 

Brand boss Andy Sinclair says he expects “the new model to attract even more customers with its striking new design and safety, comfort and convenience technology.”

Any decision will surely have to be fast-tracked if both are intended to be available for local usage from local launch, as Hyundai New Zealand says it intends to have the new model line here in the first quarter of 2021.

In addition to relaying its thought about the seven-seater, the Auckland-domiciled distributor has also said it will also look at a new N Line trim level the maker has also revealed.

As for powertrains?  It’s also casting an eye over the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options that are also coming into production, these based around a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and producing a combined 171kW/350Nm.

New generations of the familiar 1.6-litre turbo petrol, 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol and 2.0-litre diesel turbo, now selling under a Smartstream designation, are also cited. The first might now receive a pump up from 130kW to 145kW, as per the Kona. Outputs for the latter are 122kW/205Nm (petrol) and 136kW/400Nm (diesel). 

What of the new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 141kW and 246Nm? Sorry, no comment on that one.

The model will continue to avail in both front and all-wheel drive. The latter this time adds mud, sand and snow modes to the comfort, sport and eco-driving modes. The derivatives heading here seem set to have ride and handling tuning sorted by Hyundai Australia’s engineering team.

It’s heavily loaded on the safety front. Aids available include Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Blind-Spot View Monitor, Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Advanced Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop and Go, Safe Exit Warning (SEW), Surround View Monitor, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (RPCA), Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), High Beam Assist (HBA) and Driver Attention Warning (DAW). 

Tucson’s new exterior styling is bound to raise plenty of comment. Hyundai says it expresses an evolving Sensuous Sportiness design identity and embodies what its designers call ‘parametric dynamics’ with “kinetic jewel surface details that emphasises Tucson’s distinctly different identity in a crowded segment.” Translation? There are a lot of sharp edges.

It fronts up boldly, too: The grille is filled with LED lights which only reveal themselves when illuminated. The rear will also make an impressive; it has a connected LED light bar sitting across the beltline and joining two clawed LED taillights.

The interior also seems set to be a lot more plush and futuristic. Most ‘hard’ controls, such as dials and buttons, are gone. So too the gearstick.

The top treatment features a centre console stack flowing as one continuous design piece with flush buttons and a wide 10.25-inch digital touch display screen. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an optional Bose sound system. The cabin ambience is set with a 64-colour mood lighting system with 10 levels of brightness.

Digital technology includes a key that uses a smartphone app to operate commands such as locking and unlocking the car, using Near Field Communication to detect authorised users from up to 27 metres away. In some markets the smart key can be tuned to control smart appliances at home (as you do) and  driven remotely without anyone in the driver’s seat – albeit very slowly and basically for parking purposes.

New Tucson, updated Kona revealed

Two models that deliver decent sales for Hyundai here will arrive next year with big changes.

MEDIA effort to unofficially unveil the next generation Tucso, releasing in 2021, appears to have compelled Hyundai to release some images that give an idea of what we’re in for.

Two photographs that give away some aspect of the exterior – and reveal the lighting array it delivers – and an illustration that gives an idea of how the cabin will look, though without fine detailing, were sent out today.

They seem to be in response to media speculation that has elevated to some well-known sites running their own renderings, that have relied using recent spy photos of prototypes – and taking the stylised Vision T concept that the brand put on show last year – as pointers to how the production model will eventually appear in its street-ready stage.

The official images enforce what Hyundai has made clear: That the next Tucson is a fresh start from the 2015-born current car that will debut an edgy new style, based on the brand’s latest design theme, which it calls ‘Parametric Dynamics.’ This direction also ties to another new catchphrase starting to weave into marketing materials - 'Sensuous Sportiness'.

Overseas’ commentators have reacted strongly to the idea of a Tucson with the new signatures of sharp creases and folds slicing through the body, plus large boxy guards and arches. The grille design, dubbed ‘parametric-jewel pattern', and those LED-lit front lamps are a big statement; so too the forked taillamp design and the (also LED-lit) light band across the tailgate.

Lots more has yet to be announced, of course. The drivetrain selection is still under wraps, but is expected to debut a plug-in hybrid working, as per the concept’s, as one of the options. An international media event - all online, of course, thanks to Covid - could well unwrap more information.

However, Hyundai NZ has already said it expects to see the car in early 2021. 

“Tucson is Hyundai New Zealand’s top selling model, so needless to say we’re excited about the arrival of the all-new model,” says general manager Andy Sinclair.

This is the second tranche of Hyundai SUV news this week, following the release of detail about the redesign coming for the smaller Kona, with the most obvious change being a fresh nose, though behind this will be found revised engines. The updated models also take upgraded technology. They are set to arrive in the first quarter of 2021.

News of a sporty N line trim leve, presented here by the orange car, will also likely enthuse, though nothing yet about the full-out N performance edition that has been spied undergoing testing, notably at Germany’s Nurburgring where Hyundai’s performance division has a base.

Hyundai NZ says full details of its model line up and specification will not be announced until closer to launch, however Sinclair is in optimistic mood.

“Kona has proved to be a popular model … since we launched it in 2017. We’re excited by the enhancements … and are confident its popularity will continue to grow along with the addition of the N Line.“ 

So, what’s coming? In standard trim - represented by the blue car - the facelifted Kona gets a new wider front grille with a larger lower air intake, slimmer headlights and LED daytime running lights, plus a restyled front bumper with contrasting silver bodywork trim.

The rear features minor changes limited to a redesigned bumper and tweaked lights. New 17- and 18-inch alloy wheel designs also feature.

The N Line trim adds a sportier looking front bumper with wider front fins and a deeper front spoiler with black contrasting trim. It also gets three small air intakes on the nose, colour-matched bodywork cladding, 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and a restyled rear bumper with a diffuser and twin-exhaust pipes.

The interior has undergone minor changes, with the addition of ambient interior lighting, a restyled centre console that houses the electronic handbrake switch, and aluminium trim on the air vents and speaker grilles. Heated rear seats are on the international options list, and rear passengers get a USB charging port.

The N Line model gets aluminum pedals and red contrasting trim on the seats, gearstick, steering wheel and air vents.

A new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster arrives, probably just for the high-end editions. The standard infotainment touchscreen is now eight-inches in size, and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A largest touchscreen features live parking assistance, and is capable of supporting multiple Bluetooth connections via a split-screen function.

Updated safety technology includes the addition of Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, which alerts the driver if the vehicle in front begins to move without the driver responding. A new Lane Following Assist function has also been added, which automatically keeps the car in the centre of the lane while driving. The car’s smart cruise control has been updated to full stop and go functionality, and the blind spot assistance now features collision avoidance.

No details have been shared about the drivetrains.

Ioniq brand delights Hyundai NZ

The Ioniq car has become an EV brand – but Hyundai-badged electrics are also set to keep coming out.

THE answer is yes – it’s just the arrival timing that remains uncertain.

That’s Hyundai New Zealand’s response to the parent brand’s determination to turn a model name into a full-blown electric vehicle sub-brand, while continuing to produce EVs with Hyundai badges as well. 

The Auckland-based operation is hugely enthusiastic about the potentials that Ioniq will bring and is excited by Hyundai Motor’s intent to release three new models, each identified by a numerical designation.

It further affirms it is fully on board with the South Korean giant’s intent to fast-track its strategy of becoming a global giant of EV-dom, in part because Kiwi enthusiasm for battery-driven products is strong and continues to climb, and has expressed its desire to offer every Ioniq model that is made available in right-hand drive.

However, at the moment it knows too little detail to say when and how it will involve.

So even though the make has vowed to deliver the first of this new breed, the Ioniq 5 - a crossover SUV inspired by the 45 concept car (below) from the 2019 Frankfurt motor show – within 12 months, the local operation says it cannot yet offer specific comment about whether this means that car will avail locally in 2021, simply because it’ll be in production by then. 

Company public relations manager Kimberley Waters says there’s optimism more information will come out soon.

“At the moment, though, we just cannot offer any specific comment about when product might be available to us. We just don’t know that yet.

“However, yes, we have made a commitment to electric so are keen to see these products. The potential they offer is obvious.

“With Hyundai Motors commitment to developing a dedicated EV range with the customer experience in mind, it in turn will enable us to provide our customers with more EV choice that suits their Kiwi lifestyle.”

In making the branding announcement that could not have come as a surprise to anyone, Hyundai Motor released images here that lend suggestion to what its immediate fleet of three vehicles could look like.

The suggestion is that these will be in showrooms by 2025, or perhaps even a year earlier.

The model identification strategy is simple, if rather BMW-esque. All Ioniqs will be identified by numerical badges - even numbers for sedans, wagons and sports cars, and odd numbers for SUVs. Ioniq, by the way, is a fusion between “ion” and “unique”.

The cars will place on an all-new electric-vehicle underpinning, called the Electric Global Modular Platform. This brings up to 800 volt fast charging, long-range driving, spacious packaging ability, and new-age connected technologies, Hyundai Motor says.

The international roll-out time frame suggested by head office is for the ‘5’ to be followed in 2022 by the Ioniq 6, which is styled with lines and inspiration of the Prophecy concept electric sports sedan, above. The Ioniq 7 SUV is expected to go into production in 2024.

Exactly how Ioniq will present is another issue for Hyundai NZ to address.

The tenor of head office comment suggests expectation that this branding exercise is expected to stand apart from the Hyundai push, just as the Genesis luxury brand was intended to.

Whether that means a dedicated space in a shared showroom – as per the failed Genesis experiment - or something more extreme remains to be seen. Conceivably, given the size of the national Hyundai dealer chain, the modest volumes our market entertains and the cost involved in creating separate retail operations, it would be logical for head office to cut NZ some slack, and allow sales from regular outlets.

One thing is for sure, you won’t be challenged picking what’s coming with the two Hyundai electrics that already sell here.

What will happen to those? Somewhat ironically, the Ioniq as it currently offers in NZ – that is, as a compact hatchback in hybrid, plug-in and full-electric guises – is not going to transfer to this platform. 

Moreover, talk is that it and the Kona EV will also not form part of the Ioniq-sphere, according to overseas’ reports, but remain – assuming they still have a long-term role - as a Hyundai. So is it possible there could be as many – if not more – Hyundai electric models as Ioniqs?

The rollout is in line with Hyundai Motor Group's ‘Strategy 2025’, which sets a target of achieving one million battery-electric vehicle sales and at least 10 percent of the global EV market by 2025.

The latter would see HMG become one of the top three global EV manufacturers, with around 560,000 produced each year by mid-decade.   

The term itself is a with the current Ioniq being the result of Project Ioniq – a long-term research and development project focused on eco-friendly mobility.

To help commemorate the launch of the new brand, HMC took to the London Eye with dozens of illuminated lights to turn the landmark into a giant letter Q at the tourist attraction’s official reopening to the public after being closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Diesel only for Sorento’s start

Kindred Koreans the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe remain in a race to reach New Zealand. Which will be first with a breakthrough hybrid drivetrain?

Europe has first dibs on these Kia Sorento hybrids heading down the production line.

FACTORY determination to give Europe priority means headline-making high-tech hybrid petrol drivetrains will not include on the launch menu for Kia’s Sorento here.

This has been made clear in additional information provisioned in the wake of a recent media update about the car from the New Zealand distributor.

The extra comment confirms the model’s local release is running late, as result of the factory having retuned production to favour larger more important, left-hand-drive markets, but also reiterates the model will be here before year-end, though in respect to actual timing the only comment is “fourth quarter.”

Nonetheless, Kia NZ opened the order book on August 3 and has advised potential customers to lodge their interest on a dedicated web channel. 

The Auckland-sited make has not discounted getting the hybrid powertrains, according to the information received, but when is not clear. 

“The hybrid only just went into production recently in Korea and Europe has first dibs of initial supplies.”

The petrol-electric units format in mild and plug-in recharged formats and marry to a 1.6-litre petrol engine, and Hyundai New Zealand is also chasing them for Sorento’s sister ship, the Santa Fe, which is also arriving here soon in an altered 2021 guise.

the updated Sorento (above) and Sante Fe (below) move to a new platform and adopt fresh technologies.

The hybrids give the brands opportunity to retire the long-serving 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine but the cars still configure with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, though the latter has not featured in the NZ spec for some time.

The conjoined brands international view is that the hybrid units have potential to ultimately become the key choice for the seven-seater sports utilities, on strength of their performance and efficiency.

In June Hyundai New Zealand’s boss, Andy Sinclair, expressed particular enthusiasm for the powertrains, seeing them as a key factor in elevating Santa Fe’s status, particularly as a foil for the Toyota Highlander, which will become a hybrid model when it arrives in a new generation next year.

“We’d definitely take hybrid. I think it is very important to give our customers a choice,” Sinclair said at the time.

 The Sorento and Santa Fe still continue with the 2.2-litre turbodiesel that’s been the core choice for the past three generations of both lines. It has a new fuel injection system and improved internal components, which help to reduce the engine’s friction and improve fuel economy. Power is 148kW and torque stands at 440Nm.

It mates to a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, called Smartstream. A video about how this operates is attached today. 

The information relating to Kia’s strategy also says it has been affected by supply constraints from the ongoing effects of Covid19 that are being shaken out. 

“So shortages of some models are inevitable, but Kia is working hard to smooth these out.

“The run-out of current Sorento is going well and should be pretty well exhausted as the new model arrives, so timing shouldn’t be too much of an issue there. Always a bit of a balancing act, regardless of the market conditions.”

The new Sorento marketing programme that started on Monday is to build awareness of the new model ahead of its arrival and elicit forward orders, much like Kia did very successfully with the Seltos last year, the information states. 

the hybrid drivetrain, seen here in a Sorento, is a big pitch by the conjoined Korean makes.

The 1.6-litre is the smallest-capacity engine yet for the Santa Fe and Sorento yet is hardly a weakling, being turbocharged. Though efficiency data has yet to be released, its maker – Hyundai, of course - has indicated a huge improvement in respect to economy and emissions. 

The unit has been designed expressly to work in a hybrid setting and initially comes in a ‘mild’ format, outputting 169kW. The plug-in rechargeable format has even more oomph. It swaps out the 1.49kWh lithium ion battery for a 13.9kWh unit that can be replenished off household mains or a fast charger.

The PHEV model’s electric motor makes 97kW in isolation, but the drivetrain’s combined maximum output is 194kW and 350Nm of torque.

Both hybrid powertrains are hitched to a newly developed six-speed automatic transmission.

They feature a new low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system and continuously variable valve timing, which Hyundai claims improves fuel efficiency by five percent and decreases emissions by 12 percent in its own right.

The hybrids also have the same four-wheel-drive system as the diesel, but are also being built in front-drive format.

The models’ all-wheel drive now takes a terrain mode selector, which offers specific setups for snow, gravel and mud. The drivetrain also comes with three driving modes – Eco, Comfort and Sport – which can deactivate drive to the rear axle to improve fuel efficiency or distribute the engine’s torque across the  axles for extra stability, sending either 35 percent or 50 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels.

kia sorento (above) and Hyundai Santa Fe (below). Which do you prefer?

The new models are easily picked in the streetscape, with much updated styling for each. What is not so obvious is that they have switched to a completely different platform to that underpinning the outgoing cars, this being a platform developed for a Hyundai Sonata sedan sold in the United States and China. The footprint has grown slightly, but more importantly the change unlocks additional interior room.

The national distributors have yet to provision specification details however some inkling about what’s coming, at least for Sorento, can likely be gleaned from detail shared out of Australia, where the car is launching in a couple of weeks.

The line there spans four derivatives. Standard fare includes a “segment-first” front centre side airbag, between driver and passenger. A 10.25 inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Multi Connection Bluetooth also configures. Australia’s flagship, called GT-Line, represents with a 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster, Blind Spot View Monitor, a shift-by-wire dial instead of a gear lever and remote smart parking assist.

Santa Fe for an electric age?

Hyundai’s local distributor is keen on the hybrid petrol drivetrains confirmed for the next-generation edition of its popular sports utility.

TM Santa Fe is earmarked for a last quarter arrival here, but nothing’s concrete yet.

MILD hybrid and plug-in hybrid petrol powerplants will fuel Hyundai New Zealand’s ambition with the updated Santa Fe coming later this year.

Assuming, at least, that brand boss Andy Sinclair’s wish list to include those 1.6-litre powerplants alongside a new version of the 2.2-litre turbodiesel that’s been the core choice for the past three generations is fulfilled by Seoul head office.

Hyundai New Zealand’s general manager says he definitely can see merit in taking his vehicle in a battery-supported direction, and not just because that’s where a big rival – Toyota Highlander – will wholly commit in a new-generation line coming early next year.

“We’d definitely take hybrid. I think it is very important to give our customers a choice.

the new 1.6-litre is designed to marry with hybrid technology

“I think it’s great to offer different drivetrains. And being a market leader with electric models already, anything that is available in that format we’d be keen to look at.

“We’re absolutely keen … if it’s available. There is no confirmation yet. Until we get to the final part of actually having spec and price available to us – which will be quite close to the (new model’s) release.”

The car’s release timing is also fluid, thanks to the impact of Covid-19 on car making in South Korea.

All Sinclair can say at the moment is that he expects to have it here by “quarter four.” All going well.

“With Covid-19 a lot of production schedules have understandably changed and because Covid is still strong overseas it has potential for more change, so we really don’t know.”

One likely outcome from the assembly line holdups created by coronavirus closing the Hyundai Group factories and restricting supply of vital components which they outsource from – would you believe – specialists based around Wuhan, in China, is that the Santa Fe might now beat its Kia equivalent to market.

The original gameplan that gave the Sorento a clear head start – which is why the current edition of Kia’s car is in a runout phase that Santa Fe has yet to enter – is now derailed, according to industry informants. Their understanding is that Hyundai sub-brand’s factory having retuned its production to favour larger more important, left-hand-drive markets has pushed Sorento’s local introduction back significantly.

Sinclair said that development was news to him. “My understanding was that it would be out before the Santa Fe.” Not that was important. “We don’t plan around other brands so it never really came into the discussion.”

Having revealed the next Santa Fe’s new look and something about its specification in February, Hyundai has now chosen to release much more detail about the drivetrains.

News about the four-cylinder 2.2-litre diesel is that it has a new fuel injection system and improved internal components, which help to reduce the engine’s friction and improve fuel economy. It mates to a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The 1.6-litre is the smallest-capacity engine yet for into the SUV and might seem a world away from the V6 or even 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrols that have powered this model in the past.

Yet the new until hardly a weakling, being turbocharged and though efficiency data has yet to be released, Hyundai has indicated a huge improvement in respect to economy and emissions.

The unit has been designed expressly to work in a hybrid setting and initially comes in a ‘mild’ format, outputting 169kW. This will be in production from the start but will joined next year by the plug-in rechargeable format, which swaps out the 1.49kWh lithium ion battery for a 13.9kWh unit that can be replenished off household mains or a fast charger. The PHEV model’s electric motor makes 97kW in isolation, but the drivetrain’s combined maximum output is 194kW and 350Nm of torque.

Both hybrid powertrains are hitched to a newly developed six-speed automatic transmission, which Hyundai says is both smoother and more fuel efficient than the previous model’s gearbox.

The two engines also feature a new low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system and continuously variable valve timing, which Hyundai claims improves fuel efficiency by five percent and decreases emissions by 12 percent in its own right.

The hybrids also have the same four-wheel-drive system as the diesel, but are also being built in front-drive format.

The all-wheel drive now takes a terrain mode selector, which offers specific setups for snow, gravel and mud. The drivetrain also comes with three driving modes – Eco, Comfort and Sport – which can deactivate drive to the rear axle to improve fuel efficiency or distribute the engine’s torque across the SUV’s axles for extra stability, sending either 35 percent or 50 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels.

The new model is easily picked in the streetscape. What is not so obvious is that it has switched to a completely different platform to that underpinning today’s car. It is going to a platform developed for a Sonata sedan sold in the United States and China.

Due to the platform switch, the Santa Fe has increased in size. It’s 15mm longer, 10mm wider and 5mm taller than the model it replaces, with dimensions of 4785mm, 1900mm and 1685mm respectively. Hyundai says this has unlocked more space in the cabin for passengers, adding an extra 34mm of legroom for rear-seat occupants.

It would seem improbable that the major changes won’t avoid a price impact, but Sinclair says that the current flagship Limited diesel, a $83,990 proposition, firmly holding as the most popular version sold suggests consumers perceive Hyundai as a premium brand.

Santa Fe’s pricing potentially points to the next-size-up Palisade sports utility, an eight-seater that arrives at year-end, standing good chance of becoming the first Hyundai to price above $100,000.

Sinclair would not be drawn on that, but acknowledged “it will take us into a new pricing territory, there’s no doubt. But just what that will be, I don’t know. We have not got any indication from HMC (Hyundai Motor Company) on price.”

So, is comfortable with the prospect? “Well, our biggest-selling Santa Fe is our most expensive one. That’s a fact. Hyundai is a brand that has a premium over Japanese brands. Our customers can see our quality.”

Palisade confirmed for NZ

You think the Santa Fe is substantial? Wait until you meet its big brother.

SIXTEEN cupholders, seven USB ports and up to eight seats – plus a brash styling that simply cannot be ignored and potentially a sticker that takes Hyundai into a pricing zone it has never previously breached.

Those are features of the Hyundai Palisade, an even larger sports utility than the well-received Santa Fe that has been confirmed as an addition to the brand’s local line-up, arriving at year-end. 

Designed and initially only designated for North America, but now being made available through South Korea finally bending to a campaign by Australia to put it into right-hand-drive, Palisade is built in front-drive V6 and also provisions in the same mechanical spec preferred by most Santa Fe buyers – so four-wheel-drive, a 2.2-litre turbodiesel and an eight-speed auto.

Auckland-centred Hyundai New Zealand confirmed some months ago it was mulling adding in the Palisade to become the fifth SUV in its line-up and the first to offer eight seats. 

That process has cemented with last week’s confirmation that it will be going into Australia from year-end, coming off the same production line in South Korea that produces NZ-market Santa Fe.

Today the national distributor said it had still to decide on the exact spec and powertrain choices – but conceivably you need only examine what Australia is getting to see the full selection of choice.

 It seems safe to assume NZ will take the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, which is in the same tune as it features in the Santa Fe, so cracks out 147kW and 440Nm.

Our neighbour has decided to take the petrol, a 3.8-litre V6 producing 213kW and 355Nm. Given that Hyundai NZ has discontinued the same layout, albeit with a smaller-capacity six, in the latest Santa Fe, this version of Palisade would seem  less likely.

Timing? Not exact dates are being given, but HNZ general manager Andy Sinclair says it’ll be here in time for summer.

So, we’re picking December. As for price? Well They’ve also indicated – and no surprise with this – it’ll sit above Santa Fe, which tops out at $83,990, so expect to spend at least $85,000, if not more. Could it even become the first Hyundai to sell here for more than $100,000?

Hyundai NZ has expressed confidence it can find a ready market for a model that is much larger than the Santa Fe, measuring around 210mm longer with a 180mm longer wheelbase and boot that offers 311 litres space with all three rows up (so, more than double Santa Fe’s capacity in that configuration), or 704L with two rows of seating in use. It is slightly shorter and narrower than the Mazda CX-9 and longer and wider than the current Toyota Highlander, which is set to go into a new generation in early 2021.

Sinclair is calling the Palisade “the ultimate family vehicle for practical, comfortable daily use and venturing further afield for a family roadie” and says it will provide Kiwis “more choice when it comes to buying a vehicle to meet their lifestyle needs.”

The model also stands out as being one of a relative few Hyundai vehicles unlikely to be troubled by a Kia equivalent here. Yes, there certainly is a twin under the skin. Yet the award-winning Telluride is only made in in North America and has been discounted for reconfirmation in left-hand-drive.

Expectation is that Palisade will add a higher, comfort-oriented specification than Santa Fe as well as an extra seat.

Apart from all those cup holders and USB ports, it delivers roof ventilation for all rows, heating and ventilated front and second-row seats and middle-seat delete for the second-row (as a seven-seater with ‘walkthrough’ aisle).

There’s also a digital instrument cluster with blind-spot video streaming and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, reversing camera and 360-degree cameras. Also expect a host of safety technology including AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, passenger detection monitors, and more 

Comfort comes via electrically adjustable seats and plenty of Nappa leather. Both second and third-rows get Isofix anchors for child seats, plus tether points, including for the third row. 

North America’s status as the priority market dictated why it launched at the 2018 Los Angeles Motor Show.

The US market is not wholly pinned to an eight-seater configuration. Over Stateside the car also offers as an opulent six-seater, with power folding captain’s chairs in the second and third rows and a ‘sleep mode’ that can mute the back speakers for snoozing passengers also befit its flagship status.

Like the Santa Fe, it features a rear occupant alert system that will beep the horn if ultrasonic sensors detect movement inside the vehicle once locked, helping look after pets and small children.

Next Santa Fe – a bit of old, a lot of new

The new Santa Fe has finally been revealed and will be here in late 2020.

NEW body, new interior, new tech and heavily revised underpinnings - the next generation of Hyundai’s crucial big sports utility is certainly a significant departure from the current edition’s design direction.

And, yet, strictly speaking, the ‘gen four’ coming in the final quarter of this year is essentially a revision, the maker admitting it still uses core elements of the current-generation seven-seater. Not that this shouldn’t keep it from winning plenty of attention.

 “We modernised the new Santa Fe with premium features and appealing aesthetics that are sure to add value,” said SangYup Lee, the senior vice president who also heads the brand’s Global Design Centre and is been elevated to becoming the brand’s design spokesman in wake of the recent sudden departure of Luc Donckerwolke as design chief. 

“The bold lines that extend from one side to the other and from front to back give Santa Fe a rugged yet refined look that SUV customers want. Besides, we’ve added numerous features and functions to create a truly family-focused SUV that is a pleasure to drive.”

The new Santa Fe’s front section is defined by the wide grille that extends across the entire width of the vehicle. The brand suggests the ‘clamped shape’ of the lower air intake harmoniously extends the horizontal line to accentuate the vehicle’s wide and well-balanced stance.

The grille – or grilles, as there are two designs, the more intricate pictured here being reserved for the new flagship - also integrates the headlamps, a signature style found on many Hyundai cars. LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) start at the top of the grille and cut through it to create T-shapes at each corner when lit.

Each side section of the New Santa Fe is characterised by a seamless line that connects the DRL to the taillights, this to lend the car ‘a sensuously sporty look’. The increased width on wheel arches accentuate the SUV’s rugged and powerful character, which is also emphasised by 20-inch wheels.

The new Santa Fe’s redesigned taillights are connected across the rear hatch by a slim illuminated bar that complements the horizontal design theme on the front and sides of the vehicle. The theme is once again expressed by the wide rear reflector and skid plate, creating a unique three-layer look. 

Hyundai says the redesigned interior now provides more space, comfort, and convenience compared to the previous model and also takes the car to ‘a new level of luxury’ with every component finished in premium soft-touch materials. The centre console sits high, giving the driver and front passenger the feeling of sitting in an armchair, according to information released today.

The buttons are all centred for intuitive and ergonomic use. In the middle of the redesigned centre console sits gear shift buttons along with other functions that are used often. Hyundai says a ‘shift-by-wire system’ allowed the designers to put buttons instead of the conventional shift knob.

For the first time, the new Santa Fe comes with a Terrain Mode selector: a control knob located in the centre console to conveniently switch between different drive modes, optimising performance and ‘HTRAC’ all-wheel-drive settings for a variety of driving situations. This feature includes unique modes for sand, snow and mud, as well as eco, sport, comfort and smart modes, the last of which automatically recognises the driving style and selects a mode so the driver does not have to.

The new centre console’s layout freed up space for more storage in the redesigned lower dashboard. The console also accommodates a new 10.25-inch AVN (audio, video, navigation) touchscreen display with pre-loaded maps, satellite-based voice guided navigation, rear camera display, and complete in-car entertainment and connectivity features.

As for the mechanical package? tjhat’s still be be explained, but it could be that Hyundai also moves to adopt a hybrid set-up that is going into the Kia Sorento, a sister ship despite any corporate claims to the contrary.

The latter is taking a 1.6-litre petrol with battery assist – in ultimate form this being a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

The new powertrain is presented under a new mantle, ‘Smartstream’, that also applies to the purely fossil fuel-reliant engines also confugring, these being a 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing cars’ 2.2 turbodiesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

Next Santa Fe fronts up

Hyundai has provided a first look at the next generation of its crucial sports utility.

the ‘luxury’ grille

GRADUAL unveiling of the next Hyundai Sante Fe has begun, with Seoul sending out shadowy preview images revealing the new car’s front.

There are two images, the reason being to demonstrate that the flagship car will have a slightly different gloss black grille to that meted the regular editions.

Either way, the new face is quite different to what we see now.

And those grilles are a significant departure from the 'waterfall' design that has evolved over the past decade across the Hyundai family.

In its new form, the Hyundai grille frame extends across the face of the new Santa Fe, tapering at each end to merge with the driving light housings.

Also new is the 2021 Santa Fe's daytime running light (DRL) signature, described as a ‘T’ shape.

the standard grill

The new lighting signature is described as reflecting "Hyundai's new integrated vehicle architecture". Is that a suggestion that what the SUV presents first will migrate into other Hyundai’s? 

No other angles have been revealed at this time, although Hyundai says we can expect “interior design updates providing premium amenities and comfort.” 

Also unclear are details on the new-look Santa Fe's mechanical package, though it could be that Hyundai also moves to adopt a hybrid set-up that is going into the Santa Fe’s sister ship, the new Kia Sorento.

The latter is taking a 1.6-litre petrol with battery assist – in ultimate form this being a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

The new powertrain is presented under a new mantle, ‘Smartstream’, that also applies to the purely fossil fuel-reliant engines also going into the vehicle.

With the latter the choice with Kia is a new 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing cars’ 2.2 turbodiesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

Kia NZ has yet to signal a firm local launch date for the Sorento, save for an indication some months ago that it might be here by the third quarter of this year. However, that timeframe was given pre-coronavirus; like so many others, Hyundai and its subsidiary have had to close down its assembly lines. 

Regardless of that, there is emergent possibility that the Sorento will beat the Santa Fe to market.

Both models stand on a new-generation midsize SUV platform and the Santa Fe is sure to align with Sorento in implementing a range of high-tech safety and convenience features.

Prime among these are a multi-collision brake system that mitigates the severity of secondary collisions. It automatically applies vehicle brakes when the airbags have been deployed after an initial collision, further protecting occupants from secondary frontal or side impacts. 

Kia’s new rig also has a remote smartphone Surround View Monitor. This allows users to check the vehicle’s surroundings with their smartphone in conjunction with the in-vehicle Surround View Monitor to maximise parking convenience.

Last year Kia registered 462 Sorentos in NZ while Hyundai NZ found homes for 1477 Santa Fes.

the current model santa fe

Man draws ute, media goes nuts

Everyone loves a good ute. Does the Tarlac meet those tastes?

FOR the past couple of years, anyone gloating about their new car might, in reality, be talking about something taller, heavier and – despite all the mod cons – less polished.

Despite new car registrations having faltered a touch in 2019, utility vehicles continued to dominate, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux the top two selling vehicles, with 9486 and 7126 sales respectively.

Demand tapered off by the December quarter and no-one’s yet brave enough to bet on how many might be sold this year. 

But chances are the ute – and by that we really mean well-trimmed dual cabs, since they account for the bulk of interest - sector might yet recover more quickly from the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact than the general passenger car market.

They’re so strongly entrenched. Also, if and when recovery comes, it’s going to be led by builders and farmers – two key buyers of utes.

What might also stir up interest is that this is the first if several years when traydeck turnover occurs. As in, model cycle change. Some are set to be rebirthed and most of the others are going to be refreshed.

Isuzu’s reskinned and re-engineered D-Max and its new under-skin twin, the Mazda BT-50, are coming out this year. We expect to see another radical revision for the Hilux. In 2021 comes the successor to the mega-hit T6 Ranger, retiring after a decade on the job.

A conjoined effort with Volkswagen and likely to be the last Ranger designed and engineered fully in Australia, the next one runs on a new version of the current platform and is expected to add a pair of turbocharged V6 engines added to the line-up; a 24wk@ petrol and a 187kW diesel. And hot on its heels, the Amarok – still a German product despite the Aus-shared influences.

And there’s another, also eagerly anticipated …. 

So, anyway, today’s images are of the Tarlac.

 Hyundai’s dual-cab ute has been in the works for an eon, but finally the wheels are set to be rolling. And instead of one kind, it’s becoming increasingly likely there will be two 

America is being targeted as the primary recipient for a load-lugger that will retain the name, and much of the look, of the Santa Cruz concept shown in 2015. This will come out of Hyundai’s plant in Alabama in 2021. The Santa Cruz will differ from other dual-cab utes as it will be built with a monocoque chassis.

However, Hyundai has also confirmed it also has a traditional ladder-frame light commercial vehicle is in development. Costs of this one shared with sister company Kia. This yet-unnamed model is expected to become available in 2022-23.

So what will it look like? Well, an industrial designer in the Philippines reckons he has a pretty good idea.

Enoch Gabriel Gonzales has fired up motoring sites all over this part of the world by publishing numerous images of a virtual model whose configuration is based on the few published images of the actual vehicle when it’s been snapped when out testing.

Given the real thing has always been heavily disguised, how confident can we be that his Tarlac – named after a province located in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines – is a good representation?

It’s a good question. Gonzales does admit that the workhorse he’s envisioned has a more traditional body shape than what the spy photos suggested. But he also claims to have remained faithful to Hyundai’s current design language.

The fascia is inspired by the Santa Fe sports utility and its bigger brother, the Palisade, which is expected to come on sale here at the end of the year.

Beyond that, he has designed Tarlac to look like a natural competitor for Hilux, Ranger and Mitsubishi’s Triton.

Regardless, let’s not forget this. There’s nothing official about the Tarlac. Gonzales is clearly a very good designer, but he doesn’t work for Hyundai.

A fact that seems to have escaped all the media who have used the images and allowed their imaginations to run wild. But, granted, there are excellent renditions.

Visual fizz for Hyundai sedan

Will we, won’t we? Hyundai NZ is being especially evasive.

NOT an outright ‘yes’ nor an actual ‘no’ … just an acknowledgement that, should the compact sedan whose sportified look has been teased be picked up for New Zealand, it’ll more likely be called an i30 than an Elantra.

Hyundai New Zealand is being especially non-committal about local potential for a compact four-door model, to place alongside the i30 hatch and liftback, that has attracted international attention through South Korea putting out a teaser video showing the car in an N-Line trim.

This follows release weeks earlier of the standard car without the camouflage covering the N-Line edition. Can they be that much different? Well, probably not ….

Anyway, in sharing the N-Line news, Hyundai NZ’s public relations manager Kimberley Waters was making every effort to steer clear of suggesting anything that might indicate the car having local potential. Or not.

“Please note Elantra is what it this model is known as in other markets. Because Hyundai New Zealand take Australian spec and they have changed the nameplate to i30 Sedan, we too will adopt that name if we bring in the i30 Sedan and/or i30 Sedan N-Line. 

So there you go. Whatever Aussie does is what we’ll also do. Should we do it.

 Moving on. 

The N-Line should not be confused with the outright N product plan, which is basically Hyundai creating an equivalent of BMW’s M Division – indeed, the man leading this, Albert Biermann, is the former head of the Munich madhouse.

The only N model here now is based off the i30. The Veloster N is also in production, but just in left-hand-drive. The next N model for New Zealand is expected to be a version of the Kona compact crossover, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine producing around 200kW and 350Nm. Also likely to also introduce the dual-clutch automatic transmission, this model is expected to land in the second half of this year.

Anyway, back to Elantra/i30 sedan. It is built on the new K3 platform which Hyundai states is lighter and stiffer with enhanced driving dynamics, and shows the brand’s latest styling outside – yeah, we know, instant nominee for ‘scary grille of the year’  - with plenty of technology highlights inside.

The only export market to so far involve with the mainstream model (below) is the United States, where it runs front-wheel drive with a continuously variable automatic transmission and the 103kW 1.6-litre that ran in the previous generation.

With N-Line, you get a few sporty looks but not the hooligan edge. With the sedan, the dress-up encompasses black exterior mirrors, more aggressive two-tone five-spoke alloy wheels and a set of twin exhaust tips poking out of the right side of the bumper. Is this an indication the variant will run the 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol used elsewhere in the Hyundai and Kia stable?

Well, it’d seem a safe bet given that, for its part, Seoul head office has offered: “the upcoming i30 Sedan N Line adds N brand specific design elements, chassis upgrades and a turbocharged engine to the recently revealed i30 Sedan”.

The car in the video seems to include a dual-clutch automatic transmission – most likely the seven-speed unit from the current i30 N Line.

The most pronounced of the chassis upgrades will likely include an enhanced (firmer) suspension set-up. Note that the N Line hatch rides 5mm lower than the standard models.

The i30 Sedan also has a multi-link rear suspension arrangement – only seen previously on the current N Line hatch. That bounds well for the driving feel.

So is it coming? Probably. Hyundai NZ doesn’t have a habit of sending out information about cars it doesn’t intend to sell.

Even so, setting aside the ‘will they, won’t they?’ side, sedans – previous Elantra very much included - have become such slow sellers, the more relevant question might be: ‘Will you notice?’

Right gear, wrong car

The transmission that would definitely broaden the appeal of the best driver’s car Hyundai sells here has been unveiled.

HERE’S something to make you smile – a wet dual clutch transmission with a ‘grin’ feature.

No, for real. In releasing information about the two-pedal eight-speed box that will provision into its hard-out i30N hot hatch as an option to the six-speed manual that’s the sole choice now, Hyundai has identified one of the box’s three settings is called … ‘N Grin Shift’. Only in Korea, right?

Laugh along, because the joke will be on rivals who might dare to diss. The i30 N as is rates really well and this new transmission is simply going to broaden the appeal.

We likely won’t know by how much for a little while yet, unfortunately.

The make has decided the Veloster N coupe should be the first recipient of this tricky tech. Indications from the factory have long been that this car is only available in left-hand-drive and might only avail in two places, South Korea and the United States.

The brand claims that the DCT Veloster N will accelerate from 0-100kmh in just 5.6 seconds – exact-matching its six-speed manual counterpart.

Slotting into ‘N Grin Shift’ doesn’t make it any faster, yet promises a feistier more feral feel as that ups torque by seven percent to 378Nm thanks to a turbocharger overboost function for 20s.

An ‘N Power Shift’ feature is also included, which stays in the torque band when upshifting at more than 90 per cent throttle.

There’s also an N Track Sense Shift feature can pre-select gears depending on driving conditions, such as downhill or racetrack settings, for “optimal performance”, according to Hyundai.

The edition also retains functions such as rev matching and launch control, while also gain steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Expect also see them on the two-pedal i30 N whenever it rolls out.