The Hyundai Elantra is a well-made compact that seemingly gets better every year, but despite the brand’s best efforts, it’s about as exciting as vanilla pudding.
In an attempt to add some much-needed thrill to the Elantra lineup, Edmunds reports that Hyundai will introduce the 2017 Elantra Sport at the 2016 SEMA show. Set to arrive in dealerships later this year, the range-topping Sport model will compete with the Civic Si and Volkswagen Jetta GLI SE, enlisting a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with about 200 horsepower to do so.
While the Sport will be based on the revised sixth-generation Elantra shown above, it will feature a myriad of enhancements over the standard version. Hyundai America CEO Dave Zuchowski was coy on specifics in his talk with Edmunds, but the vehicle is expected to equip an independent rear suspension, a six-speed manual transmission, high-performance brakes and tires, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
“We have not really had a (Honda Civic) Si type of product before,” said Zuchowski. “We have had Sport models among the Elantras, but this is a completely different vehicle.”
The sporty sedan will also boast unique styling touches all around. Coupe and hybrid variants are not in the cards at this time, however.
As of late, the biggest news to come from the Korean automaker is its new luxury sub-brand, Genesis. Currently crowned by the G90 flagship, the Genesis brand is expected to launch a total of six new vehicles by 2020, including the G90, a smaller G70 four-door, an entry-level sedan, a sports coupe, a crossover, and a large SUV. According to Automotive News, the automaker recently appointed six-year Hyundai veteran Erwin Raphael as Genesis’ general manager. You can read more of our coverage of the Genesis brand right here.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?