The 2019 New York International Auto Show

April 21, 2019 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

2019 is a curious year for the New York International Auto Show – at first look, there are some automakers that are notably absent – BMW, MINI, Volvo, and Mitsubishi skipped the show this year. In automotive parlance, the show is leaner, or more “muscular”. However the space on the show floor was taken up by some fresh new faces, most prominently with Rivian, the U.S.-based company producing electric adventure vehicles with a 400-mile range.

There were some significant launches; among them, Hyundai showed up with the 2020 Venue, a new SUV, as well as a sleek new Sonata with a digital key. Lincoln thankfully dropped the confusing letter-number naming convention with the Corsair, a compact luxury crossover that can seat five people. Toyota’s new offerings include the new revamped Highlander as well as a cute Yaris hatchback. Subaru showed off their sixth-gen 2020 Outback in the middle of a rather nice-smelling booth highlighting national forests.

Concept cars were super slick, creatively named, and largely electric – Kia revealed their HabaNiro concept with 300-mile all electric range. The Genesis Mint luxury electric concept was hard to even get close to after an off-site reveal the night before. VW showed up with not one but three concepts: the ID. Buggy, the compact Tarok Pickup Concept, and the Basecamp (the latter two have combustion engines). Another company new to NYIAS, Mullen, revealed the modular, aluminum and carbon fiber Qiantu K50 electric sportscar.

In the “If You Have to Ask You Can’t Afford It” supercar section of the show, Swedish maker Koenigsegg introduced their road-legal Jesko to North America, and Sleepy Hollow, New York’s Glickenhaus drove his 700-hp SCG 003S to the show. Dubbed the world’s most expensive SUV, the oddly angular and very very large Karlmann King will set you back about $2.3 million – perhaps more if you choose the armored option.

And then there were the special editions – so many fancy badges! Nissan was celebrating the 5oth Anniversary of the GT-R with some beautiful classics joining the 50^thAnniversary Edition. Tangentially, there is another larger independent booth display of classic of Z’s downstairs. (Not to be outdone, Toyota is displaying some classic Supras – JDM fans, this show’s for you). Dodge’s Challengers and Chargers will now be available in the Stars & Stripes Edition, and Alfa Romeo created a limited-edition 019 Quadrifoglio NRING (Nürburgring) for both the Stelvio Quadrifoglio and Giulia. Last but not least – Ford celebrated Mustang Day with the Ford Mustang Performance Package and hot dogs.

The New York International Auto Show in the Jacob Javits Center is open until April 28, 2019.

Thoughts on the Monte Carlo tragedy

January 20, 2017 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

Joaquim Santos’ Ford RS200 enters the crowd at Rally de Portugal in 1986. Photographer unknown.

By its very nature, rally is the most pure form of motorsport. Real, production based cars being driven at their limits on real roads.

Road racing enthusiasts may argue that there is no door to door competition, but there is a rawness and honesty to rally that just can’t be found in other forms of the sport.

With that rawness comes an inherent aspect of risk. Risk that applies to pretty much every aspect of the sport, from competitors to support workers to spectators.

The pinnacle of the sport, the World Rally Championship, takes place for the most part, in Europe, where the fans are rabid for the sport. So much so that they often put themselves in insanely dangerous positions. Perhaps the most infamous incident occurred during the first stage of the 1986 Rally de Portugal, when Portugese driver Joaquim Santos got loose in his factory backed Ford RS200. The apex of the turn was crowded with fans, thirty one of whom were injured, while three died. This incident was one of several that, when combined, led to the death of Group B.

By now, you have likely read that a spectator was killed yesterday on the first stage of the Rallye Monte Carlo, when Hyundai factory driver Hayden Paddon’s factory Hyundai entry went wide on a turn and hit the rock face on driver’s right. At some point during the impact, the spectator was also hit and thrown up the hillside, and then rolled down beside the point where the car came to rest.

There has been some debate in this house over my use of the word stupid to describe the person, while still not knowing the fate of the individual. I believe I was called insensitive. “What the guy did was stupid, you can’t call the guy stupid.” Meanwhile, stories around the web continue to say that the person was a photographer. I’ll tell ya, as a photographer, if the guy was a photographer, I would be even more critical.

Every time some guy who somehow scams his way into getting photo credentials for a motorsport event and then gets caught (or worse) doing something stupid because he didn’t really understand the requirements of the gig, it makes my life as a motorsport photographer that much more difficult. Every time one of those guys gets hurt, it hurts everyone else involved. It hurts the sport.

Stupid hurts the sport.

This guy was not a photographer. He was not wearing a photo vest. He was a guy with a GoPro. I have been told firsthand by a trusted source that he was not part of the video crews working the corner. No, the 50 year old Spaniard was an overzealous fan who repeatedly ignored requests from corner workers and urging from other spectators to move away from the area. He had positioned himself at the exit of a fast, slippery corner, with a rock wall behind him. A spot with no place to go if things went pear shaped.

The guy made a choice to put himself in harms’ way. His foolish choice cost him his life. Worse than that, Haydon Paddon now has to live with knowing that he killed a man during a competition. A firefighter has to live with the memory of giving CPR to a dead man for 20 minutes while waiting for an ambulance, because it was not his place to “call the time”.

Worse, the sport will suffer because there are already those who feel the cars are too fast, just like they did thirty years ago.

The real photographers and videographers will likely have to jump through even more hoops in the future, because of one guy.

One guy who was stupid.

Monte Carlo: First stage cancelled due to crash involving spectator

January 19, 2017 by Gary Grant 2 Comments

“First stage scrubbed… Must have been a big accident”

This observation from Canadian WRC competitor Ian Crerar shows just how little information filters back to the entrants during an event.

The accident in itself wasn’t too bad. On a tight mountain pass, Hayden Padden lost the back end of the Hyundai entry at the exit of a sharp left turn and smacked the rock face. The impact threw the car into the air and onto its side. When the car comes to a rest, a spectator can be seen pinned underneath the car.

Hyundai verified that it was indeed their man and that a spectator was involved, on Twitter:

SS1 UPDATE: it’s reported that a person was involved in Paddon’s accident. We are liaising with the organisers to have more news.

— Hyundai Motorsport (@HMSGOfficial) January 19, 2017

Update: The spectator has died.

As a motorsport photographer, this kind of stupidity drives me absolutely insane. Why on earth is there a human standing at the exit of a turn, with no protection and no place to escape. Every single time something like this happens, it makes my job as a shooter more difficult.

Small car scribbles

November 15, 2016 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

In addition to organizing the Canadian Car of the Year awards testfest event last month, I had also been tasked by a print editor to evaluate the small car category. Doing double duty means that I typically don’t have time to actually write about the cars during the event.

Unlike some of the old guard, paper note pads aren’t my thing. Instead, I use Google Keep, which allows me to keep great notes. It occurred to me while writing the story yesterday that it also allows me to share my scribbles with you.

In no particular order, here are my roadside observations of the vehicles entered in small car this year.

Chevrolet Spark

Hyundai Elantra

Subaru Impreza

Mini Cooper Clubman

Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback

AJAC hosts inaugural Executive Forum at Testfest

November 2, 2016 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

Historically, the event known at Testfest, where vehicles are evaluated for the Canadian Car of the Year awards is an uninterrupted week of vehicle evaluations. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada switched things up a bit this year with the introduction of a panel of automotive executives.

Assembled by David Taylor and David Miller, the forum brought together five of the country’s brightest automotive minds to discuss their views of the future of the automobile. Moderated by veteran journalist Mark Richardson, the panel included David Patterson, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at General Motors of Canada, Wolfgang Hoffmann, President of Jaguar Land Rover Canada, Francois Lefevre, Nissan Canada’s Chief of marketing for Leaf, Don Romano, President CEO of Hyundai Canada and Ted Lancaster, Vice President & COO of Kia Canada.

There were lots of decent quotes to pull from, but the reality is that the entire discussion was legitimately interesting. Even if you don’t have interest in the business side of things, but have a passion for cars, the entire hour of the panel is worth watching.

Image credit: Ivan Novotny & John Walker for AJAC
Video credit: James Davidson & Sam Fellows for AJAC

Hyundai Axes Genesis Coupe

August 4, 2016 by Tom Williams 2 Comments

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Hyundai announced that 2016 will be the last for the Genesis Coupe after a six year run. Prior to the Genesis, Hyundai had trotted out of string of forgettable ‘sporty’ cars, so when the 2010 Genesis Coupe arrived, it was a dramatic shift for the Korean automaker. Boasting rear wheel drive, a choice of a turbocharged four or V-6 and available six-speed manual, Hyundai finally had a car with appeal to auto enthusiasts. So, what gives? Hyundai now uses the Genesis name as a luxury sub-brand, so if you believe what Hyundai has to say, the current Genesis Coupe doesn’t fit into the Genesis brand. Some media speculated that in light of this, the Genesis Coupe would simply continue under a different name, but Hyundai has other plans. There will be another Genesis coupe, perhaps as early as 2017, but that car will be higher end in keeping with the new Genesis brand image.

Hyundai is to be commended for taking a risk and building the Genesis Coupe, and having driven a few it was an enjoyable car. But there were a couple problems. At a glance, it was a dead ringer for the more expensive and refined Infiniti G37 coupe-not a bad thing, but if your expectations were what you expected from a G37, you didn’t get that. Perhaps the biggest problem was the Genesis Coupe was never the car itself, but who the car was competing against. A rear wheel drive performance oriented Hyundai was heretofore completely unheard of. But for the same money, the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro (with V-6 power) need no introduction. And in North America, they need no explanation as to why you bought one, where the Hyundai might raise some questions, and buyers of cars like these might not be in love with defending their purchase. So while Hyundai did bring a gun to a gun fight, it was still a rookie against seasoned gunslingers John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. One look at what you see on the road today, and it’s abundantly clear we picked the legends over the new guy.

Review: 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

April 20, 2016 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Now in its seventh generation, Hyundai’s mid-size Sonata is without a doubt a mainstay in their family of cars. Yet when it came to offering a hybrid, as Toyota and Honda had been for some time, Hyundai was conspicuous by its absence-the world did not see a Sonata Hybrid until 2013. While everyone agreed the last generation Sonata was by far the best one yet, the Hybrid was a mixed bag. Not that it was a bad car, but fuel economy-the measure by which all hybrids are measured-just didn’t stack up well against the competition. The Sonata Hybrid is all new for 2016. Let’s see if they’ve narrowed the gap.

The Sonata line was redesigned for 2015, but we had to wait another year to see the Hybrid take a bow. The last Sonata represented a massive styling departure from the ho hum cars that preceded it. The new Sonata is an evolution of that shape, but now the car has been to finishing school and is strikingly elegant. The Sonata Hybrid received a healthy share of compliments wherever I went. A svelte shape is key for maximizing fuel economy, so specially designed wheels, active air shutters behind the grill and redesigned rear end differentiate the Hybrid from other Sonatas, and contribute to a very slippery drag coefficient of .24 cD.

Inside, the Sonata Hybrid is surprisingly luxurious. Soft surfaces abound, pleasing textures and quality materials meet everywhere you place your hands and can see. Although our car was feature packed, the Sonata is a car you can simply jump in and go with no guesswork involved for any of the controls. An airy greenhouse is further enhanced with the available panoramic moonroof. Boasting comfortable seats and an even roomier interior than the outgoing car, the Sonata is a car you and your passengers can easily spend hours in perfect comfort.

Powering the Sonata Hybrid is a 2.0L four and an electric motor good for a combined 193hp. What sets the Sonata Hybrid apart from any other hybrid out there is the choice of transmission. Where the competition universally uses a continuously variable transmission, Hyundai opted for a conventional six-speed automatic. Why is this noteworthy? Not everyone is a fan of the CVT, known for droning while holding revs when the engine is called up for more power. Want a hybrid, hate CVTs? Here’s your car.

The Sonata Hybrid won’t be confused with a sports sedan. That said, its no slouch, getting around town and merging onto highway traffic without any drama. Comfort is key here, and its delivered in spades with a creamy but controlled ride. But what about fuel economy? According to the EPA, you can expect a combined 41MPG. This is an improvement over the outgoing car, but still not as impressive as an Accord Hybrid.

The Sonata Hybrid is available in either SE or top of the line Limited. Our test car was the Limited. Its interesting to note the heavier, feature laden Limited delivers 41MPG, while the lighter SE bumps that figure up to 42MPG. Standard equipment includes HID headlights, 17″ alloys, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seat, leather interior, heated steering wheel, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Our included the Ultimate Package, which adds a panoramic sunroof, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic high beam assist, rear parking assist, smart cruise control, Infinity premium audio, and LED interior lighting. Including destination, our Sonata Hybrid has an MSRP of $35,765USD, which is reasonable for a hybrid packing plenty of high-end features. If you can do without the frills of the Ultimate Package you will save yourself $4,500.

While Hyundai took its time in offering a hybrid, the Sonata Hybrid is a unique offering. Arguably one of the most dashing mid-size hybrids available, here is rolling proof you can go green and look sophisticated doing so. And with the Ultimate Package, you are enjoying features often reserved for premium vehicles. The class exclusive six-speed automatic is also a strong selling point for buyers turned off by a CVT. While fuel economy has improved, it is not class leading, but this is no reason to overlook the stylish Sonata Hybrid.

Red Bull Global Rallycross Mid-Season Update

August 11, 2015 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

As the Red Bull Global Rallycross is heading to Washington D.C. – presented by Volkswagen – this weekend, there have been some exciting mid-season developments from the series.

It was announced earlier in the week that both Dave Higgins and Travis Pastrana will be competing in the September Los Angeles double-header alongside their Subaru teammates Bucky Lasek and Sverre Isachsen. Higgins is currently unstoppable on a rally winning streak, most recently taking the podium at the New England Forest Rally in Maine this past July. Pastrana is right on his tail, too, having taken P3 at the same really – this despite missing a stage with mechanical issues. It will be very competitive on the course in California with four Subies on the course – watch out, Ford.

Dave Higgins | Craig Drew rallying to a win in the 2015 New England Forest Rally

Travis Pastrana | Chrissie Beavis competing in the 2015 New England Forest Rally

While Dave Higgins has been tearing through forests in a Subaru, Rhys Millen won Pikes Peak this past June 2015 in an electric car. After Hyundai pulled sponsorship from Rhys Millen Racing after the 2014 GRC season, Millen decided not to compete in the series for 2015. But now he’s hinting strongly, in figurative all caps really, on social media that he just might bring the Hyundai out of retirement and rejoin the competition in LA. In fact, he’s begging people on Instagram to start a rumor that he will be racing in LA, so here you go, Rhys. Here’s a reminder of what his GRC Veloster sounds like:

Rhys Millen on the GRC podium in Los Angeles 2014

Back to this weekend in D.C. – all eyes will be on Tanner Foust and Scott Speed in their manufacturer’s home territory. Foust just finished third at FIA World Rallycross in Trois Rivieres August 7. Speed took P2 in both finals of the GRC double-header in Detroit, so the Beetles will be primed to give some fierce competition to the dominating Ken Block – but don’t overlook Patrik Sandell who won the second day in Detroit, and also won last year in D.C.

Tanner Foust, GRC-Detroit, 2015

If you’re in the US, keep your eyeballs on NBC Sports for the Supercar live broadcast Saturday August 15 at 3:00PM EST, and he Supercar Lites will be shown Wednesday August 19 at 4:30PM.

Hyundai WRC car testing in Portugal

March 22, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

Many people who experienced the Hyundai Pony of the ’80s might have a tough time grasping the concept of a world class racing car with a Hyundai badge on it. Sure, the fantastic Genesis Coupe has been successful in a number of North American showroom stock racing series, but somehow these series still don’t feel as hard core as some of the European series.

Allow me to wipe that feeling right out of your brain.
[Read more…]

Review: 2013 Hyundai Azera

September 4, 2013 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

The Hyundai Azera’s roots actually date back to 1986, when Hyundai’s sole offering here was the tinny Excel. Those days are long behind us, with the name Azera arriving on North American shores in 2006. At the time, it was the South Korean manufacturer’s flagship car. As the case was then for most Hyundais, a completely forgettable car. Yeah, we all got the car had a load of standard features and a long warranty, but the truth is the Azera was a wallflower in the entry-level luxury car market. That was then, this is now. In case you haven’t noticed, Hyundai has been on a rampage with new vehicles rolling out. The second generation Azera was introduced in 2012; our 2013 test car is unchanged from the new car’s debut.

If I were to describe the Azera’s styling in one word, it would be fluid. The overall look is bold, but not overdone. Note how steeply raked the front windshield is, while the rear of the cabin recalls a Mercedes-Benz CLS. If I had told you a chrome trim strip runs from about 6″ behind the rear door all the way to the tip of the front grill, it sounds really tacky, or a garish throwback to 1950’s American iron, but in execution the effect actually works, without looking contrived or forced. Fitted in 19″ alloys and Black Onyx Pearl finish, our Azera would easily fit in at any high-end restaurant or hotel.

Inside, the Azera offers a relaxed environment for driver and passengers alike. There isn’t a single bad design flaw to be seen, but it does not match the exterior of the car in terms of design execution, which, I admit, is so good the bar was set very high for interior design. Seats offered plenty of comfort, and there was plenty of room for four. A massive trunk ready to swallow up golf bags is a clear indicator of who Hyundai is targeting-the affluent baby boomer. Which is funny, because living with the Azera for a week, I couldn’t help but think my 67 year old father would really like this car. It’s comfortable, easy to see out of, has all the tech features you would want without being overwhelmed with gee-wiz features. Build quality is tight, the leather seats sumptuous, most surfaces soft to the touch, but there are hard bits of plastic here and there.

For reasons I cannot fathom, the Azera is available in the US, but in checking Hyundai’s Canadian site, not up north. While the Azera is sold globally with choices of several four and six cylinder engines, the US market only receives the top spec 3.3L direct injected V-6, rated at a healthy 293hp. A smooth shifting six-speed automatic puts the power to the front wheels. EPA fuel economy figures come in at 20/29 MPG city/highway. Power off the line is brisk, and passing power is impressive. Yes, it has the ponies under the hood, but the Azera is not, and was never intended to be a sports sedan. Steering is light, handling competent but everything has been tuned to comfort.

So, you may be wondering, who is the Azera competing against? Think Nissan Maxima, Ford Taurus, Buick LaCrosse, and Toyota Avalon. In the Hyundai family, the Azera is slotted between the common Sonata and the V-8, rear wheel drive Genesis sedan. This leaves the Azera in a tight space, since the Sonata Turbo we tested was loaded to the hilt, and down on power just by 19hp. Hyundai’s answer is to only offer the V-6 Azera, loaded to the hilt, one model only. Standard features include proximity key, push button start, leather interior, driver and passenger power seats, front and rear heated seats, dual zone auto climate control, navigation, rear view camera, Bluetooth, XMSirius satellite radio, HD radio, and HomeLink. Our test car featured the Technology Package, which included 19″ alloys, panoramic sunroof, xenon HID headlights, rear parking sensors, premium Infinity audio system, ventilated front seats, interior ambient lighting, power sunshade for the rear window and power adjustable tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Including destination charges, our Azera rings in at a fairly reasonable $37,225USD, considering the level of equipment offered.

Yet, something doesn’t make sense to me. The bland, inferior ’06 Azera sold nearly 27,000 cars in the US that year. The vastly improved ’12 Azera? Barely 8,500 cars sold. Some say the introduction of the Genesis is eating up sales of the Azera, but I don’t buy it. I don’t see your Lexus customer cross-shopping a front-drive ES against a rear drive GS, and the same applies here. Also, the Azera is sort like the middle child. You have the blockbuster Sonata behind you, the Genesis with true lux-car creds, and the king of the hill Equus on top. It’s the Jan Brady of the Hyundai family of sedans. Not to mention I do not see Hyundai promoting the car at all.

And that is by no means an insult. The Azera does everything you ask of it, and does it simply, quietly, and without fuss. The Azera checks off all the right boxes the buyer Hyundai wants could desire: a powerful V-6, roomy, comfortable interior, huge trunk, and sophisticated good looks to boot. But the truth is, not every buyer is going to want all the standard features the Azera includes, and they will not pay for it. If I want a car of this size and can do without the Nav and other luxury features, I’m skipping the Azera and am headed straight to my local Buick dealer. I understand it’s all about marketing and positioning your product relative to your own cars and the market, but the Azera is a good car that has been pigeonholed by Hyundai product planners.

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