Hyundai Motor has developed a third-generation platform and used it for the all-new Sonata, set to be launched later this month here, the company said Wednesday.By using ultra-strength and hot-stamped steel, the platform is 10 percent stronger and 55 kilograms lighter than before, it added. (Yonhap)The new platform will help the carmaker design and manufacture safer, energy-efficient and more powerful vehicles. It is the basis of improving the carmaker’s performance and reduce air resistance.The

South Korean auto part maker Hyundai Mobis will invest 5.5 billion won ($4.86 million) in DeepGlint, a Chinese startup developing 3D image analysis and pattern recognition technologies.The company is a leader in the fields of security monitoring and business analysis, and has developed facial recognition technology that can identify a single person out of 1 billion people from a distance of 50 meters. (Yonhap)Mobis’ investment in DeepGlint is aimed at securing technologies for recognizing in-veh

The 2017 model of Nissan’s luxury crossover Infiniti QX50 drew frequent comparisons to its rivals, Mercedes-Benz’s GLC and BMW’s X3. Mercedes-Benz sold 5,717 GLC vehicles in South Korea in 2018 and BMW sold 2,304 X3s -- far outpacing Nissan, which sold only 27 QX50s so soon after its launch.But it is too early to say that the Infiniti QX50 is lagging behind, because after a one-year hiatus the all-new QX50 is here, having undergone an impressive transformation. The new QX50 differs significantly

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's No. 2 auto maker by sales, said Sunday that it is considering halting operations of one of its plants in China amid weak sales.The suspension of operations at one of its plants in Yancheng in eastern Jiangsu province is under review to secure production efficiency and profitability, the company said.The Yancheng Plant 1 has a production capacity of 140,000 units per year. Combined with two other plants in the city, they produce 890,000 units a year with some 6,500

US proxy adviser also supports automotive group’s picks for independent board

Hyundai Motor Group is expected to construct its new headquarters in southern Seoul, dubbed the Global Business Center, in partnership with external investors, a deviation from the original plan of completing it on its own. According to industry officials, Hyundai Motor Group has been contacting domestic and overseas investors to seek joint development of GBC, amid its move to save construction amount worth 3.7 trillion won and invest more on its future business growth. Last month, the automotiv

GM Korea, the South Korean unit of General Motors, said Friday that it remains committed to its plans to develop and manufacture its new subcompact sport utility vehicle and crossover utility vehicle in Korea.The statement came in response to a local news report claiming that GM Technical Center Korea would retain rights over the new CUV but would transfer global engineering rights over the subcompact SUV to China. This would mean that the new SUV model is unlikely to be manufactured in Korea as

Automaker turns to ASEAN, India instead

South Korean steel giant Posco said Thursday it has decided not to pursue the acquisition of a local electric vehicle parts maker, saying that it does not fit into its battery business.The company was eyeing KCFT, formerly known as LS Mtron, which manufactures copper foils and flexible copper clad laminates for lithium-ion batteries. “For expanding our secondary battery business, we had reviewed (the feasibility) of acquiring the copper foil maker, but decided not to pursue the case anymore beca

Niro, Kia Motors’ environment-friendly sports utility vehicle launched in 2016, made a comeback Thursday, featuring a new driving assistance system and upgraded design with bold, futuristic feels.The New Niro’s new safety features include Kia’s driving assistance program brand Drive Wise. It was developed by the automaker to offer options including stop-and-go capability for the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist functions.Kia said the lane following assist function will work on all

Hyundai Motor unveiled the eighth-generation new Sonata on Wednesday with drastic design changes and a “smart” engine.The Korean automaker said the new Sonata’s design, dubbed Sensuous Sportiness, was inspired by last year’s Le Fil Rouge concept that was first unveiled during the Geneva Motor Show. The new Sonata (Hyundai Motor)The new Sonata’s change can be recognized from its exterior design, the carmaker said, which has adopted a coupe-like frame, sloping roofline and low deck lid to make the

Volvo Korea launched its new crossover V60 in Korea on Tuesday as its first market in Asia, with the aim of continuing its popularity along with its best-selling XC60.Amid increasing demand for SUVs, Volvo Korea said its new V60 Cross Country -- which combines the comfort of driving a sedan and the driving performance of an SUV -- was built based on the module platform called Scalable Product Architecture.  The V6 Cross Country (Volvo Korea)The second-generation Cross Country V60 is now 74 milli

In response to the increasing popularity of car sharing, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors announced Monday the development of a smartphone-based digital key that allows multiple users to start, operate and control a single vehicle with smartphones.The newly developed technology allows users to access vehicles without the need for a smart key. The digital key installed in a smartphone allows the driver total access to the car, and the feature will be implemented in upcoming car models, the company sa

The share of environment-friendly vehicles jumped to 8.2 percent of South Korea's passenger car market last year on government subsidies and changing consumer appetite, a car industry association said Sunday. In 2018, the number of environment-friendly vehicles, such as hybrid electric, all-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric models, reached 124,979 units, jumping 26 percent from a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association said in a statement.  (Yonhap)The 8.2-percent sha

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor and its sibling company Kia Motors said they decided to recall around 534,000 vehicles in the US after discovering a risk of engine fires.The company said it was recalling 378,000 Kia Soul vehicles produced from 2012 to 2016, as high exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, which could then cause abnormal combustion that could damage the piston and connecting rod and eventually lead to oil leaks. Some 155,000 2011-2013 Tucson vehicles and