For all the fuss about Hyundai‘s success in the United States, the Korean automaker is making even bigger waves in Canada, where the brand reigned supreme for Q1 of this year.

While truck sales far outpace car sales in Canada (just like in America – and both markets are topped by the Ford F-Series), Hyundai managed to beat out everyone else in passenger car sales, besting Toyota (including Scion and Lexus) by 219 units and GM by 1,654 units, for total sales of 18,704 cars.

But the race is hardly over, and without a proper truck, Hyundai still lags behind Ford, GM and Chrysler, were which buoyed by their lineup of pickups and other truck-based products. It’s interesting to note that Canada’s light-truck sales are still strong even in the face of higher gas prices (the $4/gallon threshold was passed long ago). On the other hand, passenger cars sold in Canada tend to be small compacts, and Hyundai chose to reveal their 2012 Accent at Canadian auto shows before they made their American debut. With the Accent, Elantra and Veloster all capable of 40 MPG, the brand looks well positioned to do very well in the Canadian marketplace, even if it is a relatively small one.

[Source: Sympatico Autos]

Toyota is the latest automaker to adjust their North American production schedules, with plants idling on April 15, 18, 21, 22, and 25. Toyota’s engine and component factories will follow a similar schedule, while their Georgetown, Kentucky facility will remain open on April 21.

Employees at the plants will have the option of report to work for training programs, use vacation time or take unpaid days off. While Toyota claims that 85 percent of their parts are sourced from North America, the fact is that one missing part, no matter how inconsequential, can halt an entire production line for indefinite periods of time, and this phenomenon is something that will be a common occurrence during these next few months.

General Motors will recall 2,000 laid off workers by September according to a Detroit News report, allowing the company to start hiring new workers for its American plants.

While G.M. representatives would not confirm any timeline, Joe Ashton, UAW VP in charge of GM, confirmed that the workers would be back, stating “We will have full employment in September for the first time in a long time,”

Many of the workers are situated in Southeast Michigan, an area devastated by the decline of the auto industry. GM is adding a third shift of 750 employees to its Flint truck plant, a second shift of 600 workers to its Lansing plant to build the Cadillac ATS and recalling 1,550 workers to its Lake Orion small car plant.

New workers will have to contend with a wage of $14-$16 an hour, roughly half of what recalled and current employees will make. The two-tier wage system is a point of contention among union members, but the contract under which is was implemented is scheduled to expire this year and will be re-negotiated by the union and the Big Three this summer.

[Source: Detroit News]

Saab CEO Jan Ake Jonsson will retire from Saab on May 19th, with the 59 year old executive leaving Saab during a tumultuous time. Saab Chairman Victor Muller will act as interim CEO as a search for a replacement gets underway.

Jonsson, who was reportedly planning to retire regardless of the situation, will assist with the personnel changes and be available to Saab until September 1st.  Jonsson, who worked for Saab for nearly 40 years, released a statement, that read”The last three years have of course been very demanding and forced me to focus on one thing only — my work. Now it is time for me to also spend some time on other things that had to stand back for my duties to Saab.  I am convinced that Saab is on the right track toward replacing the entire product portfolio by October 2012 — when the next generation 9-3 will be launched — as well as creating a stand-alone company with a financially sound business model.”

Saab sales were up 15 percent in 2010, and parent company Spyker expects the division to be profitable by 2012.

[Source: Automotive News]

When dealing with an authoritarian state that exercises substantial government control of the economy, you generally know whose rules you’re playing by – and everyone from automakers to tech companies are happy to capitulate to the demands of the Chinese government, with car companies establishing joint ventures with local automakers for the sake of being able to compete in the world’s largest auto market.

China is stipulating that around 30 percent of additional capacity (as agreed upon in existing contracts) will have to be set aside for the Chinese market and sold under separate, low-cost brands. According to an analyst quoted by the Financial Times, the motive is not so much profit as intellectual property. Chinese car makers are often denied access to the more advanced technologies when they embark on a joint venture process, and the report seems to suggest that auto makers will have to bend to the will of Chinese industry in order to keep getting market access.

[Source: Autoblog]

NASCAR star Jeff Gordon will appear in the upcoming Pixar film Cars 2 as Jeff Gorvette, a Corvette C6.R, and his role will be more than just a cameo.

The Gorvette character (if it can be called that) will be positioned as a rival to protagonist Lightning McQueen. While the connection between NASCAR and Corvette Racing will be downplayed for the film, the ‘Vette will still wear Gordon’s signature #24.

Gordon won’t be the only NASCAR star in the movie either. Darrell Waltrip will be reprising his role as color commentator Darrell Cartrip, and will take the form of a 1980′s era NASCAR vehicle.

[Source: Autoblog]

Japanese auto makers have been scrambling to assess the impact of the recent natural disasters on their supply chains, as North American production facilities face potential harm, as Japanese factories have begun suspending production in the face of a series of catastrophic events.

Toyota has suspended overtime production at their North American facilities, while Subaru announced that some 30 percent of their parts suppliers were affected. Automakers have closed their factories as part of a campaign to ease stress on the nation’s power grid. While many of the Japanese car companies built a significant portion of their vehicles in North America, the Toyota Prius and Honda’s entire hybrid lineup are built in Japan, and these vehicles will be critical for dealers if they wish to have a hedge against rising gas prices. Similarly, Ford procures much of their battery technology from Japan, and supplies could be compromised.

[Source: Automotive News]

The Sultan of Brunei’s extravagant car collection is something of an urban legend among auto enthusiasts. Most of the evidence surrounding its existence is anecdotal, with a few grainy photos having leaked out over the years on rare occasions. Now, Sports Car Market has published an article by car broker Michael Sheehan detailing the vastness of his collection – and how priceless supercars are sitting in ruin due to neglect.

In 2002, Sheehan attempted to negotiate a deal to purchase 13 cars, including a Ferrari F40 LM, Ferrari 288 GTO and a McLaren F1. The deal ultimately failed due to a lack of any documentation for the cars, which made them impossible to export, but Sheehan was given a tour of the Sultan’s automotive compound, and his story is captivating, with the full extent of the decay and neglect suffered by the cars conveyed dispassionately.

Sheehan vividly describes a mid-’90s Rolls-Royce convertible stating that it, “had gotten so hot with the windows up that the steering wheel’s foam padding had melted into a puddle on the driver’s seat and the leather wrap hung from the barren steel rim. The entire interior had ‘gone off’ with mold in the heat and humidity and the interior was a fuzzy gray!”

Tragic yet, but hey, if we had 300 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans (among thousands of other cars, including the bespoke Ferrari wagon seen here) we would have a hard time keeping track of our rides too.

[Source: Sports Car Market]

A brigade of drivers for the North Korean military have been arrested for stealing vehicles belonging to the military and selling them off for parts so that the drivers could keep their own personal vehicles running and filled with gasoline.

According to the blog DailyNK, the stolen vehicles were used to transport people and cargo due to a lack of adequate transportation in the isolated Communist country. Having a private car in the “Hermit Kingdom” is a very big deal, and the drivers were eager to maintain this privilege by any means necessary.

One unnamed source is quoted by DailyNK as saying “An official’s cars projects his pride, so if a driver cannot run his car properly even on condition of having no gas or parts, it is difficult to hold on to that position.” The drivers apparently thwarted any investigation into the impropriety by having party officials interfere with the investigation, and parked the vehicles on army bases where civilian investigators were prohibited from entering.

[Source: DailyNK]

Toyota is preparing to showcase a second FT-86 Concept at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show, but that car is likely to arrive as a Scion in North America. Previously reported to wear the FR-S badge, the fan site Toyotobaru is claiming a name change to FT-S after word from a recent Toyota executive meeting.

Pricing is expected to stay in the low $20,000 range, but the Subaru version of the car could reach as high as $40,000 thanks to a turbocharged STI variant with over 300-hp.  In standard Scion trim, it is now tipped to use Subaru’s 2.5-liter boxer engine and not the 2.0-liter as previously stated.

Set to debut at the NY Auto Show in April, several production versions of the car are reportedly being prepared at a select few California tuning shops including 5Zigen and Five Axis.

The involvement of these tuners suggests the NY Auto Show debut is more likely to be a concept, with the Toyota version of the car debuting in Tokyo at the end of the year.

[Source: Toyobaru]

Even though Toyota saw its dealerships and other facilities picketed by UAW members in 2010, Honda is taking a tough stance on any interference by the United Auto Workers, with John Mendel, Honda‘s executive vice-president, dismissing them in a speech made on Tuesday.

“The union announced that they’re going to target the operations of international automakers this year,” said Mendel, while speaking to the American International Automobile Dealers Association. “The issue of union representation is one for our associates to decide, not us. Having said that, we do not believe that an outside party will improve upon [our] outstanding track record of success … over the past 30-plus years.”

Mendel stressed that the prime directive for dealers was to “remain focused on your relationship with your customers and associates.

[Source: Automotive News], [Photo Credit: Al.com]

Two mainstays of the buff book world have been sold as part of a package deal, after their parent company, French publishing giant Lagardere, dumped a variety of print properties, including Car and Driver as well as Road & Track.

In a shedding of properties that Lagardere no long deems “strategic”, the two magazines, as well as 100 other publications, were sold for $889 million to U.S. publishing giant Hearst. Lagardere’s CEO said that the company could no longer compete effectively in the United States, especially with the downturn in advertising revenue. Women’s magazine Elle was among the titles sold, but the brand will remain under the stewardship of Lagardere, unlike the two car mags. Lagardere subsidiary Hachette Filipacchi Media was the previous owner of the magazines.

[Source: New York Times]

Following the lead of General Motors, Honda and Nissan, Volkswagen is looking into creating a sub-brand for the Chinese market, which would sell ultra-affordable compact cars in the world’s biggest auto market.

“A local brand is our opportunity to participate in segments where Volkswagen is not represented yet,” said Volkswagen China’s CEO Wolfgang Neumann, in an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt. With China playing an integral part of Volkswagen’s ambituous target to be the world’s top automaker by 2018, the supposed 11th brand would add much needed volume to Volkswagen’s sales figures.

Reports suggest that FAW or SAIC, two local automakers that have partnerships with Volkswagen, would be responsible for a major part of the car’s development.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

Fiat is looking to up their stake in Chrysler from 20 percent to over 50 percent, according to reports in the Detroit News. Fiat was awarded a 20 percent stake in the company as part of Chrysler’s bankruptcy proceedings in 2009, and can increase its ownership as it passes a series of milestones. Marchionne also hinted that a Chrysler IPO may come in the second half of 2010.

The company can own another 15 percent upon building engines in North America, marketing an American made car that can hit 40 mpg and meets sales targets for export markets. Paying back government loans before 2013 will also give the company an option to another 16 percent of Chrysler.

[Source: Detroit News]

There was a time when Hyundai was a back-marker among car companies, and not very highly respected among buyers. Those days are well behind them now as they keep posting record sales year after year.

2010 will go down as an exceptional year for this South Korean manufacturer, as it sold over 200,000 units of its stylish new Sonata in North America alone, which is a record.

Even more importantly, Hyundai delivered over 530,000 vehicles in America with an additional 110,000 vehicles sold in Canada, where it broke all its previous sales records.

According to Hyundai, about 70% of buyers for the new Sonata were first time customers to the brand, with 20% of those coming from Japanese makes like Toyota and Honda.

John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO said that the “Sonata is the Hyundai brand and it’s appropriate that it has led our best year ever. Sonata’s innovation has reset the most hotly contested, largest segment in the U.S. car market, with Sonata delivering more year-over-year retail sales growth – about 90,000 units – than any other car in the entire industry.”

With attractive styling, good features and prices that start at $18,440 it is not surprising the Sonata has done so well. We wish them an equally good year next year.

Read AutoGuide’s Review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata by Clicking Here

Matt Farah, host of The Smoking Tire and an AutoGuide contributor, has been tapped to host a new SPEED channel show featuring comedian and car buff Adam Carolla, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dan Neil and former NBA player John Salley.

Carolla, who was once tapped to host a stillborn version of Top Gear USA, will head up the show, produced by Mandt Bros. Productions. The structure of the show will be more like a cable sports show, where hosts discuss car related topics, with pre-shot features interspersed with the discussions.

When pressed for details, Farah was tight-lipped, but told AutoGuide that “We feel that there is room in the market for a fun car show with a uniquely American flavor. While the gold standard of Top Gear is out there for everyone to compare to, we want to try something different, something a little less scripted and a little more on the fly, with well-known automotive personalities. I’m really happy to be a part of this project, and really excited for viewers to see it when it’s done.”

Lexus‘ giant egg-like monolith isn’t some weird monument to quality control or reduced NVH. The big white orb is actually a very advanced driving simulator, complete with an LS460 that can rotate 360 degrees. Giant screens can simulate a wide variety of conditions so Lexus test drivers can perform tests in a safe environment with no physical consequences.

Check out the jump to view the official video. In the mean time, we’ll take one with an LF-A instead.

[Source: Lexus]

We’ve been seeing a glut of stories lately about Generation Y and their increasing distance from the automobile. A new study shows that while Generation X made up 21% of the miles driven in 1995, Generation Y made up only 14% of them in 2010.

The usual reasons have been trotted out, like the economic downturn, the rise of electronic gadgets replacing the car as a status symbol and the graduated licensing program making it harder for new drivers to get on the road. The latest trend of prolonging education, via grad school or taking longer to do an undergrad degree, also means that owning a car becomes more difficult.

Interestingly, car sharing services like Zipcar have been cited as an obstacle to car ownership, but is also seen as a more attractive alternative, meaning that the costs of car ownership, rather than driving itself, is what’s really bothering young people.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

The Gaza Strip has received its first car shipment in three years, after an economic blockade left the territory devoid of goods like cars, unless they were smuggled in via illegal tunnels originating in Egypt.

The cars, mostly Hyundai and Kia models, are a mixture of new and used models that have come from Israel. Cars, including Hyundais, can be sold for vastly inflated prices in Gaza, which has been hit by sanctions after Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist government, took control of the territory.

Despite the grinding poverty, it turns out that a portion of the population can afford to buy new cars, as evidenced by this video, showing a Chevrolet Cruze going for $45,000.

[Source: BBC]

Lotus will make three vehicle debuts at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, including the world premiere of an all-new track car, which will carry the 125 name. No details about the 125 have been provided, but judging from past Lotus models it’s likely a more hard-core version of the 2-Eleven, or a 2-Eleven style car based on the Evora chassis. (We hope!)

Another track-only model will also make it’s North American premiere, the Evora Cup GT4. Weighing 400 lbs less than the standard Evora at just 2,645 lbs and sporting a Cosworth 4.0-liter V6 engine with 360-hp, it’s a genuine track car built for the European GT4 series. Hopefully the debut at Pebble will be accompanied by an announcement that the Evora Cup GT4 will also compete in the U.S.

The third model set to debut is a U.S.-spec version of the restyled 2011 Elise SC RGB Edition. The RGB name comes from long-time (but now retired) Director of Vehicle Engineering Roger George Becker, who dedicated 44 years of his life to developing Lotus vehicles. In Europe, RGB models are full-loaded, offering most option packages and items like light-weight forged alloy wheels. Four colors are offered in Europe: Aspen White, Starlight Black, Solar Yellow and Carbon Grey. All models will also get a numbered plaque and will be signed by Roger Becker.

AutoGuide will be sure to bring you complete coverage with plenty of coverage of all the Pebble Beach festivities.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Geely has officially purchased Volvo, the iconic Swedish automaker, from Ford, in a rumored $1.8 billion transaction. As part of the deal, Ford will continue to supply powertrains and other components for an unspecified amount of time, while both companies have mutually agreed to safeguard each other’s intellectual property.

Stefan Jacoby, formerly head of Volkswagen North America, will take over as CEO,while Volvo will retain their Swedish headquarters. Volvo is set to launch their new S60 sedan later this year, perhaps the last product developed under the auspices of Ford. Geely has confirmed that a new Chinese assembly plant will be constructed for Volvo as well.

[Source: Top Speed]

All forms of motorsports – take note! Formula Drift, in association with YoParts.com has successfully launched the first ever full live streaming of their events to the world. Other sanctioning bodies have tried this in the past, but with hardly any sort of success. Needless to say when they first told us about Driftstream 2010 we were a little skeptical. Instead of jumping the gun and making a post, we decided to check it out ourselves during this past weekend’s event, then report on the quality. The verdict? Read on:

We first logged onto the Driftstream website during qualifying on Friday and were pleasantly surprised on how smooth and surprisingly lag free the video was. It was as close to real-time as we could get without driving the 40 miles to Long Beach, California. The video commentary was nicely done, and the production gets two thumbs up from us by keeping the viewer up to date with standings, points and results.

For those that are unable to attend the Formula Drift 2010 events out of their range, Driftstream is a fantastic way to catch it all. Adding to the experience, there are thousands of other fans chatting it up on the site at the same time.

We’ll admit that there’s absolutely no substitute to inhaling tire smoke and seeing the cars up close and personal, but this is by far the best second option we’ve been able to get our hands on and best of all – it’s free! We hope other forms of sanctioning bodies take notes on what Formula Drift done.

If you missed Formula Drift’s season opener at Long Beach, California, head on over to the Live Stream channel now to watch a recap of the entire event. Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next event at Road Atlanta on May 7-8th, 2010. And again, all events will be streamed live so follow Formula DRIFT’s schedule and catch all the action this season, no matter where you are.

[Source: DRIFTSTREAM 2010]

The Element, the ugly duckling of the Honda lineup, will live on for a second generation. According to a report by Automotive News, Honda VP John Mendel has confirmed that despite the car’s underachieving sales numbers there are good reasons to introduce a modernized version of the functional box.

The largest argument for keeping the Element around is that it attracts a certain type of customer to Honda dealerships that wouldn’t otherwise be interested in a Honda. Surprisingly, despite the fact that the Element shares its platform with the high-volume CR-V, almost no one cross-shops the two. Element owners also tend to be a loyal bunch, so presumably Honda is hoping to move original owners into a new model.

For the most part, many had assume the Element was slated for the scrap heap of history after its seven year production cycle (two longer than the average) hadn’t produced a single second generation concept.

Originally Honda had targeted the Element at 75,000 units sold on an annual basis. This year it is on track for just 15,000.

There is no word on when the second generation Element could arrive, although it could be as early as the 2011 model year.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

When the U.S. government first released its list of the most popular Cash for Clunkers vehicles traded in as well as those purchased there seemed to be no surprises. It looked like consumers were getting rid of their Ford Explorers for Priuses. But after taking a longer look at the data, it seems that might not have been the case after all, as two trucks, the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado, were actually among the top ten vehicles purchased under the Clunkers program.

The reason for the change is that the initial listing classified vehicles specific to their drivetrain, meaning that a rear-drive or four-wheel drive pickup would count as two separate trucks. But by looking at just the vehicle model, the Silverado takes now takes the 8th spot, while Ford’s F-150 sits in 10th. Another winner was the Honda CR-V, which moved from outside the top 10 to sixth place.

As a result, three vehicles that are no longer in the top 10 are the Honda Accord, the tiny Honda Fit and (gasp!) the Toyota Prius.

These new numbers suggest that the Obama Administration’s plan to promote the sale of fuel-efficient vehicles might not have worked as effectively as planned, with the average fuel-economy of the new vehicles rated at 19 mpg, as compared to an average of 35 mpg for the three vehicles dropped from the list. No one can argue that the CARS legislation did, however, give a significant boost to the auto industry – if only temporarily.

[Source: LeftLaneNews]