When the 2006 Elantra appears in the fall of 2005 as part of Hyundai’s mammoth, two-year product offensive, it will feature brand-new sheet metal as well as a completely different interior, most notably, a much larger cabin. This upscale Hyundai model will also receive a brand-new engine, as well as different suspension. The Elantra, as it has in the past, will be marketed as a more upscale vehicle than the Accent, and the price will certainly reflect this.
It bothers me that people just associate GM with Chevy. There’s so many more car companies that are in GM… not just Chevrolet. But I agree, Chevy is going downhill fast these days.
and why does it bother u that people associate gm with chevy? ok so pontiac and buick, i’ll leave buick alone cause its just too easy…but every pontiac looks the same and has the same cheap feel to them. not to mention with all the crossover vehicles been the names, theres really not even that much “choice” between gm’s lineup.
and you can say saab and subaru, but imho those don’t fall into the same grouping as they stll have enough of their own identity at the moment
I don’t think Suburu is GM, I’ve never heard about that one.
I know Saab is, but you might be right, GM may own a portion of Suburu.
I might have to look that up tomorrow after work to what’s up with it.
I’d say something about imports, but hell… I don’t know much about them. The only crossover that comes to mind would be:
Eclipse = Talon = Laser (1st gen)
I feel like I’m forgetting a DSM in there somewhere too…
Another thing to think of…
Do companies like Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan etc… share any ownership with each other???
I see why GM does it… $. You save $ by making several universal parts that’ll fit on several different vehicles, and with a little variation in sheet metal, or front/rear fascia, and to the typical idiot, you have 2 totally different cars.
Buick, IMO is a big mistake.
The only 2 decent cars that Buick produced were both G bodies. The Regal, and the Grand National.
Other than these 2 cars, I see nothing exciting about the vehicles that carry the Buick name.
Well, Nissan is owned for the most part by Renault. Toyota is a huge company–it’s like Japan’s GM. Honda is small but by itself. Mitsubishi is partly owned by DCX. Suburu is partly owned by GM and Fuji industries. Hyundai/Kia has some things going with DCX, but I’m not sure if DCX actually owns any part of Hyundai–I think they just have design agreements.
The Hyundai Equus, much like the Toyota Crown, is one of those cars you would only know about if you’ve been to those countries or if you obsessively follow the import car scene. Equus is Hyundai’s luxurious flagship model, but it’s only available in Korea and it’s been that way since 1999. But now, with Hyundai’s global ambitions, the next generation Equus is likely headed to the North American market. Whether it will retain the Hyundai nameplate or be sold under a Hyundai luxury brand name remains to be seen.
Recently, the guys over at Autobild snapped some photos of the 2008 Equus being tested on public roads. The heavily wrapped-up Equus looks to be slightly bigger than the current model while its overall design is still fairly conservative in the typical Korean/Japanese fashion. The new Equus will be RWD with a 270 bhp 3.8L V6 and a 5-speed manual/automatic as the sole transmission option. With the head wave Hyundai’s been making lately, we are certainly excited to see the next Equus on this side of the Pacific soon.
Unless you’ve visited Korea lately, you’ve probably never heard of the Hyundai Equus. It’s Hyundai’s largest, most luxurious sedan, but since its debut in 1999 it’s been a domestic market sedan only. That may change in the coming years as the 2008 Hyundai Equus is being designed with U.S. sales in mind.
Our latest spy photos show an Equus sedan that’s bigger and more luxurious-looking than the current model. The styling looks as though it will remain on the conservative side, but given that the Equus will likely go up against cars like the Toyota Avalon and Buick Lucerne it shouldn’t be a problem. Size shouldn’t be an issue either. Our handy spy shooters measured a wheelbase of 116 inches, a full 5 inches longer than the Avalon’s 111-inch wheelbase. That should give the Equus plenty of room in back to go along with what looks to be a well-appointed cabin.
The last-generation Equus made the switch to rear-wheel drive and the 2008 model will retain that configuration. Power is expected to come from a 3.8-liter V6 with upwards of 270 horsepower. A five-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift capability will handle the shifts.
Look for this sedan to debut in about two years time, most likely with a new name for its new market.
I’m not really sure why Hyundai even bothers covering up their test mules like that. Its a Hyundai!!! I’m not scrambling for the camera phone looking to take a pic of the new model.
On that note, I will admit that they have been coming out with some better looking cars as of late. I still won’t buy one though.
Don’t forget that GTO thing. Ooh and the madd hawt SSR. The solstice isn’t out yet, but I believe it’s RWD (which has potential to be another step in the right direction for GM, as long as it handles at least as well as the Miata.) Caddy CTS, STS, XLR, & XYZ are RWD too.
How can you say that? Look at how many Buicks you see everywhere. They cater to the oldsters and they do it well. I don’t think Buick is going anywhere for a long time…
