Hyundai at the Nurburgring
New facility demonstrates Koreans' seriousness about creating fine-handling cars
The news only got better with the appointment of Peter Schreyer as CEO of Kia and head of both companies’ design departments. Schreyer’s past efforts have included the first Kia Cee’d you might actually enjoy looking at, as well as the original Audi TT and the previous VW Passat, and his appointment should ensure that both companies continue to produce genuinely appealing-looking cars.
And now Hyundai has announced that it’s to open a new test facility at the Nurburgring. Leaving aside for a second the debate over whether the ‘Ring is a relevant place to develop a car’s chassis, you can’t help but feel these latest announcements show that the Korean companies really are serious about producing cars which are both good to look at and great to drive. And frankly, at a time when so many companies are concentrating on pushing their tree-hugging credentials, we think that’s worthy of kudos. Whether these moves will yield models which serve as an antidote to the frankly dire yawn-boxes that both companies punted out in times past remains to be seen. But the promise of more choice for the enthusiastic driver, combined with those enormo-warranties, sounds good to us.
None of these criteria fits Lotus.
It's the same as the argument against VW buying it. That's moot now I appreciate, but I found it somewhat perplexing that people seemed to think they'd move in at Hethel and start producing Lotus badged Polos or something. In the same way that VAG produces Veyrons and Aventadors I think a back to basics Lotus left to its own devices with British creativity and some Volkswagen parts bin stuff would be great. Same goes for Hyundai.
I dont have a problem with the korean makes personally, i regularly see them taken the mick out of on here, or in the coxtext of "i'd rather -insert OTT suggestion- than drive one". IMO some of thier vehicles are a hell of a lot more interesting (to look at at least to save arguments) than some of the stale, bland rubbish that we are fed by the more established european makes.
Slovakia to a very high standard with terrific warranty and with style, French cars cannot compete on the first two and Renault seem to be putting all their eggs in the electric basket , Twizy. Zoe anybody? As for PSA, Citroen DS3 okay but Peugeot non
Faster cars they may start producing, but I'm sorry to say their build quality is average at best. I'm getting out of mine as soon as I can find a credible alternative.
She replaced with with a Megane Convertible - that could prove a different ownership experience.
I have a feeling Kia and Hyundai will be the death knell of non VAG European manufacturers. Why on earth would you buy a Ford or a Peugeot over one of these?
What do you think?
Plus, Lotus made this handle in a way that defies its shape:
Hyundai and Kia are no longer seen as no-go areas for enthusiasts. They're no better or worse than Vauxhall or Toyota in most peoples' eyes, but they are seriously lacking in proper petrolhead cred. What they do have, however, is reliability and stability.
Lotus could do two things for Hyundai. Firstly, do Lotus versions of their cars, a la Lotus Cortina. Given that Hyundai and Kia get their warranties and reputation for reliability at least in part by detuning their engines, Lotus versions could be 're-tuned' and supercharged/turbocharged etc.
Secondly, given that people in Europe aren't exactly going to buy a Hyundai Genesis no matter how good it actually is simply because it's a Hyundai, then if the car was given a Lotus identity and handling tweaks for Europe, its prospects might be better, especially if similarities were drawn between it and the Lotus Carlton.
My only main concern would be engines. OK, so they have engines that could be put in an Elise, but they need a punchy V6 for the Exige and Evora and a V8 for the Esprit with the kind of power output that'll keep a Ferrari honest. Could Hyundai really supply them with these? Because I can't see them being allowed to buy them in from Toyota, nor for reliability's ake develop their own.
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