Hyundai Gets Glitzy with Equus Stretch Limo Designed by Hermes [w/Video]

Hyundai Gets Glitzy with Equus Stretch Limo Designed by Hermes [w/Video]

While Hyundai premiered its restyled 2014 Equus in New York, at the Seoul Motor Show today, the Korean carmaker unveiled a special edition of its limousine, designed in collaboration with Hermes French fashion house "Hermes".

Based on the 2012 model year version, the “Equus by Hermes” is a more luxurious edition of the long-wheelbase model, with the exterior tweaks and the cabin styled and customized by Hermes designers.

Hyundai says the project is the results of two years of work from designers and researchers in the company’s pursuit of a “modern premium” car. The interior focuses on the harmony of colors and features more than 20 items that were produced specifically for this car. Needless to say, everything was hand-made by Hermes artisans. The entire interior is lined with different types of leather chosen by Hermes, with the door panels being lined with crocodile leather, of the same type used by Hermes for some of its famous handbags.

Designers drew inspiration from aircraft interiors to design the rear center console of the car, which includes a folding table and four-cup holders, plus a water bottle compartment and a large storage space where a travel blanket can be kept.

Only three Equus by Hermes models have been built, none of which is for sale. Hyundai says it doesn’t plan to launch it on the market, and only aims to improve the brand image by associating it with a well-known, estab lished European luxury brand.

Hyundai’s first attempt to associate with a fashion house was with Prada, which co-designed a limited-edition line of Genesis sedans. However, only a third of the 1,200 cars made were sold.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Cut Out: Fisker Furloughs a Week of Pay as It Prepares Government Loan Payment

Cut Out: Fisker Furloughs a Week of Pay as It Prepares Government Loan Payment

Things aren’t looking good for Fisker Automotive. First, we hailed it as innovative and fun while being green. They we questioned the company’s stability and the $ 100,000 Fisker Karma’s reliability. And now onto its third CEO in a matter of months and having just had its namesake Henrik Fisker step down from the company, we’ve come to question its long-term prospects. This week, Fisker announced it was furloughing 200 U.S.-based employees from March 22 to April 1 to save a little cash.

Yeah, we’re worried for them.

The company has run into nothing but problems since its inception in 2007, fraught with delays and the better part of its guaranteed $ 529 million government loan becoming not-so-guaranteed at the last minute. Fisker has an undisclosed amount due to the federal government in a month from the money it did receive. The company is saving every cent it can.

A company statement issued by Fisker said furloughing employees is ”a common practice, particularly in the automotive industry, to manage costs and operations based on current activity levels and commercial requirements and is not expected to materially impair Fisker’s operations or the scope or timing of Fisker’s future business plans.”

Don’t panic, it says.

Fisker has been looking at bringing on a Chinese partner to keep its finances afloat. First, Fisker was talking to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the owner of Volvo, which has only become a stronger company after its sale by Ford. Then, Fisker began negotiations with Dongfeng Motor Group. Both have hit snags because of the federal loan repayment terms. It’s still scrounging around for options.

Two weeks ago, Fisker founder Henrik Fisker left the company over disagreements with the management team. The day after, he put his money where his mouth is, buying a Fisker Karma for himself.

With a host of products planned between convertible and wagon versions of the Karma sedan to a proposed smaller car called the Fisker Atlantic, the company isn’t lacking for ideas. It’s just lacking for ways to make them happen.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)

General Motors to Build Next-Generation Electric Car in South Korea

General Motors to Build Next-Generation Electric Car in South Korea

General Motors’ one and only all-electric car, the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV, is produced in South Korea. It was designed in South Korea. General Motors’ battery supplier for the project is LG Chem. Yes, that company that made your old cell phone, is a South Korean firm. So it makes sense that with GM planning out its next electric car already, it’s going to come out of the Land of the Morning Calm.

When pressed, General Motors gave no timeline on the launch, but it said the car would be slightly larger than the diminutive Chevrolet Spark and would be an all-new design for an electric car instead of one adapted for EV use. Details otherwise have been scant, other than to say GM CEO Dan Akerson has said that future cars would have 100- and 200-mile ranges. The cars would beat most of the EV segment for range, as the majority achieve between 70 and 80 miles between charges.

Going into production this month, the 2014 Chevrolet Spark is expected to have class-leading rangeâ€"we expect a little over 80 milesâ€"from its 20 kilowatt-hour battery pack. Its electric motor will drive 130 horsepower and an earth-moving 400 pound-feet of torque through the front wheels. It is estimated that it will be able to reach 60 mph from standstill in a brisk 8 seconds and cost less than $ 25,000.

GM Korea specializes in engineering and producing most of the company’s smaller vehicles, including the Chevrolet Spark, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, and Buick Encore. North America has local production for all of those but the Encore.

The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid will continue to be built in the U.S. with its battery packs supplied by LG Chem.

Source: Reuters via Automotive News (Subscription required)

London Company Hires "Van-Sitters" to Double Park Its Cars and Run from Traffic Wardens

London Company Hires "Van-Sitters" to Double Park Its Cars and Run from Traffic Wardens

In most of Europe’s biggest cities, the lack of parking spaces is probably the most stressful aspect of being a driver. Not to mention the cost of parking or the fines for illegal parking, which can amount to £120 (€142) in London.

The UK’s capital has to be one of Europe’s most driver-unfriendly cities â€" huge parking fines aside, there’s also the congestion charge, traffic cameras that follow your every step, 20 mph speed limits (32 km/h) â€" and we’re sure Londoners can add many more to this list.

However, people have to move around the city, and for businesses, cars are even more vital. This is why a London property maintenance company has found a solution to avoid paying huge parking fees or being fined for illegal parking. Basically, it started employing young people with a clean license to “van-sit” their fleet of commercial vehicles instead of parking them in central London.

Will Davies, the boss of Aspect, pays an average £8 (€9.5) per hour for young unemployed people to remain double parked near the buildings where his other employees perform maintenance works. When a traffic warden approaches, drivers simply run away. Davies has figured out this solution is cheaper than paying parking fines up to £120 (€142) in London, as well as clamping fines and ca r pound release fees.

He says what he does is lawful. "It's completely legal and trials in Westminster have been incredibly successful," Davies told Aol UK. "Instead of paying fines, the money goes to young unemployed people," he added.

He even plans to extend the service to the public, if it proves successful. “In fact, we are thinking of rolling out the scheme to include anyone who needs a car-sitter while they attend a meeting,” Davies said.

By Dan Mihalascu

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2012 Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X Long Term Update 3

2012 Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X Long Term Update 3

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Kia Cub Concept Officially Beats the Dead Horse of “Four-Door Coupes” in Seoul Motor Show Debut

Kia Cub Concept Officially Beats the Dead Horse of “Four-Door Coupes” in Seoul Motor Show Debut

The term “four-door coupe” made nearly as much sense at its inception as champagne made from grapes harvested in the Midwest (champagne only comes from France), so Kia’s rather liberal definition with the Kia Cub shouldn’t detract too much from its overall purpose. Anyhow, the four-door coupe hatchback Kia Cub is the automaker’s latest concept car, launching this week at the Seoul Motor Show concurrently with the New York Auto Show. To be honest, it looks a bit like the 2011 Kia GT concept mixed with the not-for-the-U.S. Audi A1, which isn’t a huge surprise since Kia’s design chief Peter Schreyer likely worked on that before his departure in the mid-2000s.

Kia says that despite its 13-foot length, the Cub has rear-opening doors in back to assist with “limo-like” accommodations. Rear seats are separated from one another to aid the feeling of exclusivity, while the cabin’s overall look is minimalistic and sporty. The Kia Cub concept sits on 19-inch wheels, has LED headlights, and Kia says its shape is designed especially to thwart wind noise, which, you know, is completely unacceptable in a limousine.

Power comes by way of the ever increasingly ubiquitous turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine found under the hood of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and 2014 Kia Forte SX that produces 204 horsepower. Kia says it has designed the car for young urban dwellers, which makes sense in being as small as it is. Seoul is a jam-packed city, like New York City but far cleaner.

Kia says it has no plans to put this Korean-designed Cub into production, but we wouldn’t be surprised if some of its cues find their way to other models over the next few years. With three new Kia vehicles launching at the New York Auto Show to complement the already new Forte, Sorento, and Cadenza, suddenly the subcompact Kia Rio, introduced for 2012, has become one of the oldest vehicles in the automaker’s lineup.

Source: Kia

All-New 2014 Skoda Octavia RS to Climb the Hill at Goodwood, in July

All-New 2014 Skoda Octavia RS to Climb the Hill at Goodwood, in July

The all-new Skoda Octavia is a car which wants you to take it very seriously. However, Skoda knows that for it to be truly accepted, there must be a hot version sitting at the top of the range. This is why they will debut the RS version (vRS in the UK) of the new Octavia at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, held from July 11 to 14, 2013.

Since Skoda itself admits that the Octavia is "the heart" of their brand, and factoring in the VW influence on the technical side, we expect the new RS to be a highly-competent machine.

As it has been said so many times before, it will most likely share its powertrain with the new VW Golf GTI, so around 220hp is to be expected. This coupled with the lighter construction than that of the old model, as well as more power, should make it the fastest series-production Octavia RS of all time.

Design-wise, don't expect it to jump at you, and we say it will be very restrained when it comes to sporty touches. Sure, you get the lower bumpers and side skirts, as well as the dual exhausts and rear spoiler, but if you don't paint it in a special color, then it will likely pass by unnoticed.

The first-gen Octavia RS's trademark paint finis h was a bright yellow, with light-green brake calipers â€" why not revive that?

By Andrei Nedelea

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