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Stifle that yawn! Hyundai’s 2015 Genesis pumps in fresh air when you need it

Stephen Edelstein
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Read our full 2015 Hyundai Genesis review.

With the original Genesis sedan, Hyundai tried to upset the auto industry balance of power by offering a full-size luxury car at a (somewhat) affordable price. That mission continues with the second-generation model, which was unveiled in Hyundai’s homeland, Korea.

The 2015 Hyundai Genesis will emphasize luxury over affordability, though. Hyundai hopes this new model will be taken more seriously as a premium-class contender, and will further distance the brand from its humble origins.

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That all starts with the styling. As seen in previous teaser images, the 2015 Genesis borrows heavily from the HCD-14 concept. The new car features a bolder front end and more formal lines with some dramatic sculpting. It’s definitely an improvement over the old Genesis, but does still seems more like an imitation of other luxury cars than a unique design.

Hyundai will offer the 2015 Genesis with a total of four engines. U.S. buyers will probably get to choose between a 3.8-liter V6 with 333 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque or a 5.0-liter V8 with 429 hp and 376 lb-ft, just as they do with the current model.

Other markets will get smaller 3.0-liter and 3.3-liter gasoline V6s.

The only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic, but the Genesis will now be offered with a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Hyundai’s new H-TRAC all-wheel drive system features electronic front-rear torque modulation, and several driving modes.

Like the exterior, the interior is classy but restrained. Tech highlights include a 9.2-inch center-stack display for the BlueLink infotainment system, and a head-up display. Hyundai has already signed on with Apple to offer Siri Eyes Free; the Genesis may be one of the first models to get it.

Another novel feature is an onboard CO2 sensor, which cycles the climate control from recirculating air to outside air to prevent drowsiness.

Other safety features include the seemingly-obligatory lane departure warning system, lane-change assist, smart cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring.

While Hyundai is only showing the Korea-spec model so far, a North American version of the 2015 Genesis will probably appear at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January. Hyundai says it will go on sale here in Fall 2014.

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Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Literally the sleekest in the biz, Hyundai’s 2015 Sonata puts fluidic sculpture on full display
2015 Hyundai Sonata

Between the Kia Optima and the existing Hyundai Sonata, it could be said that Korean automakers already offer some of the best cars in the midsize market. But the release of the new 2015 Sonata in New York today threatens to set a new standard of excellence in the marketplace. 
Let's start with the styling. Designers of midsize family cars face a daunting challenge, to create something memorable but not alienating from what is essentially the blandest of shapes. That being said, I think that what Hyundai has achieved with the new Sonata is impressive.
Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language is on full display, and the results are a bold car with some truly special touches. I particularly like the new grille, which shares a bit of inspiration with its big brother the new Genesis.
Like the Genesis the side and rear profiles aren't anything to write home about, but the overall effect is still handsome. And Hyundai says that this car is literally the sleekest in the business, with a drag coefficient lower than any non-hybrid in the class.  
Beneath these sleek lines, the interior is actually remarkably cavernous. At more than 120 cubic feet of interior room, the new Sonata is not just the most spacious mid-size car in the market, according to your government it actually counts as a "large" car. 
To haul around all this largeness, Hyundai is using more or less the same powertrains from the existing model. The base engine will be the 2.4-liter Theta GDI four-cylinder. But if you really want to move you have the option of selecting the Sport option with a muscular 2.0-liter turbocharged Theta motor that churns out 245 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. This also comes with a few fun styling details like a revised body kit and a D-cut steering wheel. 
As for handling, the car rides on a new high strength steel platform that promises to be both lighter and stronger than the outgoing model. The new platform is connected to a revised multilink suspension, which will hopefully make this everyday car fun to drive everyday. 
All of this is well and good, but what Hyundai seems most proud of is the available tech. At the heart of the car lies Hyundai's new Bluelink 2.0. We had the opportunity to test the upscale version of this system in the new 2015 Genesis, and we liked it there. With 4G LTE, "eyes free" siri integration, and a range of streaming music and cloud computing services, the features are all there.
The interface seems fairly intuitive, and I particularly like the new 8 inch touchscreen that Hyundai is rolling out. However, as always with these systems the devil is in the details, and I am waiting a chance to test the system for an extended period before I am convinced. And because this is Hyundai we are talking about, all of these systems should come at a price where the competitors most exciting option is signature floor mats.
Taken all together the new Sonata promises to be a competitive entry into the midsize field, and if we are really lucky it might even be an exciting option for the practically minded buyer. 

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe offers a sophisticated approach to speed
2015 mercedes benz s63 amg 4matic coupe feature

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is a great car to look at and be coddled by, but performance isn't really its thing. Enter AMG.
Completing the Mercedes big coupe line's transition from CL-Class to S-Class, the S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe will be unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show next month.
First Look Video

At the heart of this luxury ballistic missile is a 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 similar to the one used in the S63 AMG sedan. It produces 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque - the same as the sedan, and 41 hp and 74 lb-ft more than the CL63 AMG this car replaces.
The engine is coupled to an AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed automatic transmission, and a performance-tuned version of Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel drive system, with a standard torque split of 33/67 percent front/rear. Amusingly, the S63 also features an "Eco" driving mode and standard engine start-stop.
Another way to save fuel (and increase performance) is to make a car lighter, and that's exactly what AMG's engineers did. While it's not a Lotus Elise, Mercedes says the S63 is up to 140 pounds lighter than the CL63, depending on equipment.
That still makes for a car that weighs around 4,400 pounds, but that fire-breathing V8 will accelerate it to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph.
The S63 AMG Coupe also features Airmatic adaptive air suspension, so it should still have the cushy ride of its siblings should the drive desire it. With the pedal to the metal, though, Mercedes says the car will still be entertaining, thanks to model-specific tuning that includes a larger front anti-roll bar and stiffer subframe carrier for the rear axle.
Optional carbon-ceramic brakes will reign in the big coupe if things get too entertaining. They're surrounded by lightweight 20-inch AMG alloy wheels.
Other than the sporty wheels, bystander will be able to tell an AMG from a normal S-Class by its more aggressive front fascia with AMG-specific grille and front-splitter. New side skirts, rear diffuser, and twin chrome tailpipes complete the look.
AMG has done a great job of integrating these elements into the S-Class Coupe's sensuous design. The overall effect is that of a complete car rather than a hot rod or tuner version of the base model.
On the inside, the S63 AMG Coupe gets sport seats and an AMG steering wheel - in addition to all of the luxuries of a "base" S-Class Coupe.
The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe will be unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show, which opens April 16, and will go on sale this fall.
It will launch with a special Edition 1 model, which features Magno Alanite Grey matte paint and LED performance headlights with embedded Swarovski crystals, among other things. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

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2015 BMW M4 convertible adds sunshine to the M4’s resume
2015 BMW M4 convertible

BMW will follow up the highly-anticipated 2015 M3 sedan and M4 coupe with the debut of an all-new M4 convertible at the 2014 New York Auto Show.
Waiting in the wings since the sedan and coupe debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, the M4 convertible is almost identical to its siblings, other than the folding roof.
That means the convertible has the same 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six as its siblings, producing 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It also comes with the same choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed M-DCT transmissions.
The M4 convertible also comes with the same high-tech hardware as the fixed-roof cars - including the Active M Differential and Adaptive M Suspension - so cornering should be just as much fun with the top down.
That top, by the way, is made of metal, just like on the last M3 convertible. BMW says improvements for the M4 reduce cabin noise by 2 decibels (the better to hear that straight-six), while an upgraded wind blocker will keep occupants' toupees intact.
Retracting the top takes 20 seconds at speeds up to 11 mph, but stowing it eats up almost half of the M4's trunk space.
However, that's a minor inconvenience compared to the weight penalty for going topless.
While the 2015 M4 convertible was subject to the same diet as its siblings - and weighs about 90 pounds less than the previous M3 convertible - it still weighs about 500 pounds more than the M4 coupe.
That added bulk shows when the stopwatches come out.
The M4 convertible will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds with the M-DCT transmission, or 4.4 seconds with the manual. That's pretty quick, but the coupe takes just 3.9 seconds with the dual-clutch and 4.1 seconds with the manual. Both cars are limited to 155 mph.
Buyers should expect to pay a bit more as well. The 2015 BMW M4 convertible will arrive in U.S. showrooms this summer, most likely at a slight premium over the M4 coupe's $65,125 base price.
In addition to the M4 convertible, BMW will unveil the 2015 X4 crossover coupe and 2015 Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe at the New York Auto Show, which begins April 16. Check back here for the latest updates.

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