| Selasa, 14 Agustus 2007 |
| Hyundai goes upmarket, and Kia up-tempo |
Are Americans ready to pay a premium price for a Hyundai?
Can they feel cool in a Kia?
The two Korean automakers are planning their products to ensure the answers are yes.
Hyundai wants more upmarket vehicles in its lineup. Its first effort - the Veracruz crossover, with a sticker price of just over $37,000 for a fully loaded version - went on sale in the spring, so it is too early to judge its success. The second vehicle will be a big, rear-drive, V-8-powered sedan due next summer that will carry a similar price.
"We've got to make our brand a lot more powerful than inexpensive and long warranty," says Steve Wilhite, COO of Hyundai Motor America.
Kia, on the other hand, has a design challenge. Its cars are bland, and it wants to be youthful and sporty.
"Our next step will be breakthrough design," says Len Hunt, COO of Kia Motors America. "We'll get overtaken by the Chinese if we keep doing value and warranty."
In November 2004, Kia snared Tom Kearns from Cadillac, where he was on the team that designed the 2008 CTS sedan. In the fall of 2006, Kia landed Peter Schreyer from Volkswagen AG. Schreyer spent eight years designing Audis, including the TT sports coupe.
"Kias don't stand out when you see them approaching you on the road," Schreyer says. "I want to give Kia more character."
While Hyundai and Kia are owned by Hyundai Motor Co., each brand likely will continue to do most of its vehicle development independently. A big exception is fuel cell technology, on which they will work together.
One project apparently has died at both brands.
"Neither Hyundai nor Kia is considering a pickup truck," says a Kia company source. "A truck is absolutely off the radar screen."
Here are the 2008-11 model year vehicle plans for Hyundai and Kia. |
posted by Designs and Artists for Tattoo @ 11.14  |
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