If there is one car company that is not showing any effects of recession, Hyundai Motors has to be it. While other companies are closing down, Hyundai is opening new ones. The Korean car company is making the most of a bad situation with some innovative thinking. And they’re moving up the automotive ranks because of it.

Hyundai is viewed by many as a rising star, backed by ever-improving products with solid five-year warranties. They recently leapfrogged into fifth place – behind Toyota, GM, Ford and Volkswagen – on the market. Locally, Vernon Hyundai is lapping up this wave of success through its recently opened Hyundai dealership.

The $6 million, 17,000 square-foot dealership has more options than a luxury sedan – a cutting-edge service department, wash bay exclusive for customer vehicles, drive through reception, customer lounge with Internet access and leather seating.

Hyundai just finished rolling out seven new models over seven consecutive years, and they are set to repeat the cycle, including several new hybrid options. The mid-range Hyundai Genesis just won North American Car of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show, as well as Canadian Car of the Year.

(Source) Vernon Morning

Tags: american car, bad situation, canadian car, car company, car of the year, customer lounge, customer vehicles, detroit auto, edge service, gm ford, hybrid options, hyundai dealership, hyundai motors, innovative thinking, korean car, leather seating, mid range, recession, rising star, seven consecutive years

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U.S. President Barack Obama announced today that he will be ordering 2,500 hybrid vehicles for the U.S. General Service Administration made up of hybrid vehicles from GM, Ford and Chrysler by June 1. The purchase goal is fuel economy that’s 10 percent higher than the vehicle being replaced.

While auto sales have fallen 36 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared to last year, the government’s purchase is still only symbolic, representing less than two-tenths of one percent of total US annual sales. But lawmakers from auto-industry states like Michigan and Ohio reacted with fervent support.

The first step will be an order for 2,500 hybrid sedans by April 15. Qualifying cars include the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, and the 2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid. The Ford Fusion Hybrid received excellent reviews and generated intense public interest, but the incremental mileage improvements of the Malibu and Aura mild hybrids have neither sparked much enthusiasm nor sold particularly well.

The total cost of $285 million would come from the $787 billion economic stimulus bill passed by Congress last month. A statement from the White House said the entire purchase will “reduce gasoline consumption by 1.3 million gallons per year and prevent 26 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.”

(Source) Hybridcars

Tags: auto industry, auto sales, carbon dioxide, economic stimulus bill, ford fusion, fuel economy, gasoline consumption, general service administration, gm ford, hybrid cars, hybrid sedans, hybrid vehicles, hybrids, saturn aura hybrid

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