Hyundai Becomes Preferred Supplier for UK Police

Bob Dylan once said, "The Times They Are A-Changin'." If you lived in Britain in the 1950s and '60s, you'd see custodian helmeted policemen driving around in Morris Minors and Ford Anglias. In the '70s you'd see mustachioed policemen driving around in Ford Consuls and Rover 3500s. Then the '80s rolled around and there were policemen and women cruising around in Rover SD1s and Land Rovers.

Then, starting from the late 1980s, something strange happened. Rover - one of the most British of carmakers - started rebadging Hondas. In the 1990's, Germans, who had lost the War, began buying all of Britain's beloved marquees. And the UK Police, who had always bought British before, began buying Mitsubishis. The world had gone mad.

Now, in 2010, Hyundai has been awarded 'preferred supplier' status by the National Association of Police Fleet Managers. That means the UK Police Forces can buy Hyundai's new vehicles.

It's a big sales and publicity boost for Hyundai. Each year, 2,000 cars are acquired by London's Metropolitan Police and a further 7,800 are acquired for work outside the city.

Managing director of Hyundai UK, Tony Whitehorn, said: "Anyone buying a car needs to make sure that they are getting the best possible package for their money. That's especially true when you are buying thousands of vehicles and spending taxpayers' money! The quality, reliability, resale value and performance of Hyundai vehicles has shone through and they've been given the green light to carry a blue light."

Hyundai said the most popular vehicles are expected to be the i20, i30, ix35, Santa Fe and iLoad van. Can you imagine an i20 police car? Doesn't the mere thought of it make your skin crawl?

For the time being, here's an ix35 / Tucson in police livery. It's an okay looker, though doesn't look half as smart as a Land Rover in the same outfit. Maybe I'm just bitter. Oh well, at least Officer Plod will have iPod integration and ESC as standard. That'll show them hoodlums whose boss.

By Tristan Hankins

Spied: 2010 Hyundai Tucson Compact SUV Development Continues

If our sources are correct, we will be seeing the next-generation Hyundai Tucson making its world debut this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show with sales beginning in Europe and Korea before the end of the year and in North America, sometime during the first half of 2010. In the meantime, Hyundai is continuing to develop the Tucson which was captured here out in Death Valley by Automotive Traveler's Rich Truesdell.

The prototype models are still under heavy camouflage but Hyundai gave us a taste of the styling direction it plans to take with the new Tucson in Geneva with the 'ix-onix' concept study (see pics below).

Eyeing Toyota's RAV-4 and Honda's CR-V, the Korean firm's compact SUV will most likely carry the iX35 moniker at least in Europe and it will be offered with various petrol and diesel engine options including the final production version of the concept vehicle's 175HP 1.6-litre turbocharged four-banger petrol.

Spy Photos: Automotive Traveler

Live Photos of Hyundai's ix-onic Concept Study that Previews new Tucson

These are the first live photos of Hyundai's new ix-onic concept study that was revealed to the members of the press during a special event prior to the Geneva Motor Show. The 'swoopy' styled ix-onic concept gives us a good indication of where Hyundai's design department is heading to with the next-generation Tucson compact SUV that will be called "ix35" in Europe under the firm's new naming system.

The live shots also give us our first taste of the ix-onic's interior which looks production-ready. The concept study is equipped with a new 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing an output of 175-horsepower.

Source: Telegraaf , Via: Worldcarfans

2010 Hyundai Tucson to be Previewed in Geneva with HED6 SUV Concept

Hyundai is to unveil an all-new compact SUV concept named HED6 at this year's Salon International de L'Automobile in Geneva on March 3rd and from what we've learned, it will most likely form the basis for the next-generation Tucson. To be called ix35, the Korean firm's new Toyota RAV4 and VW Tiguan rival is expected to hit international markets by early 2010. The teaser sketch leads us to believe that the HED6 concept will boast a more angular and evidently, more appealing design than the current Tucson.

The Korean automaker said that the concept model's features include LED daytime running lights, 21-inch, mirror-polished alloy wheels and a special 'Ice Blue' exterior paint, with an advanced pigment effect for a brilliant shine. Power will come from a new, production-ready, 175-horsepower, 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that will find its way into many Hyundai and Kia models in Europe.

Allan Rushforth, Vice President at Hyundai Motor Europe said, "The HED-6 brings an entirely new look to Hyundai's SUV line-up. It fuses a robust exterior with a fresh and elegant interior, making for an eye-catching package, while its latest-generation power train highlights Hyundai's clean-technology expertise."

Hyundai ix-onic Concept with 175HP 1.6 Turbo: First Photos of 2010 Tucson Study

This is Hyundai's ix-onic concept, also known as the HED6, and it previews the second-generation Tucson compact crossover / SUV that will be officially revealed in production form at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show this fall. Even though it's hard to deny the styling resemblances to the Ford Kuga, the ix-onic that was penned at Hyundai's European center looks way cooler than the anonymous Tucson.

The concept version of the 2010 Tucson that will be called in Europe ix-35 will be powered by Hyundai's new 1.6-litre turbocharged gasoline engine that delivers an output of 175HP. This engine will be available in the production version as well other Hyundai models in the near future. It will also be joined by a new 2.0-liter turbo diesel producing 184HP.