Euro NCAP Releases New Crash Test Results, Announces Changes for 2012

As nine out of 10 cars tested this month earned the highest result of 5 starts in Euro NCAP’s crash tests, the safety organization is gearing up for making the 2012 requirements even more demanding.

In alphabetical order, the five-star winners are: the Audi A6, the BMW X3, the Chevrolet Aveo, the Chevrolet Orlando, the Citroen DS5, the Hyundai i40, the Opel Ampera, the VW Golf Cabriolet and the VW Jetta.

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Euro NCAP Releases New Crash Test Results, Announces Changes for 2012

As nine out of 10 cars tested this month earned the highest result of 5 starts in Euro NCAP’s crash tests, the safety organization is gearing up for making the 2012 requirements even more demanding.

In alphabetical order, the five-star winners are: the Audi A6, the BMW X3, the Chevrolet Aveo, the Chevrolet Orlando, the Citroen DS5, the Hyundai i40, the Opel Ampera, the VW Golf Cabriolet and the VW Jetta.

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Hyundai Releases First Real Life Photo of the New i40 Mid-Size Model

Hyundai today gave us a new sneak peek of its upcoming i40 mid-size model with the release of the first real life image of the car, which is scheduled to receive its world premiere at the Geneva Salon on the 1st of March. The new i40 will replace the older generation Sonata in Europe competing in the D-Segment with the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat. At Geneva, we'll see the estate version of the model (probably named i40 CW) with the four-door sedan variant to follow before the end of the year.

Up until now, South Korea's largest automaker had only released a set of illustrations of the i40 CW (CrossWagon). The new photo shows off the interior of the i40, and in particular the dashboard with its sculpted shapes.

There's a big screen display mounted high up on the middle of the dash flanked by a pair of small air vents, underneath which nestle a bank of push buttons for ventilation and minor controls.

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2011 Hyundai i40: European Market Sonata Officially Announced

Hyundai has come out with an official announcement on its new D-segment car for Europe, about a week after the first illustrations of the i40 made their way onto the web. The i40, which was known by the codename ‘VF’ during development, is essentially the European market version of the North American and Korean Sonata, and will compete against cars like Ford Mondeo, VW Passat and Citroen C5.

The new i40 will make its world premiere in estate form at the upcoming Geneva Salon in March 2011, with a four door sedan model following later in the same year. It was designed at Hyundai’s European R&D facilities in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and according to the South Korean firm, it is the company’s first D-segment model to be specifically developed for the European market.

Hyundai claims that the i40 will further boost European consumer perception of the brand to "a more aspirational position" thanks to the vehicle's design, quality, performance and technical features.

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New Hyundai i40: VW Passat and Ford Mondeo Rival Teased Ahead of Geneva Debut

These are the first teaser renderings of Hyundai's new competitor in the European market D-segment, the i40 that will take on the likes of the VW Passat, Ford Mondeo, Renault Laguna and Toyota Avensis from next year. It is based on a modified version of the North American Sonata's platform and aside from the estate model seen here, it will also be offered in a four-door sedan version, which will enter the market later towards the end of 2011.

Designed and developed by Hyundai’s German R&D centre in Russelsheim with European buyers in mind, the station wagon's exterior styling is heavily influenced by the South Korean automaker's Genus Concept model from 2006 (scroll down for photos).

Hyundai's mid-sizer will be available in Europe with the same range of petrol and diesel engines as its sister model, the new [EU-spec] Kia Optima.

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