But aside from Toyota, other Asian brands are making waves in the U.S. auto scene. One of the brands coming from the Orient is Hyundai. The company is known for producing the Hyundai Tucson and the Sonata. While the company is the largest car manufacturer in South Korea, they have yet to make a major bid for a good share of the U.S. auto market.

The company saw the need for them to increase their name’s popularity in the United States. To address that issue, the company is planning to enter the luxury vehicle segment following in the steps of Toyota and Honda which created a luxury division for the United States automobile market. The company announced that their outing in the premium segment of the U.S. auto market will culminate last year after releasing a sketch of their luxury vehicle named the Hyundai BH.

Following the announcement, CNN also reported that Hyundai is entering the luxury vehicle market to upgrade its image as a maker of quality vehicles and not just specializing in economy vehicles.

Jake Jang, the spokesman for Hyundai, has this to say about the release of their newest model: “”We will launch the ‘BH’ in the first half of 2008 in South Korea and will begin to sell the premium sedan in the United States, the major export market for the model, late 2008.” The luxury vehicle is aimed at the American consumers who are known for their affinity for vehicles which provides not only good performance but also luxurious features. This is evident on the strong sales of luxury brands like Lexus.

In order for Hyundai to be a strong competitor in the luxury vehicle field, the company will be equipping their BH with a V8 engine that will be designed to perform at a level similar to that of luxury vehicle already being sold in the market.

The move by Hyundai to produce luxury vehicles is to boost profit in the U.S. market and this would counter the declining demand for their vehicles in the South Korean auto market. Aside from the luxury sedan, Hyundai is also planning add premium models in the near future. If one looks at the reason for the success of luxury brands like Lexus, it would benefit Hyundai if their first luxury vehicle is reliable.

Reliability is, of course, what luxury vehicles have that is greater than non-luxury cars. So for the Hyundai BH to be successful, it has to be as tough as a Volvo motor mount. The reliability of Hyundai’s first luxury vehicle will determine the success of the company’s venture in the luxury vehicle market.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field. For more information, check out Volvo motor mount.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glady_Reign
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hyundai-to-Compete-in-Luxury-Vehicle-Market&id=498373

The new Mercedes Benz C-Class has been unveiled by Mercedes Benz. According to Mercedes Benz, this new C-Class is an “impressive combination of ride comfort and agility is the hallmark ofthe new C-Class, which celebrated its world premiere today in Stuttgart. In front of some 600 international journalists from over 30 countries, Mercedes-Benz presented the remake of its biggest-selling model series, which sets a new benchmark with its vigorously elegant styling, state-of-the-art safety technology and versatile product concept. ”

Here’s more from the Mercedes Benz press release:

The new C-Class is the first Mercedes saloon to feature equipment lines with different faces. In the more traditional Elegance and Classic models, the star is, as before, to be found on the engine bonnet, while, in the avant-garde versions, the trademark is positioned in the centre of the radiator grille, as is typical in sporty models from Mercedes. “Starting already with the vehicle’s external appearance,” says Zetsche, “each customer can decide for him or herself where they want the emphasis to be.” With its distinctive styling, the new premium-segment saloon offers its own unique interpretation of Mercedes-Benz’s current style statement and makes the technological supremacy and quality of the new C-Class apparent at the first glance.

Latest safety technology for optimal occupant protection
Alongside its renowned comfort, the traditional strengths of the C-Class include the vehicle’s exemplary occupant protection. Thanks to its integrated security concept, the new model continues to lead the way in its class, with greater active safety being afforded, for example, by the adaptive braking system from the S-Class and the Intelligent Light System with five automatic lighting functions. A new era in safety and ergonomics is ushered in by the C-Class’s innovative instrumentation and control concept, which noticeably reduces the burden on the driver and prevents him or her from being distracted.

As far as passive safety is concerned, the new C-Class meets significantly higher standards than are required around the world by the various statutory regulations. The standard equipment includes seven airbags as well as active head restraints. In addition, the new C-Class – like the large Mercedes saloons and SUVs – is also available with the PRE-SAFE(R) anticipatory occupant protection system.

Wide range of economical and powerful engines
Customers can choose from a range of state-of-the-art four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. At its market launch in the spring, the new C-Class saloon will come in three petrol-engined versions (C 200, C 280 and C 350) as well as in a four-cylinder diesel variant (C 220 CDI). In the course of the year, Mercedes-Benz will extend the available range to include, among others, the C 320 CDI V6 diesel engine as well as two four-cylinder versions, the C 180 and the C 200 CDI. The development engineers at Mercedes-Benz have focused above all on improving the popular four-cylinder engines, the outstanding qualities of which now include lower fuel consumption, higher power output and superbly smooth operation.

In Germany, despite the rise in VAT to 19 percent, the gross entry-level price for the new C-Class is still below 30,000 euros, which means that, adjusted for inflation, the price level of the new C-Class is the same as for its predecessor, over two million units of which have been sold around the world since its market launch in 2000.

The company has already implemented numerous successful strategies that improve the process of buying a used luxury car such as a customized vehicle locator program, door to door delivery service, low interest in house financing, and solid professional warranties that meet the expectations of the luxury consumer.

“People in the luxury car market tend to buy new simply because the process of searching for and evaluating used luxury cars is more valuable than the money they would have saved,” explains Hindmarsh. “Our goal is to make used luxury car buying just as simple and just as satisfying.”

When buying new, customers may pay several thousand dollars more, but they can easily choose their exact model without having to go from dealership to dealership seeking out the car they want.

Now luxury car consumers can have both. With programs such as its vehicle locator service, busy used luxury car consumers can literally pick and choose their ideal criteria, then “go on with their life while we do the digging,” Hindmarsh says.

Once clients fill out the online form describing the exact year, make, model, and options they are looking for, professional buyers at AG use their dealership channels to scout out the ideal vehicle and examine it for quality.

With AG’s time saving and quality assurance initiatives, luxury car consumers can benefit from the cost savings of buying used with the confidence and swiftness of buying new.

“Another thing our luxury clients really enjoy is the door to door delivery service,” Hindmarsh says. “Buyers of luxury vehicles are often out of the box thinkers; they don’t want to feel limited by something as simple as physical distance.”

Every step of AG’s auto buying process from requesting a specific vehicle to applying for financing has been designed for the internet and with efficiency in mind. “But we still feel that there is more that we can do,” says Hindmarsh.

“We are challenging luxury car buyers to come up with even better ways to streamline the process as well as reduce savings. Our philosophy is to never stop growing and to constantly strive for a better way of doing things.”