Hyundai plots UK imports of Genesis Coupe

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 17 August 2008 17:49 Spurred on by massive interest in its Genesis Coupe Concept at the British International Motor Show, Hyundai UK is seriously considering importing a small number of the muscular 306bhp V6-engined coupes in left-hand drive format to sate local demand. At the moment, test engineers from Hyundai’s UK headquarters are undertaking evaluation drives in the American and Korean versions of the Genesis Coupe to determine which models are best suited to the UK’s driving conditions, and studying the homologation issues such a import decision would raise. 'We took the Genesis Coupe to the Show in order to gauge reaction from an enthusiast audience - the response was overwhelmingly positive and has encouraged us to begin building a business plan around bringing this car to the UK,' Hyundai’s marketing director Andrew Cullis told CAR.

Marc Girard appointed head of Interior Design at BMW Cars

Marc Girard starts his new job as head of the Interior Design department at BMW Automobiles today, taking over the post previously held by Michael Ninic who died unexpectedly last year. His appointment also alleviates some of the pressure put on Adrian van Hooydonk, who has effectively been managing both exterior and interior design departments for BMW Cars as well as acclimatizing to his new role as design director of the BMW Group following Chris Bangle's departure last month. A BMW Group designer for the last 15 years, French-born Girard was most recently team leader for Interior Design at BMW Automobiles, having been promoted from the position of head of interior design at MINI - a role he filled from 2004 to 2006.

Cancer patient tours Ford assembly plant

On Monday, 9-year-old Eli Williams became plant manager for a day at Ford's Mustang assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. Williams was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, which is a malignant brain tumor, on Dec. 29, 2011.