Earlier this week Hyundai announced it would be adding an engine plant to its sole U.S. production facility in Montgomery, Alabama. We didn't know at the time exactly what engine the new facility would produce, but in the back of our minds assumed it would be a V6 since the Montgomery plant builds the Sonata and Sante Fe, the latter of which is only available with a six-cylinder. Turns out we were wrong, as Automotive News is reporting the new plant will build four-cylinder engines instead, about 200,000 to 300,000 annually. Not only that, it will build 2.4L four-cylinder engines, which means that the plant will be the sixth factory in the world to produce engines developed by the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance. GEMA is comprised of DaimlerChrysler, Mitsubishi and Hyundai, with versions of GEMA four-cylinders currently being produced for vehicles like the Dodge Caliber, upcoming 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer and various Hyundais and Kias like the Sonata and Optima. Of course, the main purpose of Hyundai's new plant will be to supply motors for the Sonata, over 60% of which are ordered with four-cylinders, and feed engines to Kia's new collossal assembly plant currently being built in Georgia.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sandeep @ Mar 16th 2007 10:11PM
Agreed, it would make more sense to build the superb Santa Fe/Sonata V6 here instead of the GEMA engine, which fits in better at Kia's new plant or maybe even at one of DCX's failing plants...
EquinsuOcha @ Mar 17th 2007 9:28AM
Neither the Outlander or the Lancer feature a 2.4L engine anymore. Only the Eclipse and the Galant do, and those are both MIVEC engines (160hp /160ftlbs).
PMDR @ Mar 17th 2007 4:58PM
@1: US market V6 Sonata and SantaFe are all from Alabama; engines and bodies and assembly. The V6 engines are machined and built on site. V6 vehicles are all they make there.
The 4cy versions of both cars are currently assembled in Korea and shipped over. So, if it's a V6 it was made in Alabama. It it's a 4, it was made in Korea.
What this new engine plant does is allow them to make the 4cy engine locally and install it side by side with the V6 on the same assembly line. So it's really going to be the end of importing assembled Sonata and SantaFes. This should reduce costs and delivery time, AND moving the 4cy production to HMMA should boost plant utilization.
It also means they don't have to build an entire engine plant for the the new Kia factory, since the Hyundai plant will be able to supply both engines for both factories, and to the other World Engine partners if needed.
Good thinking Hyundai.
Bob-omb @ Mar 17th 2007 5:52PM
I thought it would make sense to build those lower-end 1.8 and 2.0 liters they developed with the 2.4L GEMA. I know those don't go into the Sonata or Santa Fe, but when the heck are we gonna see those engines in Hyundai products? I want that 1.8 in the Accent and the 2.0 in the Elantra. Stat!