Next-gen 2011 Hyundai and Kia 2011 caught by the long lenses of Automotive Traveler.
 While the big scoop yesterday was getting what might have been the first shots of the 2011 BMW 540 testing in the US, that wasn't the only test mule caught by our long lens. Just across the parking lot were what appeared to be two more prototypes, the next Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage. Unlike their German counterparts, the engineers from Kia and Hyundai clearly didn't want me taking photos of their test mules and made it obvious that while I was in a public area, that they didn't want me getting any closer. (Normally, to avoid embarrassment, I try to not include the engineers in the photos but these guys were quite persistent in trying to block my shot so I had no alternative but to include them. Sorry guys.)
 The next Hyundai Tucson, expected in the US in the second half of 2010 as a 2011 model, will pick up a number of styling cues from the larger Veracruz that has been a strong success in the US market. As Hyundai continues to take all its models more upscale, while retaining their current value pricing, is expected to feature an interior (these guys wouldn't let me get close enough for a better look) that will probably send all its competitors back to the drawing boards. With fuel economy more important than ever, we are looking for a new high-efficiency turbocharged four-cylinder engine to be offered in the top models in the series. With the 2010 Chevy Equinox offering 32 MPG in its well-equipped four-cylinder model, we expect the Tucson to offer at least similar numbers.
 Its platform mate, the next Kia Sportage, was a bit closer to me but its attending engineer, after I snapped this first frontal shot between its competitors--the Jeep Compass and Toyota RAV4--did what he could to block my shot to the heavily concealed rear of the vehicle. From what's already been reported on the Internet, especially from South Korean-based auto websites, the next more coupe-like Sportage, expected to debut in Korea in the first half of 2010 and come to the US later in the year as a 2011 model, will feature an new-for-Kia-and-Hyundai six-speed automatic transmission. It will probably be mated to new, more powerful four-cylinder engines, providing performance equal to or better than the current 173-horsepower V6.
 From his positioning, it seems as if the engineer is trying very hard to conceal top secret rear tail lamp details. If you look closely both C-pillars in the higher-res photos in the Automotive Traveler image gallery, the Sportage is clearly styled differently than its Hyundai counterpart (and may indicate that photos that were attributed previously as a Sportage may have in fact been the Tucson). As I was fighting with the Hyundai and Kia guys trying to get a clear shot, I caught the 2011 BMW 540 out of the corner of my eye in the parking lot across the way and decided that while both Korean carmakers are currently on a roll, Automotive Traveler's readers would rather me spend my time snapping the Bimmer, whose engineers surprisingly may no effort to block my shots. Go figure.
For some additional views and details of the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage, you'll need to go check out Left Lane News who posted shots of the duo on Monday as well as the high-res versions of these four photos posted in the Automotive Traveler Hyundai and Kia spy photos image gallery.
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