Hyundai is reportedly considering a premium crossover that would be directly aimed at luxury offerings from German and Japanese rivals.

Speaking to Edmunds in a recent interview, Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski suggests the company is still studying a “premium people mover” that could be built upon the Santa Fe’s front-wheel-drive platform.

The Korean company is keeping quiet any other details surrounding the crossover itself, though Zuchowski readily acknowledges significant challenges in marketing the premium model without a separate distinguished brand and distribution network a la Toyota’s Lexus or General Motors’ Cadillac.

“One of our problems is we made a conscious decision on our premium products not to establish a secondary distribution channel,” the executive added.

A premium crossover will not make the company add a second distribution channel, however executives are hesitant to commit to a model that will share the Santa Fe platform and sell directly alongside the cheaper model in the same showroom.

As executives continue to ponder the upmarket offering, the company has confirmed development plans for a small crossover that will be aimed at the Nissan Juke. Possible launch timing for the new mainstream model has not been announced.

Photo by Mark Elias.

General Motors is reportedly set to introduce V-performance editions of its latest-generation Cadillac ATS and CTS models.

Brand development chief Dave Leone recently confirmed that the ATS-V will arrive sometime in 2015. Unnamed sources have now told Car and Driver the BMW M3 rival will be formally unveiled later this year at the Los Angeles auto show.

The company is expected to follow up the ATS-V introduction by unveiling a redesigned CTS-V early in 2015 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Full details remain unclear, though both models are expected to feature a more aggressive body style and eight-speed automatic transmissions. The ATS-V is rumored to be powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 engine with 420 horsepower, while the CTS-V is expected to borrow the Corvette ZR1′s LT4 powerplant — but detuned for approximately 600 ponies.

The company is also believed to be considering a V-badged version of its upcoming rear-wheel-drive flagship, referred to as the LTS.

It appears as though Cadillac is poised to enter the rapidly expanding entry-luxury sedan segment.

Speaking with Car and Driver, Cadillac marketing chief Uwe Ellinghaus strongly hinted that the wreath-and-crest brand will launch a small sedan positioned beneath the ATS.

Instead of relying on a front-wheel drive-based platform like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, Ellinghaus stated that Cadillac’s compact four-door will utilize rear-wheel-drive architecture. Though not as space-efficient as a front-drive setup, the approach will serve to differentiate the model – Cadillac believes that even if most drivers don’t know which wheels put power to the ground, they still appreciate the more balanced exterior proportions and driving dynamics afforded by rear-wheel-drive.

“You will tell me that people don’t care about front- or rear-wheel-drive, and I am with you,” Ellinghaus said. “They often don’t even know whether they have front- or rear-wheel drive. The issue is that only rear-wheel-drive offers you the proportions for a better-looking and better-driving car that people indeed recognize. But they are not aware that the reason why they find this car appealing and like the driving characteristics more is based on the drivetrain principle, rear-wheel drive.”

It isn’t currently clear when the small sedan could launch; with the impending debuts of the ATS-V, CTS-V, next-generation SRX and the full-size LTS sedan, Cadillac likely won’t be able to bring the car to market before 2017, C/D believes.

When it does arrive, expect the small sedan to ride on a downsized version of the same Alpha RWD platform that underpins the ATS and CTS. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder will likely be offered, and a naturally-aspirated four could also be part of the powertrain picture.

Besides offering a lower price of entry to entice new, younger buyers to get into the brand (Cadillac hopes), the new sedan will affect Cadillac in other ways, too – given that the current ATS isn’t exactly spacious inside, look for it to grow for its next generation to make room for its entry-level sibling.

The United Auto Workers is reportedly close to succeeding in its second unionization attempt at Volkswagen’s Tennessee facility.

UAW Local 42, formed after the first campaign that ended in failure, claims it is on track to list the majority of VW’s Chattanooga workers on its membership tally in the near future, according to Reuters.

The UAW has not disclosed a specific number of workers that must be added to its ranks before receiving official VW recognition as the de facto union at the factory, though the group claims it now has enough support to have won the initial vote. Some employees did not vote in the first poll, suggesting the Local 42 could need close to 100 additional members to establish a clear majority of the approximately 1,500-strong workforce.

The UAW earlier this year backed down from its legal battle over the initial results, choosing instead to quietly build majority support via a local charter. The approach was also viewed as a way to get the fight out of the headlines, where it threatened to derail an incentive package from the Republican-majority Tennessee government.

Recent reports suggest state officials have approved a $300 million aid package, securing VW’s commitment to produce its new midsize SUV in Chattanooga rather than Mexico.

VW has expressed a desire to implement a German-style works council in Chattanooga, however US labor laws prohibit the automaker from establishing such a structure with a company union rather than through a partnership with an independent union.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has moved to mandate integration of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications technology in future models.

The agency is promoting the technology as necessary to make a gigantic leap forward in road safety, potentially saving thousands of lives by helping prevent accidents.

“Safety is our top priority, and V2V technology represents the next great advance in saving lives,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This technology could move us from helping people survive crashes to helping them avoid crashes altogether – saving lives, saving money and even saving fuel thanks to the widespread benefits it offers.”

In its regulatory proposal, the NHTSA claims widespread implementation of left-turn assist and intersection-movement assist technologies, aided by V2V communications, could prevent nearly 600,000 crashes and save over 1,000 lives annually. The tech could also be used to improve forward-collision avoidance systems, blind spot monitoring, and stop light/sign warnings, among other potential applications.

The agency is calling for more research and input from the public and automotive industry as it moves forward with potential regulations.

Tesla has changed its warranty policy and is now offering an 8-year, “infinite mile” warranty. The statement came in a Tesla blog post by CEO Elon Musk on Friday.

Until the announcement, Tesla Model S cars have had a warranty of four years or 50,000 miles. The battery pack was an exception, and was covered for eight years. The new warranty simply increases the period of drive unit coverage up to match that of the battery pack, and retroactively covers all Model S cars built to date, even those already on the road.

During those eight years, the “infinite mile” component means there is no cap to the number of miles driven. There’s also no limit to the number of owners the car might have.

The new policy comes on the heels of reports by Edmunds and Consumer Reports, whose long-term Model S sedans had experienced a number of mishaps. “In hindsight, this should have been our policy from the beginning of the Model S program,” said Musk in his blog post. “If we truly believe that electric motors are fundamentally more reliable than gasoline engines, with far fewer moving parts and no oily residue or combustion byproducts to gum up the works, then our warranty policy should reflect that.”

Musk also noted that the implementation of the policy might have a negative effect on Tesla’s short-term earnings. “However,” said Musk, “By doing the right thing for Tesla vehicle owners at this early stage of our company, I am confident that it will work out well in the long term.”

Offering a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty famously turned Hyundai’s fortunes around in the US market.

Volkswagen’s Czech Republic-based Škoda division has published a teaser image that previews the next generation of its Fabia city car. Available as a five-door hatchback and a station wagon, the new Fabia will greet the public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show that will open its doors to the public next October.

The next Fabia will lose the current model’s cute look in favor of a more chiseled design inspired by recent Škodas such as the Passat-sized Octavia sedan and the VisionC concept. The hatchback’s front end will feature an angular radiator grille with vertical slats and sharp headlights, while the rear end will gain C-shaped headlights and a more sculpted hatch.

Australian website Motoring reports the Fabia will be offered with a wide array of three- and four-cylinder engines borrowed from the recently-updated Volkswagen Polo. The performance-focused RS model will not be renewed due to disappointing sales, but the Czech firm will gun for premium city cars like the Fiat 500 with a trendy, highly-customizable model tentatively dubbed Fabia Monte Carlo.

The next Fabia will eschew Volkswagen’s modular MQB platform and ride on an evolution of the current model’s chassis.

Full details about the 2015 Škoda Fabia will emerge in the weeks leading up to its debut in the French capital. The hatchback is scheduled to go on sale across Europe in select global markets early next year.