Riding the wave of their success over the luxury car segment with the affordable, opulent Hyundai Genesis sedan, Hyundai had begun to hint that the Genesis might also have a future in both 2-door and drop-top variants. While Hyundai still intends to give the Infiniti G37 a run for its money with the Genesis Coupe, plans for a Genesis convertible have officially been cancelled. According to Hyundai’s public relations manager, Miles Johnson, production plans for the Genesis convertible were never set in stone. “It’s never been in the plan,” admitted Johnson. “There was some internal discussion early on, but since we unveiled the coupe in New York, there’s been no talk.” Miles went on to say that if market conditions weren’t quite so grim, the drop-top might have stood a chance, but the current condition of the global economy is not conducive to immediate success.

Blaming the dramatic downturn in the global auto market, Honda Motors has sent the Honda S2000 to join the highly-anticipated 2010 Acura NSX to that great ‘Ring in the sky. Implementing an aggressive new program aimed at avoiding a predicament similar to that which American automakers currently find themselves entrenched, Honda has begun to edge away from the performance car circuit in favor of focusing on the current fad: fuel-efficiency.

As the Detroit auto show draws closer, Kia has released another teaser image of the new Kia “Soulster” concept vehicle that will be making its grand entrance at Cobo Hall in January. Already a success in the Korean market, the boxy, Scion xB-fighter will hit dealer lots in North America as a 2010 model, looking slightly different than its Asian cousin. With literally nothing more than a cleverly P-Shopped photo with which to illuminate our path, we suspect we’ll have to wait for the Soulster’s official debut at the 2009 NAIAS before we can divulge anymore details.

Workers walk beneath a sign of “Good products, Good ideas” at Toyota’s Miyoshi plant in Miyoshi, near Toyota city, central Japan.

Today, Toyota Motor Corp. announced production will be suspended for at all 12 of its Japan-based facilities for an 11-day period, scheduled to stretch from the end of February into early March. Proving that not even the top dogs are immune to the troubles currently plaguing the global auto industry, Toyota’s decision to temporarily freeze all domestic factories for more than one week is unprecedented in company history.

Essentially defeating the cost-efficient guise behind which the smart ForTwo hides, designer Afzal Kahn and his luxury automotive tuning house, Project Kahn, have created the Project Kahn upgrade package for the smart ForTwo. Exterior components of Kahn’s smart ForTwo are mercifully absent of any chrome accessories, and feature instead a rather tastefully understated piano black fascia trim, Pentagon privacy glass, Project Kahn-exclusive alloy wheels, and matching “Project Kahn” embossed valve caps. Preserving an air of elite mystery, Kahn offers only a vague explanation of the internal and technical modifications, describing the respective upgrades as merely “Project Kahn Interior Package” and “Project Kahn Lowering Suspension.”

Truth be told, the noticeable absence of a spec sheet doesn’t exactly break our hearts inasmuch we seriously doubt anything short of a nuclear-powered ramjet engine could boost the smart ForTwo’s performance output to any respectable number. We are, however, simply blown away by the opulent accessories included in the Project Kahn smart ForTwo package. More specifically, we’re lusting after the official Project Kahn smart ForTwo customized Kahn Lightweight Golfing Umbrella with Carbon Fibre Shaft. Nothing says you’ve “arrived” quite like a carbon fiber golf umbrella and matching key ring.

Gallery after the jump

In Springfield, Missouri, a 17-year-old boy (whose identity has been withheld) demonstrated the unfortunate result of combining too much Grand Theft Auto with an overexposure to Eminem music (and I use the term “music” very, very loosely). Officers initially stopped the 17-year-old on Monday afternoon after observing him driving erratically, and shortly after completing the traffic stop, the officers received reports of shots fired in the neighboring vicinity. The chief suspect in the shooting was believed to be the same 17-year-old with whom they had just made contact, driving what was then determined to be a stolen vehicle. Responding promptly, the officers proceeded to arrest both the 17-year-old and his passenger.

While the passenger was placed in a second officer’s patrol car, the 17-year-old was escorted to the front seat of the unmarked police cruiser that initially pulled him over. After securing the suspect and returning to assist in searching the stolen vehicle, the unsupervised 17-year-old managed to maneuver his shackled hands in front of his person, slide over into the drivers seat, and commandeer the cruiser.

Holdon Commodore Sportwagon

In light of the recent news that the El Camino-esque style Pontiac G8 ST may be delayed or canceled in advance of its 2010 debut while the tiny G3 (see below) moves forward; it is probably too much to hope that GM will decide to transplant the ST’s larger sibling from Australia; the Holden Sportwagon.

Lotus Elise

Improving on the Lotus Elise is no easy proposition.  For one thing, the main attraction to owning such a diminutive speedster is its lack of “stuff.”  Assuming the engine is sufficiently powerful and reliable (it is), the handling superb (you bet), and weight kept low (oh yeah), what more could you ask for?  As if it weren’t special enough, with the limited production “California Edition,” a few more creature comforts make the Elise even more attractive.

In 2009, Citroen will honor its 90th year of existence by giving a new, modern update to its classic chevron logo. Although the new badge has already appeared on the GTbyCITROEN concept vehicle, which debuted at the Paris auto show back in October, the first production vehicle to bear Citroen’s new grin will be the C3 Picasso compact MPV. Intended to represent the herringbone pattern of the helical gear, unlike many other automakers, Citroen’s chevron applique is not applied in a uniform manner to each vehicle in the Citroen lineup. Rather, Citroen takes great pains to ensure each logo gels with the artistic lines of the car (which is not altogether surprising given the French preference for the frous-frous) while still maintaining enough similarity to serve its ultimate purpose.

Phase II of Hyundai’s attack on the luxury auto market, the Hyundai Equus will drop in 2010 as Hyundai’s new full-size, flagship sedan. Expected to ride on a slightly elongated version of the platform currently underpinning the Hyundai Genesis, the Hyundai Equus will unseat the Genesis as the reigning heavyweight with an 8-sp automatic transmission and a 5.0L V8 rumored to output over 400 horsepower. The 2010 Equus will also get many luxury upgrades befitting the Mercedes which it mocks, including Vehicle Stability Management System (VSMS2 - numerically noted to indicate second generation), Hyundai’s Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), and a Pre-Safety Seatbelt System so called for its preemptive locking of all engaged safety belts when sensors indicate a collision is imminent.