Volkswagen AG threw a party for 120 guests at New York's Museum of Modern Art in early January to mark a breakthrough year in the U.S. for the German automaker. The celebration proved to be premature.
Two days later in Detroit, Hyundai Motor Co.'s Elantra beat the VW Passat to win the North American Car of the Year award, underscoring the company's status as a Volkswagen killjoy. The Seoul, South Korea-based manufacturer and its Kia Motors Corp. affiliate want to repeat their U.S. success, where they outsell the German company more than three to one, on VW's home turf.
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