Hyundai to launch new face lifted Santro by year end

Hyundai Motors India Limited is going to roll out a new face lifted model of its Santro by the end of the year. It is expected that the new model will come with only cosmetic changes. However, the details of the new additions are not disclosed yet but the new car will have the same Santro engine. The company had rolled out its Santro model nearly a decade ago and has constantly launched newer versions of its one of the most successful models. Earlier, it had decided to phase out Santro after the launch of Hyundai i10 but now it intends to bring a newer version for Hyundai Motors customers in India. Hyundai has sold, so far, 984, 418 models in the country since its launch in India in September 1998. Hyundai Motors has also launched i20 model in India and has received a tremendous response to its premium hatchback model.

Hyundai to challenge Tata Nano!

Hyundai is preparing to challenge Tata's Nano. UK media reports suggests that the company is mulling to launch ultra low cost car. It is learnt that Hyundai’s Indian engineers are working hard in close association with their Korean partners to produce another compact car.

Uk media reports also claims that this car will be released first in the European Union, and then in India. There are plans to bring out 800cc and 1000cc cars, but the company has not officially confirmed it so far. The company reported to claims that it has the required infrastructure and the facilities to manufacture a compact car in India. Earlier, there was frenzy around the world when the Tata Nano was expected to be launched in 2008. rumours were spread there that an ultra-cheap car could be produced well under $2500. Another announcement for another ultra cheap car came from Bajaj Renault Nissan, which is a competitor to the Tata Nano.

India made Hyundai i20 awarded for safety

Hyundai i20 has been awarded by the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) for safety. The car got the maximum possible score and clinched the five star NCAP rating for safety. The India made car was launched in India in December, 2008.

The i20 five-door model scored exceptionally well on all four parameters of the NCAP safety test which assess newly launched cars on four main criteria of safety – adult occupancy, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist. The Hyundai i20 has an extensive list of active and passive safety equipment, including six airbags as standard, active head-restraints, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). The i20 is manufactured at HMIL’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sreeperumbedur in Chennai. The Hyundai i20 is only manufactured in India and exported to the European Union and other countries from India and also sold in the domestic market.

Hyundai's small car to hit Indian roads by 2011

Hyundai Motor India Limited's (HMIL) new cheap small car is likely to hit Indian roads by 2011. The company officials told that the company is developing the car is to manufactured at Sriperumbudur near Chenni in Tamil Nadu. however, the name and other information of the car is still undercover. The is likely to be positioned below the Santro model.

According to media reports, the car is to be priced at around US$ 3,500. however, the company has not meant to compete with Tata Nano. HMIL managing director, H.S. Lheem, told reporters here that the company was developing a small car in the entry level range and it should hit the market by 2011. He added that the demand for more variants is more and the company is to launch new variants in the mid and small size segment. He said that Punjab and southern states Karnataka and Tamil Nadu wanted LPG variant. Whereas, Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmadabad are voicing for CNG variants. As the first step in that direction the company would be launching the diesel variant of Hyundai i20 in the latter part of this year.

Hyundai's Gujarat connection!

Hyundai Motors India Limited is learnt to set up a new plant in the industrial state Gujarat. After Tata Motors set up a Nano car manufacturing facility, Hyundai Motors is likely to target the state with new plans. HMIL Managing Director, HS Lheem told that the Gujarat government has approached the company to set up a manufacturing utility in the state.

However, he made it clear that presently the company has no plans but he did't denied the possibility. He was in Vadodara to inaugurate the Aldiam Hyundai Motors dealership in the city which is the 17th dealership in Gujarat taking the total number of dealers in western region to 57. Lheem looked considerably impressed with the support extended by the Gujarat government to the Nano project. The company has recently launched the CNG model Accent Eco. It now braces itself for the upcoming launch of diesel variant of Hyundai i20 by end of this year.

Hyundai to set up diesel engine plant

Hyundai Motor India is all set to set up a diesel plant near chennai. Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai is a petrol engine plant of Hyundai Motor already deals in making a Kappa engine. In July, during the budget announcement, if the Government increases excise duty on cars, it may lead to the immediate drop in car sales says the second largest car manufacturing company in India. Car sales were showing signs of recovery as May results had shown, but any increase in excise duty could neutralize the recent gains, says Mr. H. S. Lheem, Managing Director Hyundai Motor India. Mr. Lheem expected the Indian operations to post a 15 per cent increase in revenues this year from $4 billion in 2008. Mr. Lheem said we initiated a feasibility study for setting up a diesel engine plant. He did not give more details about it.

Hyundai's sales up 8.36 per cent in May

Hyundai Motor India Ltd's (HMIL), India's second largest carmaker, cumulative sales were up 8.36 per cent at 43,628 units against 40,261 units in the same month the previous year. It included exports and domestic passenger-car sales. However, HMIL's domestic passenger-car sales registered a 4.11 per cent growth in the month of May at 23,503 units compared to 24,510 units in the same period of the last year.

HMIL said in a statement that exports for the month stood at 20,125 units against 15,751 units during the same month last year, a rise of 27.77 per cent. HMIL sold 39,864 units of hatchbacks Santro, Getz Prime and i10, 3,735 units of Accent and Verna, 27 units of Sonata Transform and two units of its SUV Tucson during May. HMIL Senior Vice-President (Marketing and Sales) Mr Arvind Saxena said that due to higher demand by the European countries, the company was “forced to adjust the domestic production to address the needs of that unique market opportunity.