Hyundai may create a new luxury brand for its premium cars

f you look at the models launched by Hyundai in developed markets, especially in North America, you would realize that the company is making increasingly refined, well-engineered and beautiful products. Hyundai is also getting seriously into making high-end luxury-cum-performance cars like the Genesis and Equus. The company is clearly trying to make a mark as an evolved carmaker which could cater to every class of the automobile customer. If some rumors are to be believed, Hyundai’s is working towards creating its own challengers to the entry level luxury topper BMW 3-series, and a crossover offers as much tech and luxury as some of the Lexus cars.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Hyundai is planning to separate its premium offerings from its mainstream cars by way of a premium brand. Just the way Honda has Acura, Toyota has Lexus and Nissan has Infiniti as their luxury brands, Hyundai may also create a luxury brand to market its premium offerings. These details were released by Hyundai’s USA head John Krafcik who was talking with WSJ.

However, Hyundai is not going to jump onto the decision of creating a new luxury brand without proper analysis and deliberation. The company will gauge the success of the Equus and the Genesis  before taking any concrete decision.
Hyundai will also be unveiling its new global branding strategy at the upcoming Detroit Motor Show, where it will replace its current tagline ‘Drive You War’ with a new message.

Hyundai to launch Verna Transform in India

Hyundai is soon going to launch a facelifted version of the existing drab looking Verna in the next two days, that’s 23rd of June. The new car, although mechanically unaltered, will feature cosmetic upgrades and more features inside the cabin. Christened Verna Transform, the car was launched in South Korea a few months back, and will try and bump up the sales for Hyundai with its launch in the Indian market.

The new car, in an attempt to achieve turnaround for its sedately selling sibling, will sport new swept back and elongated headlpams, new grille, new tail-lamps, new bumpers (both front and rear) and most likely a pair of exhaust pipes. We think that the price of the face-lifted car will largely be unchanged.

In the Transform version of the car offered in Korea, the centre console has been upgraded for a more modern look, and the music system is compatible with USB / Aux inputs. The new system will also have Bluetooth connectivity. The backlight of the instrument cluster will change from green to blue. Apparently the fuel efficiency will go slightly up as well, owing to some fine tuning to the engine.

Currently there aren’t many alternatives to the diesel powered Swift Dzire which offeres exceptional value. The Verna Transform can really challenge Maruti’s dominance in the segment by offering freshened up looks. The only thing that can possibly stop the car from achieving the feat is it’s engine which works on the philosophy of ‘double or nothing’ wherein there hardly is any power on tap below 2000rpm, after which all hell breaks loose – creating driveability issues within the city. We hope Hyundai have addressed the issue in the new car with a bit of fine tuning of the turbo. Ogle on the pictures as we get on to the job of digging out some more details for you.

A Small Car from Hyundai

The number 800 was made legendary by the very much famous Maruti 800 from the Maruti Suzuki Stable. Even babies now know that the small-car market in India has been growing at the speed of a meteor just about to hit the earth. As far as the small-car market is concerned, Maruti Suzuki has proved to be the King. However, other car manufacturers are trying their best now to get their share of the small-car market. There have been a lot of speculations which indicate that Hyundai is planning to introduce a small car to its fleet of cars in India.

The car may hit the production lines by next year at the firm’s Chennai plant. According to our friends at Indian Autos Blog, the car will sport an 800cc three cylinder petrol engine which churns out around 50hp of power. The car might very well be christened ‘H800’ which could be similar to Maruti’s legendary Maruti 800 (H may stand for Hyundai). The H800 is expected to be smaller than the Santro. The car might sport a 5-speed transmission system too. According to various sources, a Diesel engine may be added to the menu in the near future after its launch which is expected to take place by March or April, 2011.

Above is image manipulator Samuh Yogetta’s version of the H800. The above illustration has a close resemblance to the i10 and i20. The front-end of the car has been taken from the ix-onic concept. However, no further comments or claims can be made regarding the small car unless and until we get official pictures of the same. So let’s wait and watch whether the car turns out to be similar to the above illustration.

By: Motoroids

Hyundai Plans to Regain Market Share

Small car maket is witnessing a lot of heat this year. Ford Figo is giving nightmares to all other players in the market. And Hyundai is no exception. Hyundai's consistent efforts and products have made sure that the brand attained its niche in the market. But now as the competetion speeds up Hyundai seems to have lost its sleep.

And if Economic Times is to be believed, Hyundai will launch a diesel version of their i10 car soon in order to show the competetors what Hyundai is worth of. After all Hyundai once gave nightmares to every brand from Maruti to Mercedes, here in India. Hyundai Motor India (HMI) MD H W Park said that he wasnt worried because of the to-be launched Nissan Micra but because of the Ford Figo and the new Wagon-R. He hinted at Hyundai's plans of launching a diesel i10 but he didn t comment on the when the car is going to be launched.

If i10 diesel is launched then Hyundai will be able to snatch some customers from both Figo and Ritz diesel. This will increase i10's sales as well as Hyundai's foot hold in the market.

He also said that there still exists demand for their once best selling car, Santro, which manages to sell around 8000 units a month and they dont plan to phase it out anytime soon. “Development of the sub-Santro model is at evaluation stage at Namyang (its R&D centre). We are on schedule as far as the development stage work is concerned,” he said about their sub-Santro category car. “We will launch one new model every year, one face-lifted version and a model year model,” he said regarding their plans. So expect some surprises from the Korean manufacturer soon.

For the i10 diesel we will have to wait until some concrete announcement is made. Once that happens, Hyundai will be able to regain its lost market share.

Hyundai scraps plans for i10 diesel

The i10 from the Hyundai stable is a car that is in the good books of a majority. The firm had plans to introduce a diesel variant for the same which would probably give one more reason for the car to be a favorite. The firm had plans of introducing a 1.1-litre CRDI engine powered variant. However, our friends at Autocar have revealed that Hyundai has scrapped this plan as the diesel engine will have to be manufactured across the national borders, thus making the price of the car soar high.

With the diesel engine being manufactured out of India, the car would cost about Rs 6 lakh which would be utterly meaningless when the i20 diesel variant is available at the same price. However, according to various sources, there might be a diesel engine powered variant in the next generation i10 which is scheduled to be rolled out by 2013. Most probably, the engine should be manufactured in India itself to keep the prices down.

All new Hyundai i20 launched, Prices revealed!

The Hyundai i20 has always brought phenomenal success to the company. Hyundai Motor India Ltd. today announced the launch of its latest model, “the all new i20,” a premium compact car designed just for Indian customers. The all new i20 will be available with all existing models with 2 new variants namely the Era and the Sportz. The car will feature various technological advancements along with better styling and much improved fuel efficiency. The Era will be available in both petrol as well as diesel options and will be positioned at the apex as far as price is concerned. On the other hand, the Sportz will be priced somewhere in between the Magna and Asta.

The all new i20 will be the first car in its segment to feature a six-speed manual transmission system in its diesel variant. The sixth gear will prove to be a boon to highway driving and will also be a reason for better fuel consumption. The sixth gear will also enable low RPM driving thus reducing NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) as a result of which there will be lesser wear and tear of the engine. The car will also feature a manual transmission shift indicator (diesel variant) and also an innovative gear shift prompt so that the driver may shift gears in a more efficient manner when guided.

“We are pleased to announce the launch of the i20 with new features and two new additional variants. While the variants are targeted at our customers who have different needs, the new features will help improve the i20 and make it even more desirable for our customers. We are confident that with the new features and additional variants the i20 will become even more attractive and set new benchmark for this class of cars with improved styling, unique features and conformity with global safety standards,” said H W Park, Managing Director & CEO, HMIL, during the launch.

The car’s design follows the brands traditional identity and from the grilles to the interiors, the car features modern and up-to-date styling. The car boasts of an all new chrome radiator grille. The outside rear view mirrors have integrated indicators too. On the inside though, it features blue LED illumination. The car also features a silver centre fascia and chrome finish on inside door locks. The car also includes various other features like Fully Automatic Temperature Control (FATC) system and in-built USB port (in Magna), a burglar alarm, steering wheel with audio remote and passenger vanity mirror (in Sportz and Asta).

The all new i20 is BS IV compliant and thus more efficient and low at emissions. The car boasts of extra ordinary fuel efficiency figures. According to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the all new i20 petrol which features the 1.2L Kappa engine as the capacity to deliver a mileage of about 18.15 km/litre and the diesel variant on the other hand which runs on a 1.4L CRDi engine can deliver a fuel efficiency figure of almost 21.93 km/litre.

Following are the variant wize prices for the all new i20:

Models Prices (INR)

Era                 451,816

Magna            491,816

Sportz            531,817

Sportz Option  516,816

Asta               573,322

Asta Option With Sunroof  618,276

Asta AT          748,273

by Motoroids

New Variants of Santro and i20 expected in April

Come April 2010, as soon as BS4 kicks in, Hyundai will be launching a new variant in the Santro range as well as in the i20 1.2! The new variant will actually be a Santro GLS with a Hyundai Music System (AUX port, USB support and 4 speakers) plunked in. The car will be called 'SANTRO GLS W/H Audio' and will sell at less than Rs. 10,000 over the GLS.

Coming to the i20, Hyundai will be launching 3 new variants in the 1.2 range. The order will be: Era (Base) , Magna (Currently available), Sportz, Sportz with alloy wheels, Asta and Asta O.

by Motoroids
 
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10 Lakh Cars - Exported

Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country’s largest passenger car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, today achieved yet another significant milestone with its cumulative exports crossing the 10 lakh mark. To mark the event Hyundai shipped its first ever consignment to Australia from the Chennai Port this morning. With this shipment, Hyundai is the first automobile company in India to achieve this feat in a record time of just over a decade.
Commenting on the occasion, H W Park, Managing Director & CEO, HMIL said, “Reaching the 10 lakh export car landmark is not only a significant milestone but also a matter of great pride for the Hyundai family as it showcases the global success story that Hyundai as a brand enjoys. I take this opportunity to thank all our customers and stakeholders for their trust and support which has helped us reach this landmark. In the future we are sure to increase our overseas presence as we add more markets.”


Currently, Hyundai Motor India is exporting four of its popular models namely - Santro, i10, i20 and Accent to 110 countries. In 2009, in spite of a global slowdown, Hyundai Motor India’s exports grew by 10.7%. In 2010 Hyundai plans to add 10 new markets with Australia being the latest entrant to the list. The first shipment to Australia is of 500 units of the i20 and the total i20 exports to Australia is expected to be in the region of 15,000 per annum.

Hyundai Genesis Showcased in Auto Expo

The Hyundai Genesis sedan which was first launched in the Korean and the North American market won many accolades for itself including the coveted title - ‘North American Car of the Year 2009’ and the prestigious ‘Canadian Car of the Year 2009’. On display at the Hyundai pavilion this year will be the all new high performance Genesis Coupe – the sports variant of the Genesis sedan with focus on performance and luxury. The new Genesis Coupe highlights upscale new design, responsive driving dynamics and class-leading technology. The Genesis Coupe which followed the Genesis sedan comes in two performance-focused engine variants - a 212-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a range-topping all-aluminum 306-horsepower, DOHC 3.8-liter V6 engine with the new rear wheel drive architecture.

Hyundai Verna to get some nip-tuck

After the Ford Fiesta and the Maruti-Suzuki SX4, now it is the Hyundai Verna’s turn to go under the surgeon’s knife. Just like the ‘A-Star’ is actually the current Alto and the Laura, is actually the current Octavia, the Verna is actually the current Hyundai Accent for the rest of the world. But, it has been renamed as ‘Verna’ so that Hyundai can keep selling the old Accent in India as well. Thanks to some new competition in the form of the Linea and the recent botox shot filled rivals, Verna’s market share has diminished. To regain the lost numbers, it will soon get a mostly external makeover. The major changes will be the grille, the headlights and the front bumper as well as some tit-bits like the turn indicators housed on the RVMs. The mechanicals will be carried over unchanged.

We have never really been big fans of the Verna’s looks any ways and in our honest opinion, the face-lift just makes it look ‘different’ but not really any better.

New Santro to be launched within a month

From our Media Partners: MOTOROIDS

Hyundai’s ideal ‘first car’ for masses is about get completely refreshed to cope not only with the intensifying competition but to also gel with the stylish ‘i’-range of Hyundai cars. Yes, we are talking about the Santro – an entry level city car that has been giving the market leaders, Maruti Suzuki a run for their money!

Hyundai was all set to launch the new car during the festive season in India; however with labor unions going of a strike and related problems cropping up, the Korean carmaker had to hold the car back. However, Hyundai is now all set to launch the refreshed Santro and there are some interesting bits on offer. It goes without saying that the car will find a spot below the i10 on the portfolio and will replace the current model completely.

The exteriors will boast of new headlights which will follow a swept-back design flow to gel with the likes of the i10 and i20. The taillights on the other hand, will follow a similar ‘stacked-up’ format much similar to the current Santro Xing. While the entry level car will continue to use matte black bumpers, mirrors, radiator grille, door handles and scratch guards, the higher end variants will get body coloured units along with other equipment like fog lamps, roof spoiler and mud-flaps. The interiors on the other hand will remain similar to recently refreshed trim in the outgoing model.


Inside in the engine bay will be the 1.1-litre Epsilon petrol engine which will also spawn CNG and LPG variants. We are however speculating that the new Santro might also introduce the 1.1-litre CRDi diesel powerplant before it finds its way into the i10 as well. The inclusion of a frugal diesel engine in the entry level city car segment will mean a major blow to Maruti Suzuki – precisely what Hyundai to want to do at this stage.


Hyundai will stick to the ‘ideal first car’ image of the Santro and will price in competitively to increase its market share. But at the same time it will leave enough room for the upcoming 800cc city car to positioned competitively. We are expecting the new Santro to be launched by the end of this month, unless the Chennai-based headquarters decide to post pone it for an illustrious launch at the 2010 Auto Expo. Stay tuned!

Hyundai plans to expand its used car arm

Hyundai motor says that it plans to expand its used car business exponentially. Currently it operates less than 50 used car supported dealerships and intends to increase it to over 200 by end of next year. The used car market is expected to grow multifold in the coming years, and manufacturers have been trying to keep up the pace of getting into this space as it also allows them to keep their customers satisfied with an end-to-end car buying experience, as most car owners are set to go down the exchange schemes in future.

Export to Europe Slows Down

Maruti and Hyundai reported a slow down in their exports to European markets. This has triggered a race to target other major countries to keep the export momentum going.