Hyundai Motor India continues its success with 4 compact models, the i-20, i-10, Getz and the Santro
HYUNDAI Motor India Limited (HMIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of South Korea, is the second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter in India. Ever since HMIL entered the Indian automobile market with the Santro (known as the Atoz in Korea) in September 1998, the company has shown quick and steady growth. The company sold a total of 489,328 vehicles in calendar year 2008, an increase of 49.6% over that of 2007. HMIL is considered the most successful foreign funded company in India. The company sold its 1,000,000 vehicle (domestic/ import) in March 2006, the shortest period ever in the history of the Indian automobile industry.
HMIL was established in India in May 1996 and opened up its first manufacturing plant there in December 1996. The company introduced the Santro in September 1998, since which it has maintained its No.1 and No.2 rankings in terms of automobile imports and domestic sales, respectively. With the completion of its second manufacturing plant in India last February, HMIL is now capable of producing 600,000 automobiles annually.
The i10, Hyundai’s first model to be manufactured only at overseas manufacturing plants, is not only being sold in India but is also being imported to 90 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central/South America. The i10 is the first compact model in the Indian automobile market to be equipped with passenger airbags, fortifying safety. The i10’s body is 40mm lower and 70mm wider than the Santro, giving it a sleek look, while also providing more interior space. The i10 was voted ‘the car of the year’ in India in 2008, winning every category of the competition. In 2008, HMIL conducted a unique transcontinental drive from Delhi to Paris in two of its hugely popular i10 Kappa cars to commemorate 10 glorious years of operations in India. The cars covered a distance of 10,000 km in 17 days, with one of the i10s then showcased at the Paris Motor Show. At the ceremony to initiate the i10’s trans-continental drive, Lim Heung-soo, president of HMIL said, “For the past 10 years HMIL has been striving to offer the best technology and the best products to our clients in India which has now brought us success. We will ensure the next 10 years are also successful by continuing to introduce new products and strengthening our marketing tools. This journey to Paris will prove the i10 Kappa’s high quality and durability.”
The i20, Hyundai’s second model to be manufactured at overseas factory only, was solely manufactured at a manufacturing plant in India and sold in the Indian and European markets in December 2008. At the showcase, Lim said, “We will now use the i-20 to target the compact-luxurious segment and even the mid-sized segment. We will expand our market share in India by giving customers more options to choose from as well as using more aggressive marketing.” HMIL now sells four compact models in India, the Santro, i10, i-20 and the Getz (known as the Click in Korea).
The i-20 retains the i-series’ exterior design concept, with its head lamps, radiator grill and rear lamps, yet boasts wider interior space than the Getz due to an enlarged wheelbase. The i-20 is equipped with a newly developed, high-efficient and eco-friendly 1.2 liter Kappa engine, meeting the Euro5, a European environmental standard. The i-20 is the first compact car in India to be equipped with six airbags, ABS (anti-lock brake system) and EBD (Electric Brake-Force Distribution), giving it a five star safety level according to the Euro NCAP standard. HMIL is expecting to sell 12,000 i-20s in India and 122,000 in Europe, bringing the total to 134,000 for 2009.