Indian Autos blog

We all know that Gujarat is the emerging new ‘Motown’ of India. All manufacturers are making a beeline to set up shop in Gujarat. Amidst this enthusiasm, Hyundai also has decided to construct a diesel plant in Gujarat with an installed capacity of 150,000 units per annum.

The plant will manufacture 1.1L, 1.4L and 1.6L engines which will be used for domestic consumption. Hyundai will be investing 4 billion rupees over the next three years and the plant will be operational in 2013 or early 2014.

But IAB is no Economic Times so what does all this malarkey mean to you?

• Cars like Verna RB and i20 (whose powertrains are imported) are bound to get cheaper with local manufacturing
• i10 could be the first beneficiary of the locally-produced diesel engines. The next generation i10 will certainly come with a diesel engine.
• Hyundai HA low-cost car (to be priced under the Santro) that will hit the market by late next year or early 2012 could also be endowed with a diesel heart
• Hyundai, like Fiat, could source the engines to other manufacturers who are currently importing their diesel engines resulting again in a price drop

It looks like Hyundai is moving in for the kill with diesel powertrains. It’s cars will do exceedingly well if they can be priced a bit more aggressively. Hyundai must consider a MPV and a mini SUV for India once the diesel plant is operational.

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is looking to export its cars to new markets such as Australia, South Africa and South America. This move comes on the back of shortening demand for Hyundai’s cars in Europe, due to the withdrawal of incentives such as the scrappage scheme and due to the prevalent economic slowdown in European regions.

The company foresees a 25-30 % dip in its exports to West European regions and thereby wants to negate the effects of this by increasing exports to newer markets and markets where there is a greater demand for its cars.

Arvind Saxena, Director, Marketing and Sales, Hyundai Motor India Limited to Business Line -

Overall we will just about manage to reach last year’s exports this year

The company’s hopes to reach last years export targets seem realistic since there is a great demand for its products in markets outside Europe and with the shifting of the i20′s international production to its plant in Turkey, it should be able to produce more number of cars of its other models for export markets.

Hyundai is getting ready to add direct injection to its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Power from the DI four cylinder goes from 176 to 200 hp, and will likely get around 5-10 percent better gas mileage, finds a home under the new Sonata’s bonnet.

Supposed to be replaced by the i10, the Hyundai Santro has not only lived to talk about it, but is also set to undergo a cosmetic surgery by the year end. The changes are purely cosmetic and no announcements on the diesel engine yet.

An official statement from Hyundai’s headquarters reads two new Hyundai cars will be launched during the next couple of years. Hyundai has also confirmed the diesel i20 for launch this year; Santa Fe, Tucson, i30, Accent LPG and new Sonata are among the many in the Indian pipeline.

The Hyundai Equus interior images have made their way on to the internet, 24 hours after the exterior shots. The first thing that strikes you is the sat nav screen, which just like Porsche Panamera, is placed in between two tall aircon vents.

After many recent launches like the i20, Sonata Transform and Verna Automatic, Hyundai Motors is getting ready for its next launch. Hyundai plans to bring its successful American SUV, the Santa-Fe to India.

Hyundai Motors has finally launched the refreshed Verna with an Automatic Gearbox. This is the first diesel car in its segment equipped with an auto transmission. Other changes on new Verna are purely cosmetic. The refreshed Verna is available in total of four new variants, Two Petrol – 1.6 VTVT & 1.6 SX VTVT and two diesel 1.5 CRDi VGT & 1.5 SX CRDi VGT, The VGT SX variant comes with an Auto gearbox.