Here's a spyshot of the next gen Hyundai i20 (codename - IB) spotted testing by Autocar India reader Siva Kumar. Indian Autos Blog readers have already seen a similar prototype through pictures snapped in Korea, that aired last month.
If the current clockwork stands, we should see the new i20 premiere at Paris Motor Show 2014 exactly six years after its world debut at the same venue.
AutocarIndia.com reports that the 2015 Hyundai i20 will sit on an all-new platform and would be larger than the current model. The current model, following last year's refresh cosmetic makeover, is about 5mm short of the 4,000mm barrier that makes or breaks a car's pricing. A size upgrade could give the Indian subsidiary a few problems when its time to rollout the car from the Chennai plant.
According to the then President of Hyundai Europe, the Hyundai i20 was engineered and designed to "meet European tastes and needs." Hyundai introduced the car in India in 2008, which was also then its sole production center, setting itself a very modest sales target. The Koreans had terribly underestimated the car's potential as over the years it has proved to be the only worthy competitor to the Maruti Swift, though sales numbers are at about 50% or less of the Maruti's.
Hyundai showcased a small capacity turbocharged version of the Kappa motor at its annual powertrain conferences last year. This motor can be put to use on the new i20 instead of the regular engine for fuel efficiency gains. If not, the current lineup of 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter petrols shall continue. The 1.4L diesel engine should stay on as well mated to a 6-speed transmission for higher fuel economy.
Hyundai lists a 1.1L diesel engine in the UK since the facelift launched in 2012, and this could be designated to lower trims to be eligible for tax benefits in countries where there are provisions for them.
Hyundai displayed its next generation telematics late last year that lets a mobile phone app to control key functions of the car. A Google-powered sat-nav system that can take voice commands may also find a place on higher trim levels of the 2015 i20.
[Source - Autocarindia.com]
