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HYUNDAI MOTOR REPORTS JANUARY GLOBAL SALES

admin — 2012-02-01

(Seoul, Korea) Hyundai Motor Company, South Koreas largest automaker, reports its domestic and overseas sales results for January 2012.

November 2012 Results

Unit = one vehicle

1. Commercial Vehicles (CV) include buses & trucks.

2. Hyundai Motor currently has 6 overseas plants in China, India, Turkey, U.S., the Czech Republic and Russia.

※Excludes CKD (Complete Knock Down) unit sales.

HYUNDAI TO SET UP TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTRE IN GHANA

admin — 2012-01-31

- Program fights high youth unemployment by teaching auto repair skills

- Hyundai to offer jobs to best graduates

- Other technical training centres to follow

Hyundai Motor Company, in collaboration with KOICA and PLAN Korea, will launch a project to help youth in under-developed areas support themselves by setting up technical training centre for automobile repair in several African nations. Starting with Ghana, Hyundai will build automobile repair training schools in Africa and Asia in a continuous cycle of construction.

<(from left to right)Hyundai Motor Director Mr. Lee Jang Ho, The Eastern Regional Minister Dr. Kwasi Akyem Appiah-Kubi, Korean Ambassador Kyun Je-Min at the groundbreaking ceremony>

The repair training school in Koforidua, Ghana, called Hyundai-KOICA Dream Centre, will open in September 2012 with a three-year program, admitting about 300 students. Hyundai will support the establishment of the school, from paying teachers to developing curriculum. Graduates with good school records will be offered jobs at Hyundai Service Centres.

Statistics available from the Ghana Statistics Service 2006 Report indicate that about 250,000 young people enter the labour market annually; they range from university graduates to junior high dropouts. Only 2 percent, or fewer than 5,000 Ghanaian youth, secure traditional employment. The rest are left to unemployment or unstable employment.

The cause of high unemployment among youth is the lack of employable skills needed by the job market. Most educational training curricula are not valued by the current job market. As such, the Hyundai-KOICA project has been designed to give youth employable skills.

The project’s support programs and goals are :

1. Setting up a technical training center and supporting equipment for automobile repair training.

2. Recruiting and educating students to be auto mechanics.

3. Enhancing the skills of existing auto mechanics.

4. Creating skilled and literate mechanics.

5. Enabling self-reliant poverty reduction through youth empowerment.

6. Strengthening Hyundai/Korean and Ghanaian technical and cultural cooperation through Hyundai’s social contribution expertise.

* Ground breaking ceremony for the opening of auto repair training school in Ghana :

- Date : January 30, 2012

- Venue : GRATIS Foundation premises, Koforidua

- Attending dignitaries include:

n Ambassador of Korea – H.E Kyun Jea-Min

n The Eastern Regional Minister – Dr. Kwasi Akyem Appiah-Kubi

n Resident Representative of KOICA – Kim So Young

n African Regional Headquarters Representative of Hyundai Motor company – Lee Jang Ho

n Executive director of GRATIS – Emmunuel Asiedu

n National director of Plan Korea – Lee Sang Joo

n Country director of Plan Ghana – Prem Shukla

Partners :

KOICA is Korean International Cooperation Agency, which was founded as a government agency in 1991 to maximize the effectiveness of Korea’s grant aid programs for developing countries by implementing the government’s grant aid and technical cooperation program. The focus has now broadened to promoting sustainable development, strengthening partnerships with developing partners, and enhancing the local ownership of beneficiaries.

Plan is an international child-centred community development organization that works for human development and focuses on promoting the rights of children. Plan’s vision is a world in which all children realize their potential in societies that respect human rights and dignity.

GRATIS Foundation evolved out of the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS) Project, which was established by the government of Ghana in 1987 and mandated to promote small scale industrialization in Ghana.

HYUNDAI ANNOUNCES 2011 BUSINESS RESULTS

admin — 2012-01-26

- Sales revenue rises 16%, net profit up 35% on increased overseas sales

- Hyundai sold 4.06 million units globally in 2011

- Hyundai to focus on qualitative growth, enhance brand image in 2012

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, posted global sales of 4,059,438 units (domestic plants: 1,884,633, overseas plants: 2,174,805) in 2011, a 12.4 percent gain from a year earlier.

Sales revenue rose 16.1 percent to 77.8 trillion won from a year earlier as the company sold more fuel-efficient and aesthetically appealing new models with reliable quality, while operating profit also rose 36.4% to 8.08 trillion won. Net profit increased 35.1 percent to 8.1 trillion won, backed by robust performance at its overseas plants and subsidiaries.

Hyundai Motor’s gains in 2011 are a result of the company’s continuous improvements in quality, which contributed to the increase in sales and the brand’s value. Based on these efforts, Hyundai achieved the top spot among all automotive brands in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Customer Retention Study(SM), improving its retention rate to 64 percent, up four percentage points from 2010. Hyundai’s all-new Elantra was crowned the 2012 North American Car of the Year earlier this month, while leading German motoring magazine Auto Bild in December last year awarded Hyundai with the top position in its ‘Auto Bild Qualitatsreport’ for the second year in a row, attesting to the company’s advances over the years.

As industry experts forecast slower growth in auto demand and uncertainties surrounding the European economy, Hyundai plans to respond flexibly to the market and create new opportunities by strengthening its core capabilities and eco-friendly technologies to achieve qualitative growth, rather than pursue excessive external growth.

HYUNDAI INJECTS STREET CREDIBILITY INTO VELOSTER WITH NEW TURBOCHARGED ENGINE

admin — 2012-01-09

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012 - Hyundai Motor America today introduced the all-new 2013 Veloster Turbo armed with 201 horsepower in a world debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Veloster Turbo is one bookend to Hyundai’s turbocharged sports coupe line-up, paired with the refreshed 274 horsepower, rear-wheel drive 2013 Genesis Coupe 2.0T (Turbo) also debuting at the show today.

“The Turbo further broadens Veloster’s hero role in the Hyundai line-up to attract our next generation of buyers,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, product and corporate planning, Hyundai Motor America. “It’s powerful, high-tech and fuel-efficient, attributes which we think make Veloster Turbo the ultimate innovation in the sport coupe segment.”

The 2013 Veloster Turbo arrives in the Summer of 2012, facing off against worthy competitors such as the Volkswagen GTI, Honda Civic Si and Mini Cooper/Clubman S with a better power-to-weight ratio than all of them, and a unique sport-tuned steering and suspension hardware set.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2013 Veloster Turbo (Exclusive Turbo features)

· Powered by a new 1.6-liter Turbocharged-Gasoline Direct Injection (T-GDI) engine and in-house six-speed automatic or manual transmission

o Horsepower: 201 at 6000 RPM

o Best-in-class highway fuel economy estimated at 38 mpg (M/T)

o Best-in-class specific output at 125.6 horsepower per liter

o Best-in-class weight to power ratio of 14 lbs/hp

· Sport-tuned engine intake and exhaust note

· Sport-tuned steering

· Unique front fascia, foglights and ground effects

· Hyundai-first Matte Gray paint

· Unique 18-inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts

· Projection headlights with unique LED headlight accents

· Side mirrors with turn signal indicators

· Unique LED taillights

· Supervision cluster

· Leather seating surfaces with driver’s lumbar support

· Heated front seats

· Turbo exclusive Graphite Black interior with Blue accents and headliner graphics

Veloster Turbo is the first vehicle in Hyundai’s 7/11 product initiative (seven new or redesigned models in the next 11 months). Hyundai just completed its 24/7 version 2.0 product initiative (seven new or redesigned models in 24 months), with the debut of the 2012 Hyundai Azera.

2013 GENESIS COUPE REVEALS MORE AGGRESSIVE DESIGN COUPLED WITH SERIOUS PERFORMANCE CREDENTIALS

admin — 2012-01-09

Hyundai’s Rear-drive Sport Coupe Receives More Powerful Powertrain Technologies, More Aggressive Design, Upscale Interior Refinement and Blue Link® Telematics

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012-Hyundai Motor America today introduced the significantly redesigned 2013 Genesis Coupe in a North American debut at the Detroit North American International Auto Show. In keeping with impressive performance upgrades, Genesis Coupe now sports more aggressive coupe styling, complemented by improved interior materials and design. Both 4-cylinder and V6 engines benefit from significant technology enhancements, with the 3.8-liter V6 engine receiving sophisticated direct-injection technology and the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine upgrading to a more precise twin-scroll turbocharger and larger intercooler. Automatic transmissions for these two models now have 8-speeds, with paddle-shift SHIFTRONIC® manual-shifting capability. Hyundai’s proprietary telematics platform, Blue Link®, is now available, providing Genesis Coupe owners with a variety of infotainment services to meet their individual connectivity needs.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2013 GENESIS COUPE

· Refreshed, more aggressive exterior design

o New front fascia, grille, headlight, fog light, hood designs

o New 18- and 19-inch wheel

o New LED-enhanced taillight design

o Available LED daytime running lights (DRLs)

· 3.8-liter V6 engine receives direct-injection technology

o 348 horsepower, 295 lb.-ft. torque (rating with premium fuel)

o Improved fuel economy for both transmissions

§ 18 city/28 highway - 8-speed A/T

§ 18 city/27 highway - 6-speed M/T

· 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine receives new twin-scroll turbocharger and larger, more thermally-efficient intercooler

o 274 horsepower, 275 lb.-ft. torque (rating with premium fuel)

o Improved fuel economy for A/T

§ 20 city/31 highway - 8-speed A/T

§ 21 city/30 highway - 6-speed M/T

· New, in-house-developed 8-speed automatic transmissions

o Paddle-shift SHIFTRONIC® capability

· New, retuned low-velocity-control suspension dampers

· Blue Link® telematics available on 3.8 Grand Touring/Track and 2.0T Premium

· Electroluminescent gauge cluster with information display

· Telescopic steering wheel (added to tilt function)

· Driver seat power lumbar adjustment

· Redesigned center stack appearance and gauges

ELANTRA NAMED THE 2012 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEAR

admin — 2012-01-09

Award caps record year for Hyundai Motor America and Elantra

- Bold Fluidic Sculpture design
- Best-in-class standard fuel economy on all models
- Highest owner satisfaction with real world fuel economy of all compact cars
- Mid-size interior room in a compact class footprint
- Elantra is built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012 - The 2012 Hyundai Elantra took top honors in the most exclusive award in North America when it was named 2012 North American Car of the Year today.

A jury of 50 independent North American automotive journalists evaluated each of the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2012 Hyundai Elantra as the winner. The award was announced at a news conference at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which marks Hyundai’s second win. The Hyundai Genesis was named North American Car of the Year in 2009.

“Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy,” said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. “In a year with some truly breakthrough competitors, we are honored that the jury recognizes Elantra’s far-reaching impact on the industry.”

The jurors considered more than 50 new vehicles, before selecting the top three cars and top three trucks. The Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus were the other car finalists.

This is the 19th year of the awards, which were inspired by the prestigious European “Car of the Year.” The jury is administered by an organizing committee and funded exclusively with dues paid by the jurors. Jurors judge the cars on a number of factors including innovation, impact on the industry, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

HYUNDAI “FLUIDIC SCULPTURE” DESIGN

Elantra exemplifies Hyundai’s emotional “Fluidic Sculpture” design principles. “Fluidic Sculpture” considers the interplay of wind with rigid surfaces to create the illusion of constant motion. Elantra is an evolution of the design qualities found in Sonata.

Along Elantra’s sides are Sonata’s flowing lines, with the addition of a strong undercut feature line starting at the front door. These lines, along with muscular wheel arches and a sleek roofline, create a memorable and spacious package. Flowing lines also lead to an aerodynamic body. The drag coefficient for the Elantra is an exceptionally low 0.28 that compares favorably to the Chevrolet Volt (0.29).

Hyundai’s signature hexagonal front grille and detailed swept-back headlights give Elantra a compact athletic face. The assertive stance is complimented by 15-, 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels and athletic proportions. Available fog lights and side repeater mirrors complete the distinct design. Elantra was designed at Hyundais North American Design Center in Irvine, Calif.

40 MPG POWERTRAIN
Elantra’s standard fuel economy is EPA-rated at 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway, amd 33 mpg combined, with the six-speed automatic transmission or manual transmission. These figures give Elantra a highway-only driving range of up to 500 miles. Elantra’s strong EPA ratings are backed up by the highest owner satisfaction with real-world fuel economy in the compact class, according to data from J.D. Power and Associates.

Under the hood, the Elantra is powered by an all-new 1.8-liter Nu four-cylinder engine with 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque (145 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque for Elantra PZEV). Thanks to advanced clean engine technology, most Elantras sold in California, Oregon and several Northeast states are certified as Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV) by the EPA. The PZEV Elantra is as clean as many hybrid electric vehicles. The PZEV Elantra helps Hyundai meet its environmental commitments. Outside of these “green” states, the Elantra is available as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV).

Mark on the Market

Most importantly, Elantra is driving traffic to Hyundai showrooms. Elantra’s record 186,361 sales helped Hyundai achieve its record sales of 645,691 units in the U.S. in 2011. Hyundai Motor America posted a 20 percent increase over 2011 total sales.

HYUNDAI DEBUTS ‘HEXA SPACE’ MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLE CONCEPT AT AUTO EXPO IN INDIA

admin — 2012-01-05

- World premiere of concept aimed at urban families in emerging markets

- Eight hexagonally shaped seats configure in multiple ways to maximize utility and space

- Innovative sliding rear doors create ease of entry, exit and loading

Hyundai Motor Company today holds the world premiere of its newest concept, a multi-purpose vehicle called “Hexa Space” at the Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi. The new concept revolutionizes the use of interior space, another example of Hyundai’s “New Thinking. New Possibilities.”

Hexa Space, codenamed HND-7, carries Hyundai’s characteristic “Fluidic Sculpture” design language, including the bold character lines on the side panels. Inside, Hexa Space incorporates other elements of family design, such as Hyundai’s distinctive hexagonal grille, which is applied to the seat designs.

The vehicle features eight slim, hexagonally shaped seats that fit together like puzzle pieces, maximizing internal space while minimizing vehicle width. From honeycombs to architecture, the hexagon is known as an optimum shape for space efficiency.

Hexa Space is targeted at young urban families in their 30s and 40s; customers who live a practical and demanding lifestyle in the bustling and exciting cities of the world’s emerging economies. These customers need their vehicles to serve many roles and Hexa Space satisfies those needs with its unique seat design.

The seats offer multiple configurations for seating ? center seats fold flat for greater comfort, the second row folds flat to create a limousine function, the back row folds flat for light-cargo use. In addition, seven seats fold flat for heavy hauling and all eight fold flat for camping. The center seat in the first two rows of Hexa Space is positioned slightly behind the seats on either side, allowing passengers to sit three-abreast without feeling cramped.

Getting in and out of Hexa Space is easy, thanks to its innovative door design. The rear doors lift out and slide back, creating wide-open entry on each side.

Hexa Space’s interior is completed with high-tech features, including a touch-screen center console, a push-button shifter and a cluster ionizer air purifier. Several storage spaces are tucked throughout the interior.

Despite the roomy interior, Hexa Space maintains a narrow overall width, key for maneuvering the crowded urban streets of India and the world’s emerging nations. Hexa Space shares a platform with Hyundai’s compact ix20 and is only slightly wider.

Externally, Hexa Space is 4,300 mm long, 1,820 mm wide and 1,647 mm high, giving it substantial headroom. The wheelbase is 2,750 mm and runs on 19-inch tires. Hexa Space is powered by Hyundai’s Kappa 1.2-liter turbo GDI engine, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

HYUNDAI MOTOR REPORTS 2011 GLOBAL SALES OF 4.05 MILLION VEHICLES

admin — 2012-01-02

(Seoul, Korea) Hyundai Motor Company, South Koreas largest automaker, sold 4.05 million vehicles in 2011, a 12 percent increase over 2010. December global sales were up 22 percent, at 371,448 vehicles.

December 2011 Results

Unit = one vehicle

1. Commercial Vehicles (CV) include buses and trucks.

2. Hyundai Motor currently has six overseas plants in China, India, Turkey, U.S., the Czech Republic and Russia.

※Excludes CKD (Complete Knock Down) unit sales.

HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP’S INVESTMENT PLANS FOR 2012

admin — 2011-12-29

- Group to invest 14 trillion won, largest investment plan for Group

- Group to focus on R&D for future cars, secure competitiveness

Hyundai Motor Group, led by South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Company, announced today that it would invest a total of 14.1 trillion won* in 2012 as part of the Group’s largest investment and employment plan ever, mainly to boost its R&D competitiveness.

(*Equivalent to about US$12.2 billion, based on Dec. 28 foreign exchange rates in Seoul)

Hyundai Motor Group will invest 5.1 trillion won in R&D (compared to 4.6 trillion won in 2011) and 9 trillion won in facilities (compared to 7.6 trillion won in 2011). The total investment amount will be a 15.6 percent increase from this year’s 12.2 trillion won.

Of the amount to be invested in R&D, 4.6 trillion won, or 90 percent, will be spent on the automobiles sector, to accelerate the development of eco-friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles.

Of the investments in facilities, about 3 trillion won will be spent upgrading and building domestic and overseas manufacturing plants for Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors Corp., as well as strengthening their sales and aftersales service networks. Some 2.2 trillion won will be spent by the Group’s steel-related affiliates.

HYUNDAI TOPS THE RANKINGS IN PRESTIGIOUS QUALITY REPORT… AGAIN!

admin — 2011-12-23

· Hyundai awarded top position in ‘Auto Bild Qualitatsreport’ for second year

· Victory comes after feedback from 8.610 German motorists

· Five Year Triple Care package stands Hyundai out from the crowd

Offenbach, December 232011

Leading German motoring magazine Auto Bild has awarded Hyundai top position in its ‘Auto Bild Qualitatsreport’ for the second year running. Beating all other manufacturers, including renowned German and Japanese brands, Hyundai took the prestigious honour based on a comprehensive analysis of reliability, long-term quality and customer satisfaction.

Auto Bild's annual list evaluates seven key criteria, each weighted equally, including feedback received from 8.610 car owners; manufacturer warranty; recall information; and data from Germany's Technische Uberwachung Verein (TUV), which covers 7,5 million vehicle inspections.

One of the most respected industry quality surveys, the ‘Auto Bild Qualitatsreport’ award further demonstrates the gains Hyundai has made in consistently improving the quality of its products, services and customer support.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO at Hyundai Motor Europe, said: “Once again, Hyundai has triumphed over brands usually considered to represent the quality benchmark. We improved on our winning score from last year and to take the title again is a fantastic achievement. Quality remains a core priority for Hyundai, and we strive to deliver the best in everything we do.”

Hyundai’s industry-best customer assurance package, Five Year Triple Care, was a major factor in the brand’s victory, with Auto Bild noting a lack of such comprehensive warranty cover from other manufacturers in Europe.

All newly-launched Hyundai models in Europe include Five Year Triple Care, which provides a five-year warranty with no mileage limit, five years’ roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks.