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Hyundai to unveil Elantra in mid-April
Bangalore, Mar 26: It`s nearly official now. Hyundai will launch Elantra, its answer to the Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavias of this world, on April 14 or 15, in petrol and diesel variants.
Bangalore, Mar 26: It’s nearly official now. Hyundai will launch Elantra, its answer to the Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavias of this world, on April 14 or 15, in petrol and diesel variants.
The 1.8 litre petrol vehicle will be powered by a DOHC (double overhead camshaft) engine while the two litre diesel model will be driven by CRDi (common rail direct engine) engine.
There will be more variants in these two models, with the entry level offering pegged possibly at around Rs 9 lakh ex-showroom, going up to Rs 11 lakh for the top end version. Hyundai Motor India president, B.V.R Subbu, while refusing to comment on the Elantra launch date, said it will be out in the first quarter of the financial year 04-05.
Trade sources said dealers expect the despatch of the car to begin in a couple of days. The car is expected to fill the gap between the Accent and the premium luxury car, Sonata.
It will be assembled at the Hyundai plant outside Chennai, with a possible localisation level of 35-40%. The likely sales target for the Elantra will be around 6,000 to 8,000 units a year.
It will be the only CRDi — viewed as lead diesel technology — offering in this segment. Octavia, which currently runs on a turbo diesel, is also expected to be out with a modern PD diesel offering sometime next year.
The C+ or D segment as it is classified by SIAM (Society of Indian Auto Manufacturers) has grown by an impressive 163% last year, indicating a sharp rise in demand for this class of cars. Last year, Toyota introduced the Corolla while General Motors rolled out the Optra with a Chevy badge.
The Optra has its footprint both in the mid-size C segment and the D segment of cars. Nearly 15,000 D segment cars got sold in 2003 compared to 5,692 units in the previous year. The Optra ended 2003 — barely six months — with 4,247 units.
The D segment has started this year on a more stronger note than 2003. In the January-February period it has recorded sales of 3,006 units. Elantra has been a best seller in Korea, where it accounts for one of the highest export figures for Hyundai cars.
Sales of the Elantra in the US, where it is priced marginally lower than the Corolla, has grown sharply last year. The car in India, trade sources said, will have the same interiors as the Hyundai offering in the west and will be priced similar to the Corolla.
Bureau Report
There will be more variants in these two models, with the entry level offering pegged possibly at around Rs 9 lakh ex-showroom, going up to Rs 11 lakh for the top end version. Hyundai Motor India president, B.V.R Subbu, while refusing to comment on the Elantra launch date, said it will be out in the first quarter of the financial year 04-05.
Trade sources said dealers expect the despatch of the car to begin in a couple of days. The car is expected to fill the gap between the Accent and the premium luxury car, Sonata.
It will be assembled at the Hyundai plant outside Chennai, with a possible localisation level of 35-40%. The likely sales target for the Elantra will be around 6,000 to 8,000 units a year.
It will be the only CRDi — viewed as lead diesel technology — offering in this segment. Octavia, which currently runs on a turbo diesel, is also expected to be out with a modern PD diesel offering sometime next year.
The C+ or D segment as it is classified by SIAM (Society of Indian Auto Manufacturers) has grown by an impressive 163% last year, indicating a sharp rise in demand for this class of cars. Last year, Toyota introduced the Corolla while General Motors rolled out the Optra with a Chevy badge.
The Optra has its footprint both in the mid-size C segment and the D segment of cars. Nearly 15,000 D segment cars got sold in 2003 compared to 5,692 units in the previous year. The Optra ended 2003 — barely six months — with 4,247 units.
The D segment has started this year on a more stronger note than 2003. In the January-February period it has recorded sales of 3,006 units. Elantra has been a best seller in Korea, where it accounts for one of the highest export figures for Hyundai cars.
Sales of the Elantra in the US, where it is priced marginally lower than the Corolla, has grown sharply last year. The car in India, trade sources said, will have the same interiors as the Hyundai offering in the west and will be priced similar to the Corolla.
Bureau Report