South Korean automotive giant Hyundai seems set to launch the second generation i10 in the year 2013. Deemed to be non-viable due to cost factor, a diesel powertrain was not fitted in the i10 by the car manufacturer in the first generation model. However, as a response to the growing inclination towards diesel cars in India, the next-generation i10 will feature a diesel unit. Likewise, Japanese car maker Honda is in the process of developing a diesel unit for its Brio and Maruti Suzuki is working on a diesel-run WagonR. So, it is not surprising that Hyundai is coming up with a diesel unit for new i10 to face the heat.
Featuring an all-new 3-cylinder diesel powertrain, the facelifted version of i20 premium hatchback, which is positioned above i10, was unwrapped by the car maker at the latest 2012 Geneva Motor Show. It is possible that the car maker will use the same 3-cylinder unit on the next edition of i10. As the smaller powertrain enjoys better mileage and lesser carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, toning down the capacity of the engine will be a suitable option for the price-sensitive Indian market.
The next-generation i10 may be powered by a 1.1 litre U-II diesel unit, which is built to deliver 74 hp of power and 180 Nm of torque. This makes the model perfect for the Indian auto industry, since the specs of this motor match the levels of the non-VGT Fiat Multi-jet diesel engine used on many cars in the country. This powertrain has CO2 emission levels of just 84 g/km, which will make the model very eco-friendly. It is also possible that Hyundai may install the upcoming 3-cylinder 800 cc petrol unit in the car.
With looks quite similar to that of the i30, the new i10 will probably be based on the car maker's popular Fluidic design platform. It will be available with 3- and 5-door designs in the global market. The European iteration of the i20 features a Stop and Go system on the 1.1 litre unit; however, it is highly unlikely that it will be offered in the price-sensitive market of India as it will ramp up the total cost of the model by a significant margin. According to the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the new i10 may deliver best in class mileage of 25 kmpl. When the model hits the shores of the country by 2013, the company may price it Rs. 60,000 higher than its petrol counterparts.
The alliance between Hyundai and Kibar Holding (based in Turkey) is planning to upgrade the Turkish manufacturing facility of the partnership with an investment of approximately USD 600 million. With this, the plant's annual installed capacity will increase to 2,00,000 units. Before hitting the country in 2013, the next-generation i10 will be assembled at the Turkish plant along with the new i20 Fluidic, which was recently launched in the domestic market.
