Hyundai, the South Korean auto maker, has been quite active in the Indian car market since its entry. Over the years, it has established a name for itself, which can be verified by analysing the success of its cars. Currently, Hyundai is the second largest passenger car maker and the leading exporter of passenger cars of the Indian auto market. Notably, it is the only brand that has managed to give Maruti Suzuki any sort of competition in the passenger car segment. One of the biggest reasons for the success of Hyundai is its aggressive marketing and promotional strategy, which extends to electronic media, tabloids and newspapers. Also, Hyundai has been an active participant at the Auto Expo, the largest automobile event of the country. The South Korean auto maker grabbed a lot of attention at the 2012 Auto Expo, which was organised at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The 2012 Auto Expo mega event was a star studded programme that received high acclaim due to the wide range of vehicles on display. Hyundai, on its part, displayed a number of vehicles at the show, which included the likes of Sonata (sixth generation model), Veloster compact sports car and the Hexaspace concept vehicle. The showcasing of all these models was attended by top officials from the company, who also voiced future plans of the firm. Among the people who attended the unveiling of the new Sonata was H W Park, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) at that time. "The new Sonata will strengthen our brand signature," he was quoted as saying.
Featuring Hyundai's new fluidic design language, the Sonata attracted the attention of visitors at the 11th edition of Auto Expo. According to the company officials, the Sonata had what it takes to outclass its rivals in terms of style, luxury and comfort. Industry experts and potential buyers eagerly awaited the launch of the Sonata, which, according to the firm, was slated to take place in the first half of 2012. After a lot of hype and excitement, Hyundai introduced the Sonata in the month of March at a base price of Rs. 18.52 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). This car is powered by a 2.4-litre petrol engine, which is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
B S Seo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hyundai Motor India Limited, spoke about the new Sonata and what it brings for consumers. "The all new Sonata powered by our GDi engine offers best-in-class features. Competitive priced the Sonata offers a stylish new choice to the premium customer," he said. Some of the highlights of this premium sedan are high intensity Xenon headlamps, cruise control, 10-way adjustable power seat with lumbar support and six airbags.
Another vehicle that was unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo by Hyundai was the Hexaspace concept car. This was the global showcasing of this concept Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV). The Hexaspace concept vehicle is an eight seater, which has a unique space utilisation system for attaining optimum comfort level. Speaking about the launch of this vehicle, Arvind Saxena, Director for Sales and Marketing at Hyundai Motor India, said, "We are showing our new concept MPV 'Hexaspace' for the first time ... It is too early to say when it could come in the market but it will take three to four years. India is a big market for the company and could definitely play a role in the development..but showcasing a concept only shows our way head. For developing a product for India, we need to see the environment and other factor also."
Officials from Hyundai also spoke about the tough market conditions that were prevailing in the Indian car market. At the 2012 Auto Expo, an official from Hyundai Motor India spoke about how the government had a huge role to play in making things simpler for car makers. "It is a tough quarter. We expect the market condition will improve in the second half of next year. Government intervention is needed to create a positive vibe... Besides, softening of the interest rates could help the segment," one of them was quoted as saying.
Hyundai, since the 2012 Auto Expo, has gone on to launch a number of vehicles in the Indian car market, which have been based on the fluidic design language. Industry experts feel that Hyundai will unveil a number of new vehicles at the 2014 Auto Expo, which will take place in Greater Noida. The biggest reason for this would be the kind of aggressive stance the firm has adopted for the Indian car market.
