India has today emerged to be one of the leading automobile markets in the world and offers great potential to carmakers around the world. Fully aware of the fact, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company, had announced plans of launching the diesel variant of i10 Pa in the country, by 2010. However, the company recently divulged its intentions of pre-poning the launch of i10 diesel variant.
As per the company officials, plans are on to advance the rollout schedule of the diesel variant of the small car in India, to end-2008 or early-2009. In fact, the launch is expected to follow the unveiling of Hyundai i20 model. As per Heung Soo Lheem, Managing Director and CEO - HMIL, the diesel variant of i10 will be fitted with the new engine and transmission system, both of which will be manufactured at a plant that is being set up near Chennai.
He further elaborated that the new i10 model will be equipped with a brand new 80 bhp all-aluminum engine, which will also meet the stringent Euro-V emissions norms. The automobile giant has already launched the diesel variant of i10 in other countries and got tremendous response. It has been estimated that the company has already received 75,000 orders for the car, from 95 countries of the world. Let’s hope the reaction gets mirrored in India too!
