Hyundai to debut i40 Blue Drive at Geneva Motor Show

Hyundai is prepping to launch its i40 D-segment model at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The i40 will compete against rivals vehicles like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat and a slew of advance renderings released by the automaker hint at what we might see hit the stage come next March. The i40 was designed and developed in Germany and bears a striking resemblance to its close twin, the Hyundai Sonata.

The i40 – to be available in sedan and wagon body styles – is slated to hit the market shortly after its on-stage debut and will feature the automaker's latest fuel-saving technologies developed under its Blue Drive eco-program. The engine range will supposedly include a 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower and a 1.7-liter turbodiesel with outputs ranging from 115 hp to 136 hp. With the Blue Drive technologies applied, Hyundai claims that the model's powertrain lineup will boast performance that puts the i40 at the top of its class, while sipping fuel at a lower rate than any of its competitors. Expect more details on the i40 to emerge as its debut draws near.

[Source: Hyundai]

PRESS RELEASE

Hyundai Motor Company: i40: Hyundai's New European Flagship

Hyundai Motor Co. has announced that its new D-segment car for Europe will be called i40. The i40, which was known by the codename 'VF' during development, arrives as the company embarks on the next phase of its brand and product evolution in Europe.

"The i40 perfectly combines the four elements that have become core Hyundai values: practicality, performance, efficiency, and styling. Our designers and engineers have produced a car that encapsulates what European motorists look for in a D-segment vehicle."

Set to make its world premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, the new i40 aims to further shift European consumer perception of Hyundai to a more aspirational position, thanks to the vehicle's dynamic design and class-leading quality, performance and technical features.

The new i40 will be launched in wagon form, with a sedan version following later in the year.

"We have bold ambitions for Hyundai in Europe, and the new i40 will provide the momentum we need to achieve our goals in 2011 and beyond. We expect the quality of the new i40 to continue the development of our image in Europe and attract new customers to the Hyundai brand," commented Allan Rushforth, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Europe.

Designed at Hyundai's European R&D facilities in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new i40 is the company's first D-segment model to be specifically developed for the European market. The car will progress the 'fluidic sculpture' design language, featuring the company's signature hexagonal front grille and rakish lines which give the i40 a dynamic, sporty appearance by connecting the front, side and rear profiles.

The new i40 will also become Hyundai's most innovative model on sale in Europe, including the latest environmental technologies developed under the company's Blue DriveTM eco-program, and a powertrain line-up which boasts best-in-class performance and fuel economy, and very low CO₂ emissions.

"The i40 perfectly combines the four elements that have become core Hyundai values: practicality, performance, efficiency, and styling. Our designers and engineers have produced a car that encapsulates what European motorists look for in a D-segment vehicle."

More details on i40 will be available nearer the time of its motor show world premiere in Geneva in March 2011.

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group which was ranked as the world's fifth-largest automaker since 2007 and includes over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing over 75,000 people worldwide, Hyundai Motor sold approximately 3.1 million vehicles globally in 2009, posting sales of US$41.8 billion (including overseas plants, using the average currency exchange rate of 1,276 won per US dollar). Hyundai vehicles are sold in 193 countries through some 6,000 dealerships and showrooms. Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products are available at www.hyundai.com.