Car News in India

Hyundai Motor India Ltd has confirmed that popular Sports Utility Vehicle ‘Santa Fe’ will be launched in the Indian market as Completely Built Unit (CBU) this year. Santa Fe is Hyundai’s first SUV that was first introduced globally in 2001.

“We will bring the Santa Fe SUV to India this year. It will be completely built unit. But after two-three years we may consider it for manufacturing as (Completely Knocked Down) unit”, company’s Managing Director Hang-Woo Park told reporters at the sidelines of a function in Chennai.

HMIL Marketing and Sales Vice president Arvind Saxena said that the Santa Fe and Tucson, since they are built on different platforms, would not be competing with each other. “There are no plans to give a facelift to Tucson. It will not compete with Santa Fe”.

Hyundai is also planning to launch an 800 cc small car in India by 2011. HMIL has invested close to Rs 800 crore on producing the car, and will be slotted below Hyundai Santro, he said.

Meanwhile, all of Hyundai’s models would be getting a facelift. “You know the segments we operate in. We will give a facelift to all models”, he said. Hyundai India currently offers Santro, i10, i20, Accent, Verna and Sonata models.

He said HMIL is planning to sell around 5.25 lakh cars this year, 50 per cent of which should come from domestic market.

Hyundai India is also planning to increase its dealership network, which is currently at 289, to 320 by the end of 2010.