Hyundai bucks the downward trend once again,
and is set for sales success in 2009

Offenbach, 15th May 2009. Hyundai is building on well-established foundations to increase its market share in Europe. Results reported by industry body ACEA indicate a positive first four months for Hyundai in 2009, achieving 2.3 per cent market share in Europe in the period January to April – compared to 1.7 per cent for the same period 12 months earlier.

In April Hyundai achieved sales growth of almost 10 per cent, though total industry volume fell by 12.3 per cent. The company has recorded exceptional performance in Germany – the continent’s largest market – with sales up by 134 per cent, and Hyundai is the fastest-growing manufacturer in that territory this year. The picture is just as positive in the UK, where April saw a 19 per cent rise in sales compared to April 2008, and Hyundai again is placed as the leading brand for growth, bucking the trend for heavily falling sales.

In the four months to April, sales of Hyundai vehicles in major European countries have stayed some way ahead of the industry trend. While total industry sales have declined by 15.9 per cent, with the majority of manufacturers seeing a decrease in registrations, Hyundai has been the only large-scale producer to significantly improve its market share and volume in Europe.

The company’s fortunes have been bolstered by positive customer response to its ‘i-range’ of small cars, with three all-new models launched within the last two years. Allan Rushforth, Vice President Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “Consumers are carefully considering their major spending at the moment, and we have a head-start against the competition thanks to our very modern range of affordable vehicles in Europe’s most in-demand segments. Hyundai’s high-quality, good-value cars are at the heart of our brand: a brand which offers quality, reliability and, just as important, affordability. The i10, i20 and i30 match the needs of buyers and they sit perfectly with our ‘True Quality Matters’ slogan.”

The C-segment i30 hatchback and CW estate have been particularly successful, and supply has been enhanced thanks to the company’s new manufacturing facility in Nošovice, Czech Republic. The factory has just become the sole manufacturing site for the new i30 Blue, fitted with the ISG stop-start system. The first model to be launched under Hyundai’s Blue DriveTM eco-initiative, the i30 Blue significantly reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The most recent new product, the i20, joins the i30 and the A-segment i10 to complete a cost-effective trio of compact, fuel-efficient cars. All of these ‘i’ cars have been designed and engineered with a specific focus on European tastes.

According to Mr. Rushforth, the improved availability of these vehicles will help the brand achieve greater market share this year. “In 2008, sales of the popular i10 and i30 were limited only by the production capacity in our global network,” he said. “This year we have secured additional volumes of i10 from our plant in Chennai, and the first full year of sales of i20 is giving us even greater impetus. Furthermore, we will be able to take full advantage of our new Czech production site for improved availability of the i30 family. As a result we expect to take around 2.5 per cent of the total European market in 2009.”