Reference Auto

After a runaway success with its i series models - the i10 and i20, especially in India, Hyundai is putting its plans on the fast track to unveil the i40 D-segment model, designed for the European market, at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show to be held in March.

The Korean major is upbeat that the i40 will find many takers in Europe, and the company, it seems, is looking to drive in the car to India during the first half of 2012 in the wake of a growing appetite for mid segment cars.

Hyundai knows that it could cost the company dear if it does a flip-flop on its India plans. An auto expert says that the i40 could be in emerging markets even earlier as Hyundai would not like to miss the growth story prevalent for the last few years.

For now, the i40, codenamed VF while on the development stage, is set to vie with the likes of Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat and the focus will be the European market.

The Korean company will roll out its new Blue Drive eco-program and a powertrain line-up which can provide an unparalleled performance in its class and fuel economy along with very low CO2 emissions.

“We have mega ambitions for Hyundai in Europe, and the new i40 will provide the fillip to achieve our goals in 2011 and beyond. We expect that the quality of the new i40 will continue to attract new customers to the Hyundai brand,” said Allan Rushforth, vice-president of Hyundai Motor Europe, in a press release.

The i40 was designed and developed in Germany and is very similar to the Hyundai Sonata. The i40 will be available in the sedan and wagon body formats, and could arrive in the European market probably within a couple of months after its debut in Geneva.

“The i40 perfectly combines the four elements that have turned into core Hyundai values: practicality, performance, efficiency, and styling. Our designers and engineers have made a car that is in line with European motorists’ expectation of a D-segment vehicle,” Rushforth added.

The engine range is expected to include a 2.0-litre, direct-injection four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower and a 1.7-litre turbodiesel with outputs ranging from 115 hp to 136 hp, with the Blue Drive technologies applied. More details on i40 will roll out just prior to the motor show in Geneva.

The i40 has ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, with a signature hexagonal grille and flowing lines that combine for a dynamic and cohesive package. The styling of the new wagon is more or less like the IX 20 hatch, which has already rolled out in parts of Europe and also the  IX 35 SUV that is sold in Australia.

The i40 is mainly targeted at the European market, which has a fad for D-segment cars. Although the company has not declared its price, the i40 is likely to come for $20,000-$25,000 in Europe, according to an auto expert. This would be in the same range as the VW Passat and the Ford Mondeo.

So, in Europe’s market, which is not so price sensitive, the i40 is unlikely to score on this count. With VW and Ford making inroads in a big way in the European market, Hyundai will have to do some aggressive hard-selling to see its i40 rub shoulders with its rival models.