Hyundai HED 6 ix-ONIC Concept
Motoring Channel Staff - 19/February/2009
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Hyundai HED 6 ix-ONIC Concept
The replacement for the Hyundai Tuscon
has now broken cover and it could be one
of the most efficient vehicles in its class
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Geneva,
Switzerland
– While most
automaker's backs are against the wall, Hyundai and it's partner Kia
are a couple of global automakers who are faring relatively well
in the current economic downturn. It will exhibit a brand-new concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, its next generation compact AWD. With
plans to expand its rear-wheel drive range of V6 and V8 sports coupe
and luxury sedans, Korean car maker Hyundai has taken the wraps of its
next generation Tuscon SUV, which can be seen in the form of the new
HED 6 ix-ONIC concept. We're not sure exactly what the name HED 6
ix-ONIC stands for but Hyundai claims the production version of the
SUV will be styled very similar to the concept car. It is believed however that the Tuscon name will be scrapped in some regions, and possibly altogether. Instead Hyundai's compact SUV is expected to be named the iX35. It measures 4.4 metres long and was designed at Hyundai's European base. Hyundai's
new compact SUV crossover vehicle is likely to be built alongside the
Kia Sportage at the Slovakian Kia plant and could be based on the same
platform. "In light of the
technical connection with the Kia Sportage, which is already coming off
the assembly line in Slovakia, it is logical that the two models will
be assembled side by side," commented a Hyundai representative in Europe. The Hyundai HED
6 ix-ONIC features a production-ready engine that will be part of the
production model when it arrives in late 2010 or early 2011. Emitting a low 149 grams of CO2 per kilometer, the new engine is said to have around 130kW of power (173hp) which is a lot from a 1.6-litre engine.
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