Hyundai i30: Australia Bound Motoring
Channel Staff - 18/July/2007 | 
Hyundai i30
Hyundai i30 testing in Australia
Hyundai's secret rear-wheel drive coupe
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Sydney, Australia — Yesterday
Hyundai confirmed that its new 5-door hatchback, the i30, is
scheduled for an October 2007 debut in
Australia. Update: Click here for all the details on pricing, models, engine emissions, standard features, and even some video footage of the car in action. The new car will rival vehicles such as the Toyota
Corolla and Ford Focus, and shares the same platform as the
newly-introduced Elantra sedan. Unlike the sedan, the i30 will be pitched to a different demographic. Hyundai stresses that it is an entirely
separate development, one designed to spearhead Hyundai's attack on the
competitive small hatch market. As a result, the i30 has been
closely benchmarked against its competitors, and the i30 name has been
chosen to reflect the car's European styling and intelligent design, says the Asian car maker. "Shaped
in our German styling studio, the new i30 will combine highly
contemporary design with Hyundai’s outstanding quality and value. It’s
going to surprise everyone – not least our competitors," quipped Kevin
McCann, Hyundai's director of sales and marketing. As the photo
of the camouflaged i30 shows, the car is currently undergoing hot
weather testing in Australia's North, and is being tuned for local
conditions. Hyundai cites its rise to the top of numerous customer surveys worldwide
as an indication that it's focus on quality and durability are paying
off, adding that the new i30's will be one of its most robust vehicles
yet. In
related news, the spirited Korean car maker was spied testing what is
believed to be a new rear-wheel drive coupe that is already being
compared to vehicles like the Nissan 350 Z. Though such speculation is
premature, the new model nevertheless shows that Hyundai isn't sitting
still, and is planning a RWD coupe in addition its upcoming RWD sedan. These
spy shots taken in South Korea show the new car with a disguise, but
its sporty proportions are clear. It is not known whether this new
model will replace Hyundai's current sports coupe, the Tiburon, or
whether it will be an all-new range-topping luxury coupe; a halo model. We'll know soon enough. Related articles:
- Hyundai Santa Fe (Road Test)
- Hyundai Getz (Road Test)
- Hyundai Concept Genesis (2008)
- Hyundai Tucson
- Hyundai Vera Cruz
- Hyundai Elantra |
