The Hindu Business Line : Hyundai Sonata variant this week

HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) seems to be on a roll-out spree. Close on the heels of launching two new variants of its midsize car, the `Accent', it is now wheeling out a new version of its luxury car, the `Sonata', in the middle of this week.

The new Sonata will be powered by a 2.7-litre engine and will have automatic transmission, company sources told Business Line. To be called the `V6', it will be priced in the Rs 15-18 lakh range.

The current versions of the two-litre Sonata, the best selling `D' segment car in the country today, are priced at Rs 13-13.5 lakh. The company will continue with the two-litre versions, the sources said.

"Though the D segment cars are generally chauffer-driven, we found that there is a section of self-driving customers who would like to have more power. So we are coming out with this version," the sources said.

The powertrain for the 2.7-litre Sonata would be imported.

Of late, HMIL has been introducing new variants of its cars. Recently, the company launched a semi-notchback version of its Accent sedan and followed it up with a new diesel version fitted with the CRDi ( Common Rail Direct Injection) engine. HMIL, which clocked over 65 per cent growth in sales in September compared to the same month a year ago, is also planning to introduce a new Santro, its largest selling model, in May 2004.

The company is investing nearly $ 80 million for developing this car and expanding capacity.

HMIL is also in the process of introducing yet another new car, `Getz', and a sport-utility vehicle, Terracan, in the Indian market in the near future.

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