The small car market gets hotter with Hyundai planning to manufacture its compact car i10 in India. i10 from Hyundai will cost Rs 3.39 lakh. Hyundai Brand Ambassador Shahrukh Khan was also present during premiere of Hyundai i10. Hyundai expects i10 to be as popular as its Santro and the car will compete with Maruti’s Wagon R, Zen Estilo, and Indica Xeta from Tata.

The 1.1 litre Hyundai i10 is driven by petrol engine. Hyundai expects to sell 1.5 lakh i10 cars in India next year. The company will also launch a diesel version of 1.1 litre engine next year. The new car will be available in Rs 3.39 lakh and Rs 4.90 lakh variants for Indian market.

Hyundai Motors India will manufacture the car in India and will export to other countries. Hyundai plans to use its India facility as a manufacturing hub and India will account for 30 percent of overseas production by year 2009.
Small car segment has seen a good amount of growth. Tata Motors has been very active with its small car project. M & M is also in talks with Renault for launching a small car.

Jae Kook Choi, HMC President said, “Hyundai Motor in India is poised to play an important role not only in India but also in HMC’s global plans and we hope that with India becoming a hub for small cars, we expect production in the country to account for 30 per cent of overseas production by 2009.”

The company will use its India based facility to export 1 lakh units of Hyundai Santro and Hyundai i10 during next year.