Hyundai launches ''Getz Prime''

03 April 2007

New Delhi: Maruti Udyog now has one more competitor for its Suzuki Swift one that qualifies for the small car tag (thanks to a 1.2-litre engine) and consequently the lower excise duty. Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) has launched its new premium hatchback 'Getz Prime', with a starting price from Rs3.89 lakh onwards. The company is targeting to sell about 30,000 units of the vehicle in the Indian market and 40,000 units abroad in the remaining part of this calendar year.

The company also plans to join the price war by introducing another compact car in October. The new Getz Prime will be available with two engine sizes, one with the 1.1-litre capacity and the other with the 1.3-litre. The base model of Getz Prime is equipped with a 1.1-litre petrol engine and will be cheaper than the base model of Maruti Swift (Rs3.99 lakh) by a good Rs10,000.

Hyundai has introduced four variants of the Getz Prime. The base 1.1-litre Getz Prime will be available in two variants — GLE and GVS, and the 1.3 Getz Prime will also come in two variants, GLS and GLX. These come with an introductory price range of Rs3.89 lakh and Rs5.24 lakh.

Not surprisingly the company expects the 1.1-litre version to bring in 70 per cent of the total sales of the Getz Prime in the Indian market.

The company is also working on a 1.5-litre diesel variant of the Getz Prime that could be on Indian roads in the second half of this year.

Hyundai is also planning to launch another price warrior compact car code-named PA, expected to hit the market by October this year. The new car will be positioned to compete with the top loaded models of Zen Estilo and WagonR and will be rolled out from Hyundai's second plant in Chennai.

Hyundai Motors said it has made India its global hub for Getz exports and has started overseas shipments.