Hyundai launches Accent at Frankfurt show

15 September 1999

Hyundai has unveiled its much-awaited Accent at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Formally launching the vehicle, codenamed LC during its development stage, Hyundai group chairman Chung Mong Ku indicated that the luxury mid-size car will be simultaneously available in South Korea as the Verna and in Europe and India. There will be petrol and diesel versions for India, while Europe will have to be content with the petrol version.

The car comes in three models -- a four-door sedan, and three-door and five-door hatchbacks. While Hyundai will sell all three models in Europe, it will sell only the four-door sedan in India. The car will be powered by 1.5 litre, 94 bhp engine. Initially, the Accent will be available in India with manual transmission, but an automatic transmission version will also be made available later.

Hyundai Motor India, the Indian subsidiary of the South Korean car maker, has done pilot production of the Accent at its plant near Chennai. The company proposes to start bookings for the car from 12 October 1999.

Accent will be a luxury car in the same segment as Maruti''s Esteem, Fiat''s Siena and Daewoo''s Cielo. It will be priced lower than the 1.5-litre version of the Honda City and the Mitsubishi Lancer.

J.H. Kim, executive director, marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India, says the company expects to have a market share between 25 and 30 per cent in the luxury car segment. He hopes the diesel version to be popular.

Meanwhile, the Fabia from Czechoslovakia''s Skoda has been a big hit at the Frankfurt show. A scaled-down version of Skoda''s Felicia, its features make it a better choice than the flagship Octavia sedan. Skoda may, in the final run, opt for Fabia for its Indian operations when it sets up a unit in the country.