Hyundai to upgrade Getz to compete with Swift

08 March 2007

Geneva: In its bid to take passenger-car segment market leader Maruti Suzuki's 'Swift', Korean car maker Hyundai will launch a new and enhanced version of its premium hatchback 'Getz', called 'Getz Prime' by the end March 2007 in India.

H S Lheem, managing director, Hyundai Motor India Ltd told reporters in Geneva that the enhanced version would be for the export and domestic markets. "While it will retain the name 'Getz' for exports to the European market, we will launch it as 'Getz Prime' in the domestic market," he said.

This will be the first time that Getz will be shipped out from India.

Lheem declined to disclose the price of the new vehicle, only saying "it will be very competitive".

The 'Getz Prime' will be available in two petrol engine variants of 1.1-litre and 1.3-litre, enabling the smaller engine-vehicle to qualify for lower excise, as specified by the finance ministry. The ministry has decreed petrol cars with an engine capacity not exceeding 1,200cc and not exceeding 4,000mm in length, and diesel cars of engine capacity not exceeding 1,500cc and not exceeding4,000 mm in length as small cars.

Lheem said the company would bring out a diesel variant of the new model towards the third quarter of the year with a 1.5-litre common rail direct injection engine, similar to the Verna's.