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Home / History of auto brands / History of Hyundai: how Koreans surprised the whole world
Hyundai history: how Koreans surprised the whole world
Hyundai was founded in 1947 by Jung Joo Yong.
The name of the company is translated from Korean as "modernity" text: Igor Kuznetsov / 28.10.2014 .
Hyundai has passed the stages of formation from a small car repair shop to the largest South Korean holding company specializing in various fields of mechanical engineering.
Hyundai accounts for the production of ships, machine tools, locomotives, steel, electronic equipment, cars.
In addition to all this, the company was engaged in the construction and petrochemical industry.
Hyundai began to engage in the automotive industry in the late 60s.
Initially, Ford cars were assembled at the company's factory under an agreement concluded with the British.
A Ford Granada and a low tonnage Ford D 750 rolled off the assembly line of a South Korean factory.
Hyundai did not have cars of its own production at that time.
The management of Hyundai was outraged by this state of affairs.
It is not surprising that in 1973 the company began the development, and a little later the production of its own cars.
The Hyundai design department was opened.
In 1976, together with Mitsubishi Motors, the first passenger model was created — the Hyundai Pony car.
The design was created by ItalDesign, led by Giorgio Giugiaro.
The model was first shown to the public at the Turin Motor Show, and caused a real sensation.
Journalists in their articles praised the design solutions, noted the elegant design of the model.
Hyundai Pony was very popular in the domestic market.
Hyundai Motor Company has taken a leading position in the Korean automotive industry.
A little later, cars of the Hyundai Pony model began to be exported to the foreign market under the name Hyundai Exel.
In the following decades, the Korean economy grew at a record pace.
All the world's newspapers wrote about the Korean "economic miracle".
Hyundai also did not lag behind the general development of the state.
The management of Hyundai Motor Company increased production capacities, mastered new branches of production.
The shipbuilding division of Hyundai has brought Korea to the second position among the states engaged in shipbuilding.
Thanks to the rapid economic recovery, Hyundai has expanded the production capacity of its factory in Ulsan.
This was the catalyst for large scale production and the creation of our own technologies.
By the mid 80s, the Canadian automobile market was mastered.
At the same time, Hyundai Motor Company was trying to break into the most profitable, but at the same time the most demanding market — the US market.
For this purpose, a number of models were adapted to overseas standards.
Along with this, the development of compact models did not stop.
By the 90th year, Hyundai Motor Company got into the high society, took a place among the world players in the automotive industry.
More than a million Hyundai cars were exported to the American market alone.
In the fall of 1988, the Hyundai Sonata debuted.
The model was upgraded twice: the first time in 1993, the second — in 1998.
The car was equipped with an engine produced under a license from Mitsubishi.
However, the company sought to equip its cars completely with its own components and aggregates.
So, in 1991, the Alpha engine was released, designed by its own forces.
The working volume of the engine was 1.5 liters.
In 1993, the Beta engine appears.
In 1990, the Lantra model was introduced on the European market (it was sold on the domestic market under the name Elantra).
Lantra
The model was a five seat sedan.
In 1995, the model was upgraded.
At the same time, the Hyundai Lantra Wagon model was created on the basis of the Lantra sedan — a five door station wagon.
In 1991, Hyundai began producing Galloper SUVs.
The model was developed on the basis of the first generation Mitsubishi Pajero.
The production of SUVs was carried out under the license of Mitsubishi Motors.
The company has constantly sought to strengthen its position in the automotive markets of the world.
In many ways, this is why a design studio of a company called Hyundai California Design opens in California, and in early 1992 shows the world its first HCD I concept car.
This concept car has laid the tradition of creating original conceptual designs.
In the same year, the Hyundai HCD II sports coupe was presented.
This model was released in a small edition, and was aimed at buyers who are interested in prestigious cars, but consider the same European models very expensive.
In September 1994, the company presented to the public a new generation of models of the X 3 series called Accent.
In 1999, the presentation of the European Hyundai Accent of the second generation took place.
Accent
At the 1996 Geneva Motor Show, the Hyundai Coupe sports coupe (Hyundai Tiburon in the USA and Korea) was shown for the first time.
At the end of 1999, it underwent a serious modernization.
At the end of 1997, the debut of the Hyundai Atos microlitrake took place.
Atos
And two years later, the model was updated, and received the name Hyundai Prime.
In 1998, the updated Hyundai Galloper II SUV was introduced.
In the same year, the production of Hyundai Santamo high capacity station wagons began.
Elantra
The year 1998 was a difficult period for Hyundai Motor, because sales in the domestic market fell sharply.
However, despite this, a number of new models of the company, for example, Hyundai Sonata EF and Hyundai XG, were highly appreciated by the international automotive press.
The company underwent corporate and industrial restructuring.
In 1999, Hyundai introduced four new models: the Centennial, the new Hyundai Accent, the reimagined Coupe and the Hyundai Trajet minivan.
The Trajet model demonstrated Hyundai's desire to get used to a new segment of the world market — MPV.
Trajet
In the same year, a luxury five meter Hyundai Equus(Centennial) executive class sedan was released.
Under the hood of this model was a 270 horsepower V8 4.5 engine with direct GDI fuel injection.
The model was primarily intended for members of the country's government and company presidents, so it was equipped to the highest standard.
Hyundai finished the 99th with fairly good indicators.
Thus, over 700,000 cars were exported (which was a record figure for the company), and sales in the domestic market reached the pre crisis level.
The company managed to strengthen its position not only in the South Korean market, but also successfully compete with other global automobile manufacturers for various sales bases.
In 2000, two companies merged: Hyundai Motors and Kia Motor, which actually meant the acquisition of the Kia brand by the Hyundai concern.
In July 2001, the production of the new Hyundai Sonata began at the Hyundai plant in Chennai, India, and the production of H - 1 vans was mastered at the NMS plant located in Turkey.
The appearance of the Hyundai Terracan SUV.
Terracan
In 2002, Hyundai and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company formed a joint venture called Beijing Hyundai Motor Company.
The second automobile plant of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group has appeared in China.
Hyundai Motor Company acted as an official partner of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
In 2003, the total volume of car exports exceeded the number of 1 million cars.
The year 2004 was marked by the release of the Tucson crossover.
Tucson
In 2005, two strategically important models of the Hyundai brand were released: the Grandeur premium sedan, as well as the Santa Fe SUV.
Santa Fe
Hyundai Getz is recognized as the car of the year in India.
Getz
In the same year, another significant event took place: an automobile plant was opened in the city of Montgomery (United States of America, Alabama).
The plant cost the company $1.1 billion.
This was the most important strategic base of Hyundai, which allowed the company to take a strong position in the North American market.
Currently, the prospects of Hyundai look very optimistic.
The Sonata, Lantra(Avante), Accent, and Coupe models are in good demand on the European market.
Representative offices of the company are being opened in Japan and Europe.
2008 the start of production of luxury Genezis and Genezis Coupe (Hyundai luxury brand).
Genezis
In 2009, the mid – size crossover ix35 was presented at the Frankfurt Salon.
ix35
ix55
In the same year in Australia, the i30 hatchback and the GrandStarex minibus were recognized as the best cars for the second time in a row.
i30
In 2010, production of Solaris was started in Russia, first in the sedan body, then in the hatchback (in parallel, Kia Rio is being assembled on the same conveyor).
Now Hyundai Motors rightfully bears the name of one of the world's leading automakers.
Santa Fe
Solaris
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