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      Auto Expo 2012 rewind: Unveiling of the Hyundai Veloster

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      The 2012 Auto Expo was an important event for a number of auto makers operating in the Indian car market. Companies from all over the world showcased various vehicles at this event, which was organised at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The enclosure of India's second largest passenger car manufacturer, Hyundai, was quite a busy one as the firm unveiled a number of vehicles during the event. The Veloster, a three-door sports hatchback, grabbed a lot of limelight from the media and visitors, who raved about its styling and design. Industry experts, after its unveiling, spoke about how they expected the Veloster to be launched in India. However, officials from the company did not give any sort of indication regarding the introduction of the Veloster in India.

      Auto Expo 2012 rewind: Unveiling of the Hyundai Veloster
      Auto Expo 2012 rewind: Unveiling of the Hyundai Veloster
       

      A stylish three-door hatchback, the Veloster showcased at the 2012 Auto Expo featured Fluidic design, a concept that has been developed by Hyundai in the past few years to give its vehicles a new dimension. At that point of time, there were a lot of talks about the Hyundai Veloster hitting Indian showrooms by 2013. However, nothing has been materialised into something concrete, thereby no statement from the car maker regarding the launch of this hatchback in India. Industry experts feel that Veloster, when launched in India, will have the capability of creating a niche market for itself. Over the past few years, the number of youngsters purchasing new cars have increased drastically. A direct consequence of this is the rise in demand for vehicles that are stylish in appearance and sport a powerful performance. Hyundai, currently, is second to Maruti Suzuki in the Indian passenger car segment in terms of market share.

      According to sources, the Veloster 3-door open car will be fitted with a 4-cylinder 1.6-litre powertrain, which churns out an output of around 138 bhp with a peak torque 167 Nm at 4850 rpm. The 1.6-litre engine of Hyundai Veloster is expected to be mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. In addition, it is being said that Hyundai will also provide a 6-speed dual clutch transmission option in the Veloster. According to sources, the South Korean auto maker is going to market this car for youngsters. Analysts have claimed that the Hyundai Veloster can do really well due to its combination of power, performance, appearance and fuel efficiency. Although nothing has been confirmed by the company, rumours suggest that the Veloster will be priced in the region of Rs. 15 lakh. In all likelihood, the Hyundai Veloster is going to be brought to India as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit.

      Hyundai also unveiled the sixth version of the Sonata at the 2012 Auto Expo. A concept vehicle that was showcased at this mega event was the Hexaspace Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV). On being enquired about the role played by India in the development of the Hexaspace MPV, Arvind Saxena, Director for Marketing and Sales at the Hyundai Motor India, said, "India is a big market for the company and could definitely play a role in the development..but showcasing a concept only shows our way head. For developing a product for India, we need to see the environment and other factor also."

      Hyundai, in the past year, has adopted an aggressive strategy towards the Indian car market. According to statements made by company officials, the firm plans to overtake Maruti Suzuki in the passenger car segment. To achieve the same, Hyundai is planning to launch a number of new cars in the next few years. Recently, the firm introduced the much awaited Grand i10, which is being slotted between the current i10 and i20 hatchbacks. It would be interesting to see the response of customers when the company will launch its Veloster.

      Hyundai