Geneva Motor Show: Hyundai i40 revealed
01.03.2011 - Rhian Angharad Jones
(11)
The new Hyundai i40 has been revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, ahead of its on-sale date in the summer.
Designed to take on large family cars such as the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Renault Laguna and Citroen C5, the i40 will initially be offered in estate form only. A saloon will follow later in the year.
Hyundai hasn't yet revealed full details, but we're told the i40 will be available with a 1.7-litre diesel engine that's capable of emitting a class-leading 113g/km of CO2. It will also be the first model to get a new 2-litre petrol engine, which is said to have more pulling power than the engine it replaces while being more fuel efficient and refined.
To help it compete with more premium rivals, the i40 will be available with heated folding rear seats, a heated steering wheel and an auto-defog system, which automatically detects and clears mist on the windscreen.
Also on the Hyundai stand were the Curb Concept and Veloster, making their European debuts following their unveiling at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year.
The Hyundai Volster coupe will reach UK showrooms in the Autumn. It features a single door on the driver's side, but a pair of doors on the passenger side, for easier access to the back seats. Designed to take on rivals such as the Renault Megane coupe and Volkswagen Scirocco, there will initially be just a 1.6-litre petrol engine available.
The Curb concept is an 'Urban Activity Vehicle'. It's designed to preview the next-generation of Hyundai's 'fluidic sculpture' design language and to be a test bed for the manufacturer's Blue Link infotainment technology.
