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This is the first official design sketch of the 2012 Hyundai i30, which gets its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

It will rival models including the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf and is likely to benefit from Hyundai's five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

Engines are expected to be very similar to the i40's, with a 1.7 diesel, 1.6-litre turbo petrol and 2-litre petrol with power from 113bhp to around 175bhp.

Blue Drive models will have the lowest CO2 emissions and best fuel economy, courtesy of sleek aerodynamics, optimised gearing and low rolling resistance tyres.

When the i30 first arrived in 2007, it was the first Hyundai completely designed and built in Europe. The next-generation model takes this design ethos a step further, sharing its 'fluidic sculpture' nose design with the newly launched Hyundai i40 Tourer.

Hyundai sales are going from strength to strength in the UK, increasing from 28,000 in 2008 to 62,000 last year - a 120 per cent increase.

The Hyundai i10 is the carmaker's most popular model in Britain, accounting for 24,000 sales in 2010, while the i30 found 15,000 homes.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai ix35 4x4 launched last year has already doubled Hyundai's sales target and couldn't be built fast enough to meet demand.

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