Hyundai to produce new minicar in India

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor India Ltd. plans to begin production of a gasoline-engine car codenamed HA800 this September. The new vehicle may have an introductory price of INR250,000 (US$5,470). The new vehicle will help Hyundai compete with Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors. Both automakers are already producing cars with less than 1.0-liter gas engines. Maruti’s Alto small car is India’s largest selling car model with close to monthly sales of 25,000 units. Tata Motors sells some 6,300 units of the 0.6-liter Nano minicar every month. (August 23, 2011)