26 Friday, August 21, 2009 theboltonnews.co.uk/cars - for hundreds of cars in Bolton
HYUNDAI dealers are bracing
themselves for the busiest month in the
network's history, as thousands of
customers rush to take advantage of
the government scrappage scheme.
The company secured extra production
of the most popular i10, i20 and i30
models and has rushed them to Britain
to make sure buyers can secure
scrappage funds before the
government's pot of cash runs out.
In the past month more than 10,000
new Hyundai cars have arrived at
Tilbury docks in Essex, been
processed and sent straight out to
dealers. This is three times the amount
of vehicles processed in the same
period last year.
Dealers have taken on extra staff to
cope with the demand and several
plan to open around the clock to help
process the orders and arriving cars.
It's not just the `i' cars which have been
a sell-out success. Hyundai secured
the last Coupes to come off the
production line and was able to pass a
massive �5,035 discount on to buyers.
It means that the head-turner is
available for just �11,995 with
scrappage -- less than a mid-range
supermini!
Buyers are recognising the Coupe offer
is a real bargain and have been
snapping them up, with more than
1,000 sold in the past six weeks.
Stocks are only expected to last until
the end of September.
Hyundai's managing director, Tony
Whitehorn, said: "No other
manufacturer has worked harder to
keep scrappage customers satisfied.
We are expecting record numbers of
buyers to choose a Hyundai for their
new 59 registration car this September
as we clear away the scraps and bring
bargain-hungry buyers a new plate."
Dealers
braced for
busy time
Quality the key for Hyundai
ROADTEST
WITH all due respect, you won't
often hear the Hyundai i10 referred
to as a metaphor for Formula 1
racing, yet there's been a hint of
the mid-season upgrade about the
diminutive city car recently.
These days, particularly with the
new ban on in-season testing, race
teams can improve their
performance overnight with the
addition of a complicated new
piece of aerodynamic bodywork
honed in wind tunnels and
computer simulations. Not until it's
bolted on in the heat of competition
does the team really know how it's
going to work in a real world
scenario.
Hyundai wasn't exactly tentative
about introducing the new 1.2-litre,
16-valve petrol unit to the Hyundai
i10, but probably wouldn't have
blamed anyone for raising a
questioning eyebrow at the 0.1-litre
increase in capacity. It might have
been a questionable move had it
simply been an infinitesimally larger
version of the same unit, but the
"Kappa" 1.2 was an all new engine.
The numbers speak for
themselves; an 18 per cent
increase in power, 20 per cent
increase in torque, three second
decrease in zero to 62mph time
and an additional eight mph
dropped onto the top speed, and
with exactly the same combined
fuel economy and emissions.
Hyundai also claimed greater
refinement from the unit, too.
Clearly, the new engine was a tasty
proposition despite the �200
premium over the original 1.1-litre.
So tasty that the 1.1-litre quickly
became consigned to the history
books, just like those "Wacky
Races" style Formula 1 cars with
six wheels and huge turbines
bolted to the back.
The Hyundai i10 is now offered
with the new 1.2-litre engine only,
complete with five-speed manual or
four speed automatic gearbox, and
it is a marked improvement. That is
not to say the old 1.1-litre was a
bad engine -- its performance was
adequate considering the vehicle's
positioning and price. However, the
1.2-litre allows the impressive little
i10 to punch above its weight in the
engine stakes, something it was
already doing in terms of looks and
practicality.
With its chic styling, the i10 is a
smart and contemporary city car.
Hyundai's latest models have
benefitted from a greater emphasis
on styling for the European market.
The i10 is fresh faced with a
distinctive, but uncluttered appeal.
Inside, there's a genuinely
surprising amount of room with the
high roofline and steep front
window creating an airy feel within
the spacious cabin. The five-door
layout is extremely practical,
including the well proportioned
boot door.
Surprisingly for a car with such a
small footprint, the i10 will happily
accommodate four adults and
could pass muster as a family car
for those with younger children.
They wouldn't be able to pull it to
pieces either. Build quality is good
and although materials are hardly
class-leading, panels and
switchgear are robust and decent
looking.
The increase in performance
courtesy of the 1.2-litre engine is
immediately noticeable. With the
new engine and the 5-speed
manual gearbox, the model feels
considerably livelier. Naturally, it is
unlikely to set the world ablaze with
its performance, but 77bhp is
enough to allow the i10 to hold its
head high in faster moving traffic.
It's a considerably smoother
engine, too, increasing refinement
in the cabin. Although it needs to
work relatively hard to keep pace
on the motorway or long uphill
stretches, it doesn't incessantly
buzz or grow tiresome. The tall
body can make it susceptible to
side winds but, with a wheel at
each corner, it generally feels
stable and secure on the road and
body roll is kept within reasonable
parameters.
Around town, the i10's diminutive
stature is a real blessing. Boasting
a tight turning circle, short doors
that can be opened in a tight spot,
a stubby little bonnet that's easy to
place and a decent driving
position, it's a breeze to drive in
traffic.
In the top specification Style
model, the impressive array of
equipment makes the i10 an even
easier model to live with. Air-con,
front and rear electric windows and
a sunroof are welcome additions.
Heated front seats seem positively
philanthropic. Elsewhere, fog lights
and an electric sunroof increase
the value for money factor
considerably.
The Hyundai i10 was already an
attractive city car proposition. The
introduction of the new engine
means it should now register
strongly as a respectable quality
and value for money vehicle.
As with motorsport, it seems a
small change can make a big
difference.

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 9Page 10Page 11Page 12Page 13Page 14Page 15Page 16 Produced by PageSuite