The new face of Hyundai India

[mrkanitkar]

@ mods please move in proper post if needed.
Hyundai hires Ashok Jha ahead of i10 launch
DNA - Money - Hyundai hires Ashok Jha ahead of i10 launch - Daily News & Analysis

NEW DELHI: Hyundai Motor India has announced a new president — former finance secretary Ashok Jha. DNA Money had reported this in August.
His appointment comes when Hyundai is in the process of making India a hub for small cars.
Jha’s familiarity with the functioning of the government appears to have been the main criterion for Hyundai choosing him for the post that has been lying vacant for the past one-and-a-half years since B V R Subbu left the company.
For Hyundai, having a president in Delhi is crucial to liaison with the government since the managing director, H S Lheem, operates from Chennai.
Jha is coming in just when Hyundai is gearing up for the launch of its third compact car in India — ‘i10’ — whose success could prove instrumental in deciding the company’s road map.
This car would be manufactured only in India and exported to most of the 70 destinations Hyundai already caters to from here.
Santro has been Hyundai’s bread-and-butter model and the company plans to position the new compact ‘i10’ between the Santro and the Getz. Jha said 35-38% of revenues are from exports but the export content would rise to 50% next year when the second manufacturing facility comes on stream.
“We are looking at 5.3 lakh unit production next year, of which about 2.65 lakh would be exported. By 2009, three lakh units of the total six lakh that we produce here would be exported,” Jha says.
When asked about his perception of the role he would play in Hyundai, Jha said: “Companies don’t need to be hand held by the government any more …. I will do much of what my predecessor was doing, not just liaisoning with the government.”

Finally Hyundai is also changing face. Looks it's time for auto cos to change top guys, it was GM, Maruti -Suzuki, Hyundai ...

[vkochar]

I have always liked Hyundai as a company. Right from the start 8 years back. Maybe it is because I have owned 5 Hyundai's these past 7 - 8 years. Still got 2 of them.

Recently when Subbu left the company, hyundai started showing strange market policies which were bringing the company down.

BUT now I realise that the Korean Automobile Giant was just undergoing a change. I think it has realised that the potential of Hyundai lies in Mid segment and Start segment vehicles and not Luxury vehicles. People who buy a Hyundai expect their vehicles to be priced at around the 5 lac mark and not the 15 lac mark - Reason why Santro is Still the 2nd largest selling car and Embera hardly selling !!!

Their new i10 is bound to capture a solid chunk of the market - I think it will outsell Swift which is currently selling 7000 + Cars every month ( Source - ACI )

When I was at the showroom yesterday evening I had a long talk with the Owner, I was surprised to hear that getz 1.1 has a waiting period of over 3 weeks - which was a genuine waiting period. He said Hyundai's dealers are not charging customers any premium ( unlike Swift Diesel ). Also 1.1 would have discounts / benefits of about 5 - 10k.

Until 2 months back, the getz hardly had any takers, but suddenly the getz started selling like aything, 1.3 is another story - it does not sell at all.

The i10 - If launched in Diesel has the potential to take over the Indica, Swift Diesel. It will sell like hot cakes !!

The getz is now going to be renamed - i20.

The i30 which is a Performance hatch is also going to be sold in 2008 Mid Onwards - Power would be 1.5 engine ( I was told )

Let's see what other tricks Hyundai has in its sleeves.

[directinjection]

Exporting 50% of the production means something! No other auto maker in India does that, with the sole exception of Ford India, even though their exports of Ikon have mostly been by way of SKD kits rather than fully built cars.

That's how MNCs should really be operating in India. Bringing in FDI, creating jobs and earning more foreign exchange than what they repatriate back home by way of royalties and dividend.

One appreciates the seriousness with which the Koreans have taken India. Just look at LG and Samsung for instance.

Maruti Suzuki, are you listening?

[vkochar]

Oh Yes, I completely agree with you there. the Koreans are not something you can ignore. People actually Bash Koreans when they think of companies like Daewoo.

BUT LG, Samsung, Hyundai are all World Leaders giving Nightmares to their respective rivals all over the world.

Hyundai is getting ready to come with a bang. Now only if it plays all its cards properly - it will hit the Jackpot just like the Santro !!

[cartech]

I think Hyundai has shown more confidance in India than any other manufacturer. They always brought new technologies to India. They were first to get PS, ABS in B segment and also CRDI in C segment. They upgraded models regularly. They got more foreign exchange than any other car co.

[Hyundai.Lover]

Thank God .... Hyundai is changing gears. They were really going down since more than 1 year. Really poor marketing policies. Atlast i had seen an ad on tv of Verna.. Really Boring Ad. The car is a rocket and they should make the ad like fiesta had made go fida.. 5 min. test drive.
Hope Ashok Jha will do something good to the companies and the company should cop up with the Indian Market.
apart from team bhpians... not many of them knows about the new launch. havnt seen any boardings no ads on i10. Atleast they should go for the prelaunch ads, to make the indians more excited. don't show the shape... just the flash on hyundai.co.in is good enough for the prelaunch ad. But they should adopt more of media ads for their promotion.
I really like the flash and tried to decompile it. Sweet.. its a heavy flash. but these type of prelaunch TV ads will be a boost for this babe i10.