The high-in-demand Creta has been handling some heavy tasks in its very first month.
Article source: http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-reviews/hyundai-creta-long-term-review-first-report-399745.aspx
Hyundai’s Fleet Offerings
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HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY (HMC), in partnership with Hyundai Automotive South Africa (Pty) Ltd. (HASA), expanded its local medium commercial vehicle line-up by adding the HD72 medium-duty vehicle to the South African market.
This adds to HASA’s existing commercial vehicle line-up which includes the well-known Bakkie (H100), the Tipper and the Panel Van.
Since the Hyundai Bakkie entered the competitive LCV market in 1997, Hyundai has established itself firmly among small businesses with a need for reliable, versatile transport. The diesel Bakkie took on far more established competitors and proved itself a viable option with a long list of standard benefits.
Now, in addition to the standard Bakkie and the Tipper, Hyundai Trucks has introduced the new HD 72 truck, aimed at business operators as well as bigger fleet owners in need of a versatile and reliable vehicle to facilitate their daily operations. Its versatile nature and low maintenance make it a useful tool for enhancing the productivity of all businesses in need of a reliable 3.5 ton truck.
The introduction of the HD72 builds on the company’s strong and successful relationship with HASA which has served as HMC’s distributor for passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles for the past few years.
Power and reliability
Power and reliability defines the true value of a truck and that is what makes Hyundai trucks so appealing. For the most economical performance, the D4DA 3.9-litre turbocharged intercooled engine with a built in turbo protector produces a maximum output of 114 Kw @ 3200 RPM and displaces 380 NM @ 1800RPM. The result of the inter-cooled engine is a flat torque curve allowing for a better torque range, giving the HD 72 better durability under load, economy and superior performance. All this ensures that it comfortably carries a load capacity of 4180kg.
The bigger picture
While there are currently only four vehicle ranges in the South African Hyundai stable, it is apt to take a look at the world-wide organisation so as to put into perspective the muscle and might behind the brand.
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Automotive Group which includes Kia Motors Corp. and over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates.
Hyundai motor vehicles are sold in 166 countries through 4 504 dealerships and showrooms. In South Africa, Hyundai commercial vehicles are distributed and serviced through specialized commercial outlets and the current outlets will constantly monitor demand to ensure that any region requiring a dealership or service center is catered for.
Locals benefit
With all this expertise and muscle behind the brand, local South Africa customers benefit greatly in many spheres, not least of which is in the spec of the vehicles. Take, as an example, the safety features on the HD72.
The HD72 truck series is the result of the company’s continuous efforts to produce safer vehicles. The long list of safety advances in the HD72 truck series impresses, with a higher level of protection against frontal and side collisions.
A number of factors contribute to the increase in cab strength and rigidity. Among others, these include the injection of foam into the front pillar cavities and the reinforcement of the roof panel with steel ribs for improved rollover protection. To reduce the risk of fire, interior materials are flame-retarded. Vehicle stability has been enhanced by increasing the front and rear wheel tread distance. A large-capacity brake booster helps improve braking performance by increasing the braking pressure. In addition, a large-capacity vacuum pump increases braking pressure while requiring minimal pedal effort. Drum brake linings are larger for additional friction and better braking performance.
Vehicle stability and control during sudden braking manoeuvres is enhanced by the load sensing proportioning valve which distributes braking force between the front and rear axles in proportion to the cargo weight distribution.
Several solutions were developed in response to the challenge of improving visibility. First, the size of the windscreen was maximized thus improving forward lines of sight. The vertically stacked headlamps cast a stronger beam for better night driving visibility. And long wiper blades increase the glass sweep area. The wiper arms include built-in washers which are more effective in dispersing washer fluid particularly to the outer edges. The wiper control now features an adjustable intermittent setting.
Low noise and vibration
Driver comfort has become more and more important in vehicle design and another example of superior design in the HD72 lies in the attention given to reducing cab noise and vibration. It is well known that noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) are the automotive engineers’ toughest enemies. But Hyundai’s HD72 engineers have brought down NVH to the levels of a passenger car. Impressively low NVH performance figures were attained through a combination of factors including the application of the very latest NVH testing equipment and the use of an electronic cab analysis system.
Significantly large reductions in NVH levels were obtained by removing the roof water drip rails as well as by specifying a moulded door panel instead of the previous welded one. In order to reduce wind noise, the corner vane has been removed and the door opening gap has been reduced to 4.3mm. In addition, triple door seals were applied and more sound deadening material has been installed.
The HD 72 is fully imported as a chassis cab unit thereby giving the customer the opportunity to choose their own locally manufactured body configuration to suit their particular needs.
When you buy a Hyundai, you’re not just buying a ‘truck’. You’re buying into a world-wide network of innovation and expertise with local attention focussed on satisfying the growing band of discerning customers in the South African market for Hyundai Trucks.
Article and image source: http://fleetwatch.co.za/previous/truckwatch/Hyundai/
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Hyundai is a self-grown South Korean brand of automobiles established in the 1960's. Presently part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the motor company has registered a steady growth over the past few decades, having successfully entered European and American markets. The assembly lines operated by the company were built to match its size, the manufacturing facility in Ulsan being able to produce 1.6 million units per year.
Founded by Chung Ju Yung, born into a poor family of farmers, the Hyundai Motor Company became the first Korean car producer. The grounds for finding a car company could not have been more welcoming since post-war years in Korea brought forth a series of odd politics one of which stated that automobile imports were better than having a Korean car brand.
Yung was quick to fill the void, having raised enough capital for the investment from his very profitable construction business, opened in 1947. One year after its birth, the Hyundai Motor Company signed a technology-share agreement with Ford in 1968. Soon after Hyundai's access to Ford's resources, the first Hyundai car was developed: the Cortina. This model was quickly followed by the release of the Pony, Hyundai's first entirely Korean designed and built model. Its blueprints however, were not all-Korean, the company having used Japanese technology from Mitsubishi to develop the car.
Japanese constructors at the time had already developed wide range of models, many of which were exported worldwide, mainly to the US and South America. The Pony model was the first Hyundai to be shipped overseas in 1975.
However, Hyundai would only cross US borders later, in 1986, with the release of the Excel. The subcompact car was an instant hit with its fairly small price tag accounting for most of its popularity. The Excel was such a hit that it sold in over 100,00 units in the first seven months.
This was the last automobile that Hyundai produced before resorting to their own technology in 1988. The Sonata was their first born, a mid-size car that marked the beginning of a new era. Despite the steps the company had taken into building a strong brand image, the reputation Hyundai had previously collected was lost because of poor quality and reliability complaints.
As soon as the 90's came, Hyundai was short of air on American territory, struggling for one last gasp. Instead of retreating, the company made massive investments in new design and technology. By the time the new millennium came, the company had already reinstated as one quality car manufacturer.
Sales increased once more and with them so did the buyer's confidence in Hyundai. The sudden shift in consumer behavior was made possible by eliminating all worries regarding the vehicle's reliability through the introduction of a 10 year warranty to US sold vehicles only. Since few companies could top that, Hyundai quickly earned a spot in the world's top -10 car manufacturers.
Hyundai is currently operating in 193 countries, selling vehicles through approximately 5,000 showrooms and dealerships. Sales have also aided image growth, the brand having entered the first 100 most valuable brands of the world. Its recent history is strongly connected to investments in technology and ample advertising campaigns. Indeed, communication is one of Hyundai's inherent elements, best described by their logo: the stylized H is in fact a representation of two men (brand-buyer) shaking hands.
Article source: http://www.autoevolution.com/hyundai/history/