Hyundai launches i10

8220;We are poised to play an important role in India and expect production in the country to account for 30 per cent of overseas production by 2009. By that time our overall production capacity would touch 600,000 units and we achieve our long term target of exporting half of it,8221; said HMIL managing director H S Lheem .

Powered by a 1.1-litre gasoline engine the i10 will be manufactured only in India and exported to over 70 countries while domestically it will lock horns with the likes of Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, Estilo, Swift, Chevrolet Spark and Aveo U-VA. This is the first car from Hyundai stable that made its international debut in India.

8220;We expect to sell a minimum of 9,000-10,000 units of i10 every month in the domestic market,8221; Lheem said adding that along with the Santro, the company is expecting to export about 2 lakh units next year with each having equal share.

Lheem said by January next year HMIL will start exporting the diesel variant of i10 with a 1.1 litre engine. 8220;We intend to launch the same diesel engine variant in India as well sometime next year,8221; he said adding that the engine would be imported from Korea.