Hyundai Motor Company is located in South Korea, with headquarters in Seoul. The company currently ranks fourth in the world in terms of sales. It firmly holds the leading position in the local market. The brand name is translated as “Modernity” or “New Time”. Note that this is entirely consistent with the proposed concept. However, this was not always the case.
The Beginning of the Brand’s History and the Identity of the Founder
The history of Hyundai begins with the founder’s personality – Chung Ju Yong was born in a small village on the site of modern North Korea in 1915. Despite the difficult financial situation of the family and the status of the oldest child, he managed to get primary education. So they got to the railway construction and later became an assistant accountant. In 1938, he managed to open his rice shop, which closed a year later due to political reasons.
Jung Ju Yong found himself repairing trucks for Americans in the post-war period. He would later enter the construction and engineering business and set up Hyundai Civil Industries with a small staff of 11 people. Yong did not count on world fame, but the younger brother spoke excellent English, making it possible to conclude many contracts with the American military, who generously paid for their services. Thus, the development of the company became inevitable.
The central place in creating the brand was also played by Park Chung-chi, who came to power in Korea and carried out many financial reforms. It was based on the personalization of production branches. So, he chose the leading company based solely on the leader’s personality. In this case, the selected company received state economic support.
Park Chung Chi turned his attention to the construction industry. Yong decided to get the location of the modern president, so he began to restore the bridge in Seoul. How much Hyundai spent is not known, but the project was unprofitable. It was possible to save the situation only by early delivery of the project, which played a decisive role in the future fate of the brand. Hyundai has become Asia’s top construction exporter.
You can only talk about Hyundai as an automotive industry from December 29, 1967. It was then that the automotive division was opened in Seoul. The growth of the company and the rapid increase in assets led to this. In the first year, about 20,000 cars were created. The new Hyundai did not have its base and experience, so it turned to the well-known automobile concern – Ford Motor for help, so the first cars that left the Hyundai factory were the Ford Cortina MK I, made under license.
Independent Path of the Brand and the First Cars – 1970-1990
Joint activities with the Americans continued until the 80s. During this time, it was possible to establish the production of Granada and Taurus. Still, the licensed copies ceased to suit the company’s management, so it was decided to develop its assets, including cars and Hyundai engines.
At the end of the summer of 1973, work began on designing the brand’s first passenger car. Development was led by George Turnbull, who previously held a management position at Austin Morris. In addition, the construction of a plant in Ulsan began.
The first car released under a personal brand was the Hyundai Pony, created with the support of Japanese and British specialists. Mitsubishi provided central assistance, so the engine and transmission were borrowed from the Colt model.
In 1974, the first model from Hyundai was introduced, the photos of which have survived to this day. Saehan Gemini and Kia Brisa appeared on the list of main competitors. Only a sedan body was used in the initial version. A pickup truck appeared two years later and a station wagon a year later. In 1980, the 3-door hatchback debuted on the market. Hyundai’s reviews were impressive: even then, the model was called the “Korean economic miracle”, as sales reached their climax. Despite little experience, the company has become a leader in the Korean automotive industry. These models allowed the company to become a leader. Rear-wheel drive ensured the popularity of Hyundai. By 1985, the number of PonyPony sold increased to 1 million copies. She was sent for export to the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium and some European countries.
In 1982, delivery to the UK began, and in 1986 to the USA. The PonyPony does not pass the strict requirements of the American market; therefore, it is sold in Canada. At that time, the Koreans failed to bring environmental conditions to standards. The next step for the development of Hyundai Motor was developing an affordable car Excel. The low price and compliance with environmental standards find a response from the American public. According to Fortune magazine, the model is included in the ten best products. At that time, the model was produced in a classic sedan and a 3- and 5-door hatchback. The Italdesign studio has a hand in creating a stylish look. Under the hood was a four-cylinder engine, working in conjunction with manual transmission and automatic transmission.
In the late 80s, a new car developed using its technology entered the market – Hyundai Sonata. However, the model has nothing to do with modern performance. The Sonata of that time was heavily criticized. Negative feedback from customers forced to close production. That is why the second generation is regarded as the “original” model. In its original form, competition with the Daewoo Royal was supposed. A cruise appeared in the cabin, a drive for the seats, chrome bumpers on the outside, and a brake booster received technical characteristics.
Hyundai’s first own engine appeared only in 1989. We are talking about a 1.5-litre power unit, called Alpha, on which Beta, Gamma, Delta will later be based.
Development of Own Model Range – the 1990s
In the early 90s, Hyundai celebrates the sale of its four millionth vehicle. In 1991, a new four-cylinder petrol engine with its transmission appeared. This makes it possible to gain technical independence for further development. The company boosted sales by extending the warranty period to 10 years or 10,000 miles, attracting many American customers.
In 1991, their car, the Hyundai Galloper, was developed based on the Japanese Pajero. The technical characteristics at that moment reach excellent results for a mass-use car – 141 hp. and 220 Nm of torque. Dealers receive two versions – in 3- and 5-door versions.
In 1992, a new concept was proposed – HCD-I, which became the first car that indicated the distant future of the famous brand. A sports coupe with the same name appeared in the same year. The party was limited because it was calculated on potential buyers who were not ready to pay big money “Europeans”.
In 1995, Accent debuted. Some markets meet him under the name Verna. The Korean manufacturer is adapting the version for Russia, which gets the name – Hyundai Solaris. This model became a full-fledged replacement for the outdated Excel from Hyundai. The reserve also took place in technical terms: buyers had the opportunity to choose between a 1.3 and 1.5-litre engine, aggregated 5- and 4-speed automatic transmissions. The company offers colouring in non-standard colours, such as lilac or pink, to attract buyers. Hyundai Starks, a minivan for a wide range of purposes, expanded the model range.
In 1998, the company began to develop its corporate image. These actions were necessary for approval in the world-class. A year later, founder Chung Ju Yong retires, handing everything over to his son Chong Mong Ku. Due to the enormous costs of improving production, the emergence of its design and investing in future developments, the company is going through hard times. Thus, the company is forced to restructure. However, this situation can be traced in this company and Kia. Hyundai buys bankrupt Kia Motors.
Previous investments gave “fruits” already in 1999 when the Koreans brought the first SUV to the Detroit Motor Show – Hyundai Santa Fe. Critics did not go over the appearance of the novelty in the best way. However, this did not prevent the car from achieving popularity in the American market. Under the hood of the SUV are 2.7 or 3.7-liter engines, producing 173 and 200 horsepower, respectively. In addition to gasoline, an alternative Hyundai was introduced. Diesel, although not very popular, the management decides to install a 2.0-litre heavy-fuel unit.
The Further Flourishing of the Brand and Popular Modern Models – 2000-present
In 2001, the Hyundai Matrix subcompact van and a crossover based on the Pajero B20 platform from Mitsubishi appeared – the Hyundai Terracan.
In 2007, the boundaries of production were expanding. Presentation of new cars begins in Russia. So, the joint production of Hyundai – TAGaz appears in Taganrog. A new Centennial car was introduced in the same year, designed to compete with the BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-class. The possibilities were overestimated, and the real rival for the model was the SsangYong Chairman. Assistance in the development of the design of this car was provided by Mitsubishi, which attracted domestic buyers.
In 2000, the Korean company agreed with the DaimlerChrysler alliance and abandoned the Hyundai Group relationship, creating a joint company a year later. The union “lived” for four years, after which Daimler Chrysler sold its stake. In 2004, Hyundai was one of the 100 most valuable brands globally. In addition, the company takes an active part in social activities becomes a sponsor of the world football championship. Hyundai Tuscan or Hyundai ix35 is presented to fans in the same year.
In 2007, an official representative office in Russia was opened – Hyundai Motor CIS. In this regard, the active growth of distribution networks begins. The number of official outlets grows to 140. Thanks to work and investment, Hyundai has managed to double the number of sales.
In 2007, the company presented a new concept Veloster in Seoul. The car will enter the series only in 2011. The novelty has acquired an unusual look: the three-door hatchback has acquired an additional door on the passenger side. This was done to expand the audience of potential buyers.
In 2008, production will start in the Kamenka industrial zone (St. Petersburg). To create the presentation, they had to invest 400 million dollars. According to preliminary data, production should produce up to 200,000 cars per year. It is noteworthy that half of these cars will have a Hyundai nameplate, and the other half – KIA. Moreover, the Koreans do not refuse production at TagAZ, releasing buses at existing capacities.
The Korean automaker is actively involved in the development of alternative fuel vehicles. Technology is moving towards hybrid cars. The first to get the title of a natural hybrid was the Hyundai Getz Hybrid. It was introduced in 2003 in Guangzhou. In the same place, a year later, Accent was shown. Developers did not stay away from hydrogen fuel cells, the development of which began back in 1998. In 2013, Hyundai announced the creation of the first mass-produced car with such a power supply – the Hyundai Ai 35 Fuel Cell, which became a continuation of the classic Hyundai ix35. The novelty reached a maximum speed of 160 km / h, and one charge was enough to overcome 594 kilometres.
In 2019, the post of director of the Hyundai Motor CIS company was occupied by Alexey Kalitsev. At the beginning of 2019, the company managed to open one of the largest training centres in Moscow, which has the latest technical equipment. The last presented car of 2019 – Hyundai Elantra, was demonstrated in Volgograd.
