HMIL to start R

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Jan 12 (UNI) Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) today said its research and development (R&D) facility in Hyderabad will get operational from February one for software tests of its products.

''We will start our Hyderabad R&D centre from first of next month, which has already shifted from Chennai, for the software tests of our products. We plan to increase our strength to 900 by 2010,'' said HMIL Managing Dirctor H S Lheem, at the launch of the diesel version of Sonata Embera priced at Rs 14.75 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

He, however, declined to divulge the investment details for the R&D centre.

Mr Lheem said, with the launch of this vehicle, the company targets to grow the diesel variant at 65-70 per cent of its sales in the next few months.

The luxury sedan combines contemporary elegance, luxurious interiors and high-end safety features with a quieter and powerful common rail direct injection (CRDi) diesel engine which uses a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to boost power further.

With a newly designed light-weight engine (2-litre) block, the company boasts it will help it achieve better fuel efficiency levels and performance and this engine is mated to a super slick six-speed manual transmission.

The vehicle has a ground clearance of 170 mm which is suitable for the Indian roads.

Mr Arvind Saxena, Vice President (Marketing and Sales) said this luxury vehicle is targeted for those customers who want to experience driving of a premium car in a luxury car like the speed, sound, comfort and most importantly the engine, which gives the same feel as of a petrol one.

''It will be difficult for a person to differentiate between the diesel and the petrol variant while driving the Sonata Embera CRDi as the pick-up, suspension are like that of a petrol engine,'' said Mr Saxena adding that the price of the vehicle will also be hiked in the coming months.

The company increased the prices of its Verna model by Rs 3,500- Rs 10,000 last month.

UNI

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