KOREAN CARS

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 4

KOREAN CARS

Britain, France and Japan are the three major international component and plant suppliers for the new Hyundai car which will be made at a giant new complex in South Korea. The Hyundai, a small family car due for launching in 1976, has been styled by Giugiaro. of the Italdesign company, and the first prototypes have been on display in Turin. The managing director of the Hyundai Motor Corporation is Mr G. Turnbull, who resigned as joint managing director of British Leyland last year to head the new South Korean! motor industry, Mr Turnbull said British component and machine tool companies had won the bulk of the contracts for the new car and the factory to build it. Hyundai Motors already! assembles the Ford Cortina] in South Korea. Of conventional layout,! the Hyundai will be powered by a Japanese Mitsubishi engine which Hyundai will eventually make under licence in Korea. Most of its other components will be British. Production is planned . to start in late 1975. and: 56,000 cars scheduled for! 1976. Hyundai will also start to manufacture light trucks 1

and vans, and it has negotiated with Perkins to manufacture a wide range of diesel engines. The major French contribution to the project will be body presses, and the Japanese will supply foundry equipment as well as engines.