History of the Hyundai car brand

In the automotive market, Hyundai has a place of honor for selling reliable, elegant and innovative vehicles at an affordable price. However, this is just one niche in which the brand specializes. The name of the company appears on some models of locomotives, ships, machine tools, as well as electrical engineering.

What helped the automaker gain such popularity? Here is the story of the brand with the original logo, headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Founder

The company was founded in the post-war period - in 1947 by the Korean entrepreneur Chong Chu Yong. It was originally a small car workshop. Gradually, it grew into a South Korean holding with a multi-million audience of admirers. The young master was engaged in the repair of American-made trucks.

The situation in the country contributed to the fact that the Korean entrepreneur was able to develop his engineering and construction business. The fact is that the president, who in every possible way supported economic reforms, Park Jong Chi, came to the board. His policy included funding from the state treasury for those companies that, in his opinion, had a good future, and their leaders were distinguished by special talents.

Jung Zhong decided to win the favor of the president by undertaking the restoration of a bridge in Seoul, destroyed during the war. Despite big losses and tight deadlines, the project was completed quickly enough, which interested the head of state.

Hyundai was selected as the main company providing construction services in several countries such as Vietnam, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The brand's influence expanded, creating a solid foundation for establishing a platform for the automotive industry.

The brand was able to move to the level of "automaker" only at the end of 1967. Hyundai motor was founded on the basis of the construction company. At that time, the company had no experience in the production of cars at all. For this reason, the first global projects were associated with the co-production of cars according to the drawings of the Ford auto brand.

The plant manufactured such car models as:

• Ford Cortina (first generation);
• Ford Granada;
• Ford Taurus.

These models rolled off the Korean assembly line until the first half of the 1980s.

Emblem

A badge was chosen as the distinctive Hyundai motor logo, which now closely resembles the letter H written with a slope to the right. The brand name translates as keeping up with the times. The badge that was chosen as the main emblem underlines this principle.

The idea was as follows. The company's management wanted to emphasize that the manufacturer always meets its customers halfway. For this reason, some of the logos depicted two people: a representative of an auto holding company who meets a client and shakes his hand.

However, the very first logo that allowed the manufacturer to distinguish its products from the background of world analogues was two letters - HD. This short abbreviation was a challenge to other manufacturers, they say, our cars are no worse than yours.

Vehicle history in models

In the second half of 1973, the company's engineers begin working on their own car. In the same year, the construction of another plant began - in Ulsan. The first car of our own production was brought for presentation at the motor show in Turin. The model was named Pony.

The designers of the Italian auto studio worked on the project, and the already well-known automobile manufacturer Mitsubishi, by and large, was engaged in technical equipment. In addition to assisting in the construction of the plant, the company approved the use of units in the first-born Hyundai with which the first generation of Colt was equipped.

The novelty entered the market in 1976. Initially, the body was made in the form of a sedan. However, in the same year, the line was expanded with a pickup with identical filling. A year later, a station wagon appeared in the lineup, and in the 80th - a three-door hatchback.

The model turned out to be so popular that the brand almost instantly took a leading position among Korean car manufacturers. The subcompact body, attractive appearance and engine with good performance brought the model to an incredible volume of sales - by the 85th year more than a million copies were sold.

Since the inception of Pony, the carmaker has expanded its scope of activity, exporting the model to several countries at once: Belgium, the Netherlands and Greece. By 1982, the model made it to the UK, and became the first Korean car to hit the roads of England.

Further growth in popularity of the model moved to Canada in 1986. There was an attempt to establish the supply of cars to the United States, but due to inconsistencies in environmental emissions, it was not allowed, and other models still ended up on the US market.

Here is the further development of the auto brand:

• 1988 - Production of the Sonata begins. It turned out to be so popular that today there are eight generations and several restyled versions (about how the facelift differs from the next generation, read in a separate review).The first generation received an engine that was manufactured under license from the Japanese company Mitsubishi, but the management of the Korean holding was striving to become completely independent;
• 1990 - the next model appeared - Lantra. For the domestic market, the same car was called the Elantra. It was an elegant 5-seater sedan. Five years later, the model received a new generation, and the body line was expanded by a station wagon;
• 1991 - Launch of the first off-road vehicle called Galloper. Externally, the car looks like the first generation Pajero, due to the close cooperation of the two companies;
• 1991 - its own power unit was created, the volume of which was 1,5 liters (about why the volume of the same engine can have a different meaning, read here). The modification was named Alpha. Two years later, a second engine appeared - Beta. To increase confidence in the new unit, the company provided a 10-year warranty or 16 kilometers of mileage;
• 1992 - a design studio was created in California, USA. The first HCD-I concept car was presented to the public. In the same year, a sports coupe modification (second version) appeared. This model had a small circulation and was intended for those who considered European counterparts too expensive, but at the same time wanted to own a prestigious car;
• 1994 - another famous copy appeared in the collection of cars - Accent, or as it was then called X3. In 1996, a sports modification appeared in the coupe body. In the American and Korean markets, the model was called Tiburon;
• 1997 - The company began to attract minicar enthusiasts. Motorists were introduced to the Hyundai Atos, which was renamed Prime in 1999;
• 1998 - the second generation of Galloper appeared, but with its own power unit. At the same time, motorists had the opportunity to purchase a model c - a station wagon with a large capacity;
• 1998 - the Asian financial crisis, which crippled the economy of the whole world, affected the sales of Hyundai cars. But despite the downturn in sales, the brand has produced several decent cars that have received high marks from global auto critics. Among such cars Sonata EF, XG;
• 1999 - after the restructuring of the company, new models appeared, which emphasized the desire of the brand's management to master new market segments - in particular, the Trajet minivan;
• 1999 - the introduction of the representative model Centennial. This sedan reached a length of 5 meters, and a V-shaped eight with a volume of 4,5 liters was located in the engine compartment. Its power reached 270 horses. The fuel transport system was innovative - direct injection GDI (what is it, read in another article). The main consumers were representatives of state authorities, as well as the management of the holding;
• 2000 - the new millennium opened for the company with a profitable deal - the takeover of the KIA brand;
• 2001 - the production of commercial freight and passenger transport - N-1 began at production facilities in Turkey. The same year was marked by the appearance of another SUV - the Terracan;
• 2002-2004. - there are a number of events that increase the popularity and influence of the auto brand on the global production of vehicles. For example, there is a new joint venture with Beijing, is the official sponsor of the 2002 football match;
• 2004 - release of the popular Tucson crossover;
• 2005 - the emergence of two important models, the purpose of which is to further expand the circle of fans of the company. This is SantaFe and the premium sedan Grandeur;
• 2008 - the brand expands its premium car range with two Genesis models (sedan and coupe);
• 2009 - Brand representatives took advantage of the Frankfurt auto show to show the public the brand new ix35 crossover;

In 2010, car production expanded, and now Korean cars are manufactured in the CIS. In that year, the production of Solaris in different bodies began, and the KIA Rio is being assembled on a parallel conveyor.

And here is a short video on how the assembly process of Hyundai cars is going on:

This is how your HYUNDAI cars are assembled