Live blog: Hyundai Motor at the 2016 Paris Motor Show
World premieres, new generation models, and a sneak peek into the future. We're LIVE with Hyundai Motor who are ready to wow the crowds at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
The Paris Motor Show – or Mondial de l'Automobile – is one of the major highlights of the auto industry calendar. The biennial event attracted 1.25 million people in 2014 making this the most visited auto show in the world. The doors have just opened here and journalists and automotive experts are making their way inside where brands and exhibitors have been working hard right up to the last minute. First up for Hyundai, we get a closer look at the stylish New i10.
9:00 a.m.
The Paris Motor Show – or Mondial de l'Automobile – is one of the major highlights of the auto industry calendar. The biennial event attracted 1.25 million people in 2014 making this the most visited auto show in the world. The doors have just opened here and journalists and automotive experts are making their way inside where brands and exhibitors have been working hard right up to the last minute. First up for Hyundai, we get a closer look at the stylish New i10.
Welcome LIVE to the Paris expo Porte de Versailles. Check back throughout the day for updates, including exclusive images and the Hyundai Press Conference livestream from 15.00 CEST.
The New i10
Hyundai has once again shown it is all about democratising technology. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both feature in the multi-award winning small city hero, the New i10. Debuting at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the New i10 boasts a refined design including Hyundai’s new signature Cascading Grille on the front. It has advanced safety and connectivity features integrated into a new seven-inch touch screen navigation system along with LIVE services for real-time information such as traffic and weather. First introduced in 2008, and built at Hyundai Assan Otomotiv Sanayi (HAOS) in ĺzmit, Turkey, the i10 has sold around 670,000 units.
11:00 a.m.
Going strong since 1898, the Paris Motor Show is renowned as the stage for car makers to unveil exciting new models to global audiences for the first time. And in 2016, Hyundai Motor doesn’t disappoint. New and enhanced versions of European best sellers will get their official world debuts while we also get a look at what’s coming down the road, including motorsport-inspired technology.
IONIQ
Now we have another chance to look at a world first; the Hyundai IONIQ is the first commercially-available car offering a choice of three powertrains - plug-in, hybrid, and all-electric. It has won awards for innovation and design but does that translate to success with consumers? Sascha Martini, CEO Razorfish Germany, argues that new products must be both aesthetically pleasing as well as functional, and makes the unusual comparison of the IONIQ and a vacuum robot.
Check back throughout the afternoon for updates of the event, including exclusive images and of course the Hyundai press conference Livestream at 15.00 CEST.
13:00 p.m.
Coming up, we'll be heading back over to Pavilion 3, Stand 417 for the Hyundai Press Conference. If you don't have the chance to gain a top spot near the gigantic video wall, tune in to the livestream at www.hyundai.news/pms2016. Viewers can look behind the scenes and watch interviews with European executives from Hyundai Motor, previewing the latest news from the brand.
15:00 - Press Conference
The arena is buzzing with anticipation as we get ready for the Hyundai Press Conference. We've already spotted President and Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer and Head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development Albert Biermann. At the moment we're still hearing the roaring sounds from the Honda press conference. As soon as they go silent, attention will shift over to the Hyundai booth. Here, the stage is decked out with stunning cityscape views including the beautiful 'City of Lights', Paris with its iconic Eiffel Tower. Peter Schreyer now takes to the stage and welcomes the audience ahead of the unveiling of the New Generation i30.
And here they come. The lights on stage turn off as the LED screen beams images of people walking towards each other. And now three gleaming i30 models emerge from the moveable wall.
The New Generation i30
Jochen Sengpiehl, Vice President Marketing at Hyundai Motor Europe, comes onstage to proudly introduce the New Generation i30. Designed, developed, tested and manufactured in Europe, the New Generation i30 is the DNA car for Hyundai Motor, representing the core of the brand in Europe. Designed to meet the modern driver’s preference for a technologically-inspired travel experience, the i30 includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with wireless charging for smartphones.
Two previous generations of i30 have sold more than 800,000 cars in Europe since 2008. The New Generation i30 was designed in Hyundai Motor Europe’s Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, produced in Nošovice, Czech Republic, and tested on the famous Nürburgring racing circuit,
Now it's time for our second unveiling, this time the eagerly-anticipated RN30 concept car. Once more the lights on stage dim and the RN30 drives out of the moveable LED screen.
Now it's time for our second unveiling, this time the eagerly-anticipated RN30 concept car. Once more the lights on stage dim and the RN30 drives out of the moveable LED screen.
RN30
Head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development Albert Biermann is introducing the high-performance N concept, the RN30. Based on the New Generation Hyundai i30, the RN30 concept was born as a racing machine, developed in close collaboration with Hyundai Motorsport (HMSG), Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) and Hyundai Motor’s Performance Development & High Performance Vehicle Division. The RN30 boasts a purposeful aerodynamic design and specialised high-performance technologies such as faster gearshift, and more precise power steering to deliver thrilling high-speed driving.
The RN30 builds anticipation for Hyundai’s N brand, models built with motorsports-inspired technology and race-track capable cars. The division is named after Namyang, Hyundai’s global R&D centre and birthplace of many Hyundai cars, and the Nürburgring, where they are tested.
17:00 p.m. WRC challenger
Let's take a look at some of the other Hyundai highlights.
Hyundai Motorsport’s 2017 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) challenger is also being previewed at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. The model is based on a three-door Hyundai i20 and has been developed to meet WRC’s 2017 technical regulations, which have given greater aerodynamic freedom to designers. The car has undergone testing throughout Europe since April 2016 in all different conditions and will make its competitive debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January next year. The livery on show here in Paris is an interim version, with the final specifications and new look to be revealed in December.
Contacts
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Florian Büngener
Head of Department PR & Communications
fbuengener@hyundai-europe.com LinkedIn ProfileAdriana Cerami
Head of Section Corporate & Brand PR
acerami@hyundai-europe.comKatharina Kupper
Hyundai Newsroom Lead
kkupper@hyundai-europe.comAnja Wente
Product PR & Communications Expert
awente@hyundai-europe.comElvira Herrera
Corporate Communications Expert
eherrera@hyundai-europe.comÁngel Pino Pérez
Product Communications Professional
apinoperez@hyundai-europe.comMaria Bricio
Corporate & Brand Communications Expert
