To date Hyundai has enjoyed unparalleled success in Europe under the various scrappage programmes.
In the UK market Hyundai has become the King of Scrappage, with sales 100 per cent up on last year. Hyundai even reached the No 2 best selling retail car brand in the UK since the introduction of the scrappage scheme. The most popular car under its national scrappage scheme is the Hyundai i10, taking one in 12 of all orders placed nationally.
In Germany Hyundai experienced the biggest increase in retail sales (27 per cent ) under its national scrappage scheme when compared with other car marques. Overall in Europe sales of the Hyundai i10 leapt 88 per cent, i20 was up 28 per cent, while sales of the Hyundai i30 rose by 50 per cent.
Seventy per cent of German buyers who purchased a Hyundai under its scrappage scheme had never bought a Hyundai before. And in Italy, Hyundai sales are up by 72 per cent.
According to Alan Rushforth, vice president of Hyundai Europe, the Hyundai i-range vehicles - the A-segment i10, B-segment i20, and C-segment i30 - have been designed in Europe to meet the tastes and expectations of European motorists.
“They are fuel-efficient, high value and high quality - all highly desirable features in these recessionary times and in tune with the needs and wants of those buying cars under a scrappage scheme,” he says.
Stephen Gleeson, newly appointed managing director of Hyundai Cars Ireland, says: “It’s not difficult to imagine the i10 having similar success in Ireland as in the UK, particularly when the i10 has been the best selling five-door car in the A segment in 2009 and under scrappage it will now retail at € 8495 ex works.”
Hyundai Ireland looks set to continue this trend into 2010, he says. Pre-bookings for January were up by 70 per cent.
“The combination of value for money outlined in our latest sales campaign ‘Drive Hyundai or be Driven Mad’, together with seriously competitive scrappage offers, has hit the right note with the consumer.”
