Hyundai i40 Sedan

A couple of months after the i40 estate, Hyundai is preparing the sedan version of the car, simply called the i40 sedan, to be unveiled at the Barcelona autoshow next week. Like the estate, the i40 sedan is a car designed and developed in Europe for the Europeans and it’s set to rival big names in the D-segment by offering a cool design based on Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, new fuel efficient engines, and above all great value for money which is a direct result of the awesome features it offers at a reasonable cost. So European’s might not get the Sonata and Azera, but Hyundai is treating them much better with the i40. Details of the car are yet to be revealed. For now check out Hyundai officials comments on the car in the press release below: Hyundai has released the first rendering of its new i40 saloon, ahead of the world premiere at the 2011 Barcelona Motor Show on May 12th. This debut follows the global reveal of the i40 estate at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year. The i40 saloon will be the latest model to be unveiled under the company’s new brand slogan – ‘New Thinking. New Possibilities.’ The i40 saloon boasts a purely European identity having been designed and engineered at the European R&D headquarters of Hyundai in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and represents the next evolution of the company’s unique form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. The ‘fluidic sculpture’ design DNA utilises flowing lines inspired by nature to create a dynamic exterior, and was introduced on the Hyundai ix-onic concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Since this debut, ‘fluidic sculpture’ has been the design inspiration behind all new Hyundai models, such as the award-winning ix35 and ix20. “We have used very strong, fluid lines from front to rear to give i40 a distinctive appearance,” commented Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre. “We wanted to move away from the typical three-box saloon and create a car that was in keeping with the sporty nature of the i40 estate. By sculpting a low, elongated roof line, we’ve given the i40 saloon a striking coupe-like silhouette,” he added. The i40 saloon not only benefits from attractive styling, but also retains high levels of interior comfort, with a wheelbase measuring 2.77 metres and delivering best-in-class dimensions for front head (1025mm), shoulder (1455mm), and leg (1170mm) room. “While the exterior of i40 saloon stands out for its fluidic form and distinctive appearance, the interior has been shaped to deliver practicality and comfort to the driver and passengers in a high-quality package,” Thomas Bürkle concluded. Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “The launch of the saloon represents the next step of the i40’s introduction to the European market, following the very positive reception for the i40 estate. The i40 saloon shares the same qualities found in the estate, including a dynamic design element, and broadens the appeal of the i40 to buyers in the D-segment. “The saloon market in Spain is very strong, claiming almost 40% of the D-Segment, so the Barcelona Motor Show was the logical choice for a reveal of such importance. We couldn’t be more delighted to be holding the world premiere of the i40 saloon in Barcelona, a vibrant European city steeped in culture and creativity,” he concluded. The world premiere of the all-new i40 saloon at the Hyundai stand will take place in Hall 8 at the Montjuïc Exhibition Centre at 12:20 (CET) on Thursday 12th May 2011.