Hyundai Motor says Indian sales to exceed 2 mln vehicles

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday its cumulative sales in India will soon reach two million vehicles this year, 10 years after the first Hyundai car went on sale in the world's second-most populous country.

Indian sales of Hyundai have totaled 1.91 million vehicles as of the end of
August, the South Korean automaker said in a statement.

"Hyundai is preparing for the next 10 years in India by introducing new
models and reinforcing marketing campaigns," said Lim Heung-soo, head of
Hyundai Motor India Ltd., in the statement.

Hyundai is India's second-largest carmaker by sales.

In February this year, the automaker began operation at its second manufacturing
facility outside the southern Indian city of Chennai, doubling its total
production capacity to 600,000 units a year.

In a bid to avoid chronic labor strikes at home and insulate itself from currency
fluctuations, Hyundai is aggressively building plants overseas.

Hyundai, which forms the world's sixth-largest carmaker with its affiliate Kia
Motors Corp., aims to turn the Indian plants into a hub for small-car exports.

Currently, Hyundai's Indian plants export to more than 60 countries.