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A South Korean vehicle manufacturer founded in 1967 as a subsidiary of the Hyundai conglomerate founded in 1947. Hyundai's name comes from a Korean word for "modernity" written as 現代. Together Hyundai, Kia (since Hyundai's majority acquisition of Kia in 1998), and 2015 luxury spinoff Genesis form the Hyundai Motor Group.
Truck trailer and cargo container manufacturer Hyundai Translead is also a part of the overall Hyundai conglomerate.
The Hyundai Motor Company (Hangul: 현대자동차; Hanja: 現代自動車) is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The company was founded in 1967 and, along with its 32.8% owned subsidiary, Kia Motors, together comprise the Hyundai Motor Group, which is the world's fifth largest automaker based on annual vehicle sales in 2012. In 2008, Hyundai Motor (without Kia) was ranked as the eighth largest automaker. Hyundai sold 4.4 million vehicles worldwide in 2012, and with Kia, total sales were 7.12 million.
Hyundai is the fourth largest vehicle manufacturer in the world. Hyundai operates the world's largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, South Korea, which has an annual production capacity of 1.6 million units. The company employs about 75,000 people worldwide. Hyundai vehicles are sold in 193 countries through some 5,000 dealerships and showrooms.
Genesis Motors is the luxury car branch of Hyundai.
Chung Ju-Yung founded the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in 1947. Hyundai Motor Company was later established in 1967. The company's first model, the Cortina, was released in cooperation with Ford Motor Company in 1968. When Hyundai wanted to develop their own car, they hired George Turnbull in February 1974, the former Managing Director of Austin Morris at British Leyland. He in turn hired five other top British car engineers. They were Kenneth Barnett body design, engineers John Simpson and Edward Chapman, John Crosthwaite ex-BRM as chassis engineer and Peter Slater as chief development engineer. In 1975, the Pony, the first Korean car, was released, with styling by Giorgio Giugiaro of ItalDesign and powertrain technology provided by Japan's Mitsubishi Motors. Exports began in the following year to Ecuador and soon thereafter to the Benelux countries.
In 1984, Hyundai exported the Pony to Canada, but not to the United States, because the Pony didn't pass emissions standards there. Canadian sales greatly exceeded expectations, and it was at one point the top-selling car on the Canadian market. In 1985, the one millionth Hyundai car was built.
In 1986, Hyundai began to sell cars in the United States, and the Excel was nominated as "Best Product #10" by Fortune magazine, largely because of its affordability. The company began to produce models with its own technology in 1988, beginning with the midsize Sonata. In the spring of 1990, aggregate production of Hyundai automobiles reached the four million mark. In 1991, the company succeeded in developing its first proprietary gasoline engine, the four-cylinder Alpha, and also its own transmission, thus paving the way for technological independence.
In 1996, Hyundai Motor India Limited was established with a production plant in Irungattukottai near Chennai, India.
In 1998, Hyundai began to overhaul its image in an attempt to establish itself as a world-class brand. Chung Ju Yung transferred leadership of Hyundai Motor to his son, Chung Mong Koo, in 1999. Hyundai's parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, invested heavily in the quality, design, manufacturing, and long-term research of its vehicles. It added a 10-year or 100,000-mile (160,000 km) warranty to cars sold in the United States and launched an aggressive marketing campaign.
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10 February 2017 15-56014 Caitlin Ahearn v. Hyundai Motor America United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Objectors appeal the district court's order granting final approval of a nationwide class action settlement between class representatives and Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America, Inc., and awarding attorneys' fees. Download 15-16178 Abdul Mohamed v. Uber Technologies, Inc. - 404MB - 42:54
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10 February 2002
South Korean Carmakers Make Huge US Sales Increases Michael Leland for Voice of America News
United States District Court, Central District of California, Western Division Kehlie R. Espinosa et al. v. Hyundai Motor America Hyundai Motor America's Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification
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