USA - Hyundai has best October in History of US sales.

• ***PLEASE NOTE THE UPDATED CY/2013 SALES NUMBERS FOR ELANTRA***
• Core vehicles lead the charge with Sonata up 18 percent, Santa Fe up 36 percent
• Auto show season brings more product news and a big announcement in L.A.

Hyundai Motor America has announced sales for the month of October of 53,555 units, up seven percent versus the same period in 2012, representing the best October in company history.

“October was a bit of a roller coaster ride for the entire automotive sector so we feel pretty good about exceeding prior year sales results and posting our best-ever October performance,” said Dave Zuchowski, executive vice president of national sales. “We expect continued economic and political stabilization throughout the final two months of 2013, which should ease uncertainty, boost consumer confidence and restore a robust growth curve for new vehicle sales.”

The core vehicles in the Hyundai line-up all saw sales gains during the month of October. Accent, Sonata, Elantra and Santa Fe sales were up 7, 18, 3 and 36 percent, respectively, with Sonata and Santa Fe aided by the arrival of freshened 2014 models with high-demand features like blind spot detection. The new 2014 Equus continues its roll, with sales up 14 percent. Azera, Tucson, Genesis and Veloster 2014 models are just now arriving at Hyundai dealerships.

“Consumers sidelined during the government shutdown took to showroom floors later in the month, with Hyundai sales pacing well over prior year levels in the last two weeks,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO. “While we continue to rebuild dealer inventories on core models like Sonata and Santa Fe, we’re also looking forward to the Los Angeles Auto International Auto Show in a few weeks, where we’ll be introducing a refreshed 2014 Elantra line-up and our take on the next generation of electric vehicles.”

Fleet sales represented 18 percent of total sales in October.

Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales for the month were 6,405 a gain of 106 percent.

New European Test Centre officially opened at iconic Nürburgring location for Hyundai

• New European Test Centre officially opened at iconic Nürburgring location
• Hyundai Motor invests more than €6,6 million in its new facility
• Purpose-built site to conduct more accelerated durability tests

Hyundai Motor has officially opened its brand new European Test Centre at the Nürburgring in Germany, the company’s latest investment in its regional infrastructure. An opening ceremony marked the completion of the €6,62 million purpose-built vehicle testing facility, boosting the brand’s R&D operations in Europe.

The company’s new test centre provides it with a full-time presence at the iconic Nürburgring circuit, allowing it to further evaluate and develop the durability and driving dynamics of its vehicles more effectively and more often.

Construction of the striking 3,622m2 Hyundai European Test Centre began in June 2012 and was completed in less than 15 months. The unique glass and steel building houses workshops, office spaces and hospitality areas over four floors. The Nürburgring facility is an extension of Hyundai’s European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, where the brand’s European design and engineering teams have been based since 2003.

Hyundai’s accelerated durability tests are conducted from the European Test Centre. Each car taking part in the tests laps the Nürburgring 480 times in both dry and wet conditions, simulating over 100,000 miles of rigorous driving in less than six weeks.

Throughout each lap, data parameters are continually monitored, assessing steering input and vehicle course, suspension movement and ride and handling characteristics. The results are given directly to the vehicle development team based at the circuit, enabling Hyundai’s engineers to quickly make changes and tailor cars’ characteristics to the demands of European drivers.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe commented: “The Nürburgring is a unique challenge for any vehicle, so it is the perfect location for our new facility.  The new European Test Centre is a natural extension of our Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, and enables Hyundai Motor to more quickly and more accurately test the reliability and drivability of our vehicles. The emotional appeal of being ‘tested at Nürburgring’ will also help to further build the brand’s reputation across Europe.”

The Nürburgring is widely recognised as one of the most challenging tracks in the world, with 73 corners – 33 left and 40 right –spread across 12.8 miles of tarmac. With a difference in height of almost 300 metres between the lowest and the highest points, it features uphill and downhill gradients of 11 and 17 per cent respectively.