Hyundai i10 to get new engine in 2010

A new 800cc, 3 cylinder turbocharged version of the i10 city-car will be introduced in Spring 2010.

Based on the Hyundai i10 Blue CNG concept that was revealed at the 2008 Geneva show, the new i10 should produce around 90bhp and emit less than 100g/km. Although the concept ran on compressed natural gas and emitted just 65g/km despite a power output of 97bhp, CNG demand in the UK has always been low, so the production car will run on standard petrol.

Likely to be named the i10 i-Blue, the new model will be shown with a mild facelift of the whole i10 range to boost sales of the already popular Indian-built Korean hatch.

The Hyundai i10 i-Blue will be the most powerful and most expensive i10 but prices won’t stretch too far over the current flagship model £8,300 1.2 Style, thanks to low production costs of the all-new engine.

The i10 will be first to benefit from the turbocharged, 3 cylinder motor, but expect to see it put in both Hyundai’s and Kia’s future models.