Paris Preshow: 2011 Hyundai i10 Receives Makeover

Three years after its introduction, Hyundai has given its i10 a mid-cycle facelift, providing the city car with a new front snout that takes styling cues from the ix35 SUV (marketed as the Tucson in the States). Along with the hexagonal grille, the 2011MY i10 gets a reshaped bumper and new headlamps as well as a new set of exterior mirrors that now incorporate turning signals.

For the time being, we only have a single photo of the car's exterior, but it is said that the i10's interior has also received some minor tweaks.

More significant than the styling updates, however, are the changes underneath the hood as the i10 receives a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine with 68-horsepower and less than 100g/km CO2 emissions.

The i10 will make its world premiere along with the new ix20 MPV at this month's Paris Auto Show.

2011MY Hyundai i10 Facelift

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2010MY Hyundai i10

Hyundai Shows its First Pure Electric Car, the i10 'BlueOn'

In a special event in South Korea, Hyundai revealed its first production-ready full electric car named "Blueon". Based on the firm's small i10 hatchback, the BlueOn was developed over a one year period, with an investment of approximately 40 billion Won, or US$34 million.

The Blueon is equipped with an electric motor producing 61kW (82HP) and maximum torque of 210Nm. Energy is drawn from a 16.4 kWh LiPoly (lithium-ion polymer) battery pack, which offers a driving range of 140 km (87 miles) on a single charge.

When connected to a regular household power supply, the battery pack can be fully recharged within six hours, while under the 'quick charge' method, the battery can be replenished to around 80 percent capacity in 25 minutes.

Hyundai says the BlueOn can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 13.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 130km/h (81mph).

Like other EVs, the BlueOn features a Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS), which creates an artificial sound for the safety of pedestrians when driving at low speeds.

Hyundai said it is planning to provide around 30 BlueOn test fleet vehicles to a number of Korean government organizations over the next few months to develop and test charging infrastructure over a two year period, with a goal of building building 2,500 examples for sale by the end of 2012.

"We are proud to introduce the world to BlueOn, which was fully developed in Korea and displays Hyundai's latest technological advancements," said Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, Vice Chairman at Hyundai's Corporate R&D Center. "Consumers' interests and demand for eco-friendly cars are rising and securing such advanced technology is critical in becoming an industry leader. Hyundai is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and satisfying market needs."

Paris Preshow: Hyundai Teases ix20 Small MPV and Announces i10 Facelift

What you're looking at here is the first teaser sketch of Hyundai's foray into Europe's mini-MPV segment, the ix20, which will make its world premiere along with the facelifted i10 city car at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris on September 30th.

Based on the underpinnings of the Kia Venga, the ix20 was designed and developed at Hyundai's European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and is the second car in Europe after the ix35 (known as the Tucson in the States) to adopt the South Korean firm's new 'fluidic sculpture' styling language.

Even though Hyundai is keeping details about the new ix20 confidential, being a sister model to the Kia Venga B-Segment MPV means European buyers should expect a similar engine lineup with 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre gasoline and diesel engines ranging in output from 75 to 115 horsepower.

As for the facelifted 2011 i10 city car, while Hyundai has yet to release photos, the company said the upgraded version of its city car benefits from "a comprehensive set of enhancements in terms of design, specification and competiveness – including a new 1.0-litre engine with CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km."

Check back for more details and images on both cars as the 2010 Paris Auto Show gets nearer.