Written by: Martin Ward
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 

Hyundai chose their brand new factory to show us their new SUV concept for the first time which will be the replacement for the Tucson. We went to Nosovice on the Czech/Polish border and 90km north of the Kia Plant in Zilina. The new plant in Nosovice was just a field 18 months ago but is now a fully working car production facility. It employs 1,800 staff who work just one shift at the moment. Around 95% of them are local to the plant and 25% are women who earn on average 850 euros per month.

 

Raw metal goes in at one end, is pressed on site and 21hours later, finished cars roll off the line ready to go to the new rail head on the complex to be transported all over Europe. One car is produced every minute and the attention to detail is a high priority. The fit and finish on the vehicles is constantly checked, with every tenth car rigorously tested. Hyundai have planted 1,700 new trees and 50,000 bushes to help the local environment and are being cared for by a local specialist to ensure all survive the harsh winters they have in that area.

There will be around 200,000 new i30 Hatchback and Estate models built in Nosovice this year but up to 300,000 will be built when two new cars go into production later this year and extra shifts start.

  

The ix-onic will not be built at this plant but at the Kia factory in Zilina. A new small Kia will be built at Nosovice alongside a new small Hyundai. The concept ix-tronic will replace the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage but will look slightly different to each other and the concept car. The ix-onic is 4,400mm long and will be powered by either a 170ps 1.6 GDI diesel engine or a 4 cylinder petrol engine which will have ISG (idle stop and go) to reduce Co2 emissions and improve fuel consumption.

 

The ix-onic is a very stylish car and if positioned and priced correctly then it will sell in the required numbers around Europe. However, it has got some good competitors so getting everything right at launch is imperative.

  

The new plant is very modern and everywhere was spotless with quality at the forefront of every employee’s mind.

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