The figures represent a 10 percent surge, an 8.2 percent rise and a 91.8 percent compared to the same period last year in terms of sold units, sales and operation profit, respectfully.

Hyundai Motor revealed its Q1 business performance at a conference call at Hyundai Motor headquarters on April 22. The automaker logged 1.522.2 trillion won in net profit.

A Hyundai Motor official said sales rose compared to the same period of the previous year on the back of the base effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and sales recovery in major countries, and despite the weak dollar (strong won), the automaker saw its operating profit increase on the back of rising units sold and the improving of the sales mix.

The portion of value-added products, such as Genesis and SUVs, sold during the January-March period increased compared to a year ago, contributing to improving the profitability.

Auto demand in major global markets is showing signs of recovery on the back of each country’s steps to stimulate their respective national economies, and the base effect in the post-pandemic era.

However, a shortage of global chips is expected to be exacerbated, raising a possibility of disrupting the production of some cars, the official said.

Hyundai Motor sold 1,000,281 units on the global stage for Q1 on a wholesale basis, up 10.7 percent over the same period of the previous year. The automaker sold 185,413 cars, a 16.6 percent jump over the previous year on the back of the recovering industry demand and the run of new cars such as Tucsons and GV70s.

Despite sluggish sales in some overseas markets such as Europe, buffeted by the pandemic, emerging markets such as India and Central and South America sold 814,868 units, a 9.5 percent surge over last year on the back of sales recovery.

Hyundai Motor Unveils KONA N

Hyundai Motor introduced the KONA N, a small-sized high-performance SUV, in Seoul on April 27 — for the first time in Korea and abroad.

The KONA N, unveiled on-line, is Hyundai Motor’s first performance SUV. The previous KONA models included 130N, a European hatch-back model, and Veloster N, and this time the KONA has added the high-performance N-line. The KONA N can carve corners, provide an agile response, and is always ready for the track.

The KONA N delivers performance that complements its distinctive sporty design. The dynamic driving spirit coherently flows from the engine to the exterior for a sporty look and aerodynamic performance.

The interior conveys an emotional excitement when driving. N specific details such as the steering wheel, performance-blue color accents, shift knob, sports seats, and metal pedals set the tone.

The new 10-inch infotainment and digital cluster system with digitalized elements provides a driving experience as though playing a game.

The new ‘N mode design’ delivers information such as lap time and N track map, while the N buttons can be customized to toggle frequently used drive modes. With an exclusive racing HUD that features four driver-optimized information, you can focus solely on the road.

The KONA N is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged GDI engine with 8-speed wet DCT The N DCT offers three exclusive high-performance functions: N Power Shift (NPS), N Grin Shift (NGS) and N Track Sense Shift (NTS), all of which maximize exhilarating driving pleasure.

The powertrain delivers maximum power of 280ps, which potentially reaches up to 290ps with the N Grin Shift, and maximum torque of 40 kgf·m.

The engine offers a flat power that prolongs maximum power at high RPM and enhances acceleration for even more fun, be it on the road or racetrack.