Much-awaited Sporty MD Elantra Arrives In Malaysia

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) previewed to the media its fifth generation Inokom MD Elantra (a licensed product from Hyundai Motor Company) which is scheduled to be launched at their showroom nationwide on April 6th, 2012. The introduction of this new C-segment compact sedan with its new sleek sporty design, class-leading performance and fuel efficiency is expected to take the car industry by storm.

According to Mr Lau Yit Mun, Managing Director of HSDM, the MD Elantra will definitely be the choice of many Malaysian motorists. “The MD Elantra offers a complete package of what you would desire of a car. It has a dynamic compact design, premium touch, high fuel efficiency, spaciousness, low maintenance cost and all these at an accessible price. This car has them all! Todate this car has won a total of 42 awards and accolades globally and most importantly, it has won the 2012 North America Car of The Year,” said Mr Lau.

Mr Lau added that he is confident that the new MD Elantra will do extremely well in terms of sales as it has an edge over its competitors of the same segment (C-segment). HSDM is also hoping to capture a bigger market share in the C-segment with the recent automotive sales review and outlook by Frost and Sullivan on the C-segment’s expected sales increase to 238,300 units this year.
The MD Elantra is available in four variants, which covers a wide market segment:

 
WIND CRAFT DESIGN LANGUAGE
Having its roots in Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy, the sophistication and dynamic lines are applied into the shape of the MD Elantra. This design concept called “Wind Craft” is applied on the new MD Elantra, evoking a piece of sculpture literally crafted from the wind. The “Wind Craft” design is also inspired by nature’s fault lines and dynamic waves.

By lowering the roofline, creating muscular wheel arches and adding sharply creased character lines that flow from the A-pillar along the bonnet and into the front bumper, the compact sedan is given a powerful and assertive stance. The distinctive hexagonal grille clearly establishes the new MD Elantra’s identity as a Hyundai family member. Swept-back head lamps complete the elegant exterior.
The refined look continues inside. In particular, the silver garnish that starts from the dashboard and leads to the console features a windblown shape that exudes an overall refined and dynamic image. High-gloss black and metallic colours used in the cabinet add a futuristic, high-tech look to the interior of the MD Elantra.

AERODYNAMICS
With its lower roofline and low boot lid, the MD Elantra produces a sleeker and sportier profile with a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.28, reducing wind resistance thereby improving fuel economy. A kicked-up boot lid and carefully sculpted rear lamps allow smoother airflow. A centre floor deflector and flush surfaces in the bottom of the car minimise air turbulences, as well.

OVERALL DIMENSIONS
The Elantra rides on a 2,700mm wheelbase, which is 50mm longer than its predecessor and is also one of the longest wheelbase in its class. Its overall length exceeds its predecessor by 25mm at 4,530mm but the 1,775mm width is the same as before. The height has been lowered by 35mm to 1,445mm without affecting headroom. Interior cabin space has been enlarged by 18 litres.
 
POWERTRAIN
The MD Elantra comes with a choice of two engines, Nu D-VVT 1.8-litre MPI and Gamma 1.6-litre MPI D-CVVT. Mated to six-speed transmissions, both engines deliver impressively more horsepower while consuming less fuel and producing lower emissions than the powertrains they replace.

1.8-litre Nu (MPI) D-VVT Engine
The 1.8-litre Nu Multipoint Fuel Injected (MPI) D-VVT four-cylinder engine is capable of up to 150ps of horsepower at 6,500rpm while producing 178Nm (18.2kg.m) of peak torque at 4,700rpm, when pushed to the limit. The Nu is smaller in size, weighs 33.6 kilograms less and helps achieve an 18-percent improvement in highway fuel economy, when compared with its predecessor.
The Nu engine features an aluminium block with a cast iron cylinder liner, cylinder head and crank. This unique configuration results in a block that is 30 percent lighter than an iron block, shedding more than 33.6 kilograms off the entire engine weight, while still providing comparable strength.

The 1.8-litre Nu engine also features Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT) camshafts and hydraulic engine mounts for optimum power, efficiency and refinement. Using D-CVVT on both camshafts has several advantages when compared with using it just on the intake camshaft. Those include a 2 percent improvement in performance (increased volumetric efficiency), 2 percent improvement in fuel economy (reduced pumping loss) and a 30 percent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions.

In the valve train, roller swing arms and Hydraulic Lash Adjusters (HLA) reduce valve driven friction to improve fuel economy around 1 percent compared with direct valve driving. The Nu engine also features a maintenance free silent timing chain system to enhance durability and improve Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
 
A plastic two-stage Variable Induction System (VIS) enables switching between long and short intake manifolds, resulting in increased across-the-board performance. These result in a 4 percent improvement in performance, a 15 percent reduction in cost and 30 percent reduction in weight, when compared with aluminium manifolds.

Another tool Hyundai engineers have incorporated into this MD Elantra is an electronic throttle control. The electronic throttle control with fast responding electronics replaces the conventional cable and mechanical linkage found in the previous generation Elantra. This system accurately controls air intake and engine torque, improving drivability, response and fuel economy.

Hyundai’s first application of double-pipe plumbing (internal heat exchanger) is found in the Elantra. Double-pipe plumbing improves cabin cooling performance, while minimising the capacity of the compressor, which further reduces fuel consumption. An external controlled variable compressor, as opposed to an internal variable compressor, is also used to improve fuel efficiency.

The Nu four-cylinder engine also has an offset crankshaft design that reduces friction between the piston and cylinder wall for a one percent improvement in fuel economy.

1.6 Gamma (MPI) D-CVVT Engine
Lightweight thanks to its all-aluminium body structure, the 1.6-litre Gamma MPI four-cylinder engine is equipped with D-CVVT to boost horsepower output of 130ps at 6,300rpm and allow lower exhaust emissions while delivering best-in-class fuel-economy. Peak torque measures 157Nm(16.0kg.m) at 4,850rpm.
The Gamma features a Mechanical Lash Adjuster (MLA) that improves fuel efficiency and overall rigidity while its lower inertial mass helps reduce friction and noisy valve clatter. The intake/exhaust manifold system improves engine performance with the application of a novel structural design, reducing chronic problems and enhancing durability.

Hyundai’s commitment to making the MD Elantra highly fuel efficient continues with a six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control or a standard six-speed manual transmission.

Developed and manufactured entirely in-house, the all-new six-speed automatic transmission is the world’s first to be designed for engine applications in small mid-sized passenger cars. The new transmission consists of three planet gears, two clutches and three brakes, making it smaller, more compact and lighter than any other six-speed auto transmissions on the market today. Hyundai is one of only three global car manufacturers that design and produce its own unique six-speed automatic transmission.
 
Average Fuel Consumption

*Actual fuel consumption rating may vary based on driving habits, vehicle loading as well as road and traffic conditions.
 
MODERN, SOPHISTICATED INTERIOR
Inside the MD Elantra, one will be impressed with Hyundai’s expertise in interior packaging, lighting, leading-edge design and craftsmanship. This approach is visible in the clarity of the instruments and the tilt and available telescopic steering wheel (1.6 AT High Spec & 1.8 AT Premium only). The seats in the 1.8 AT Premium variant comes with luxury Nappa leather and made from environmentally friendly foam, which gives its passengers greater comfort when travelling on rough roads. Not only does the MD Elantra have multiple storage areas, it also delivers useable storage capacity. It also has a boot capacity of 420 litres.

SMART FEATURES
The MD Elantra has many smart features that are not found in other compacts. They include the safety power window (driver’s window), LED safety escort headlamps that remain turned on for 30 seconds after the driver leaves the car and rear parking assistance sensors. Auto light is also a standard feature for all variants. Other great features that are only found in the 1.8 premium variant are the rain sensor that activates the wiper automatically when it rains, an air-conditioned system that comes with an auto defogging system, cluster ionizer system that purifies the air and deodorizes harmful gases by generating cluster ions and audio visual navigation (AVN) with reverse camera visual display. The 1.8 AT premium variant is also fitted with a sunroof and auto cruise control.

Other features of the Elantra include the smart key that allows keyless entry and a engine start/stop button (except 1.6 MT Standard), a 10-way driver power seat (only for the 1.8 AT premium), and a Motor-Driven Power Steering (MDPS), comes as a standard feature in all variants which not only improves the steering quality but also enhances the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

DRIVER’S SAFETY 
The Elantra is built with safety in mind with a hot stamped ultra-high strength steel body structure. Its ultra-rigid body structure provides an all-important first line of defense before the airbag deploys to cushion impact forces. The structure includes the extensive use of ultra-high tensile strength steels in critical areas of the body. The widespread use of this specialty steels provide 37 percent increase in body stiffness at a lower body weight.

Other security features include the VSM (Vehicle Stability Management) and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), which help the vehicle stay in a stable position (found only in the 1.8 AT Premium Variant and the 1.6 AT High Specifications Variant).

The MD Elantra comes in 7 colours, namely Ceramic White, Sleek Silver, Hyper Silver, Clean Blue, Tomato Red, Santorini Blue and Phantom Black. It will be available for viewing, booking and test-drive at all Hyundai showrooms nationwide starting 6 April, 2012.

HSDM offers a 5-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) extended warranty on all its new passenger vehicles. Hyundai’s extended warranty is in accordance to its manufacturing warranty. A 24-hour road assist service is also now available to new and existing Hyundai vehicles.

Malaysian motorists can place their bookings at the nearest sales outlet or call its Customer Careline at 1-300-13-2000 for more information.

The MD Elantra has recently been named the 2012 North American Car of The Year at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This is Hyundai’s second time winning The Car of The Year Award after its first in 2009 with Hyundai Genesis winning that title. The MD Elantra was voted and shortlisted by a jury of 50 veteran automotive journalists from USA and Canada. With 174 points, the MD Elantra defeated the Volkswagen Passat (161 points) and the Ford Focus (155 points) for the 2012 North America Car of The Year. The MD Elantra has also recently won Car of the Year prize for 2012 in the prestigious annual competition of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists and WesBank.

Other awards and accolades won by the MD Elantra include: