Hyundai is making three key changes to support its future sales and growth in the UK and Europe.

  • Hyundai Motor UK will change the company slogan from ‘a car first. A badge second’ to the new global brand line, ‘drive your way’.

  • The company also plans to build a €1 billion (£0.7 billion) manufacturing facility in mainland Europe. The exact location has yet to be confirmed. Hyundai hopes to start the build in 2008 and finish by 2010.

  • Hyundai Motor Europe has completed the main structure of a new €15 million (£10.14m) engine facility at its headquarters in Germany. The new facility will house 10 new test benches and accommodate an additional 80 specialised technicians and engineers when it opens in June 2006, bringing total staff 130.

    HMUK marketing director, Jim Campbell, said: "The changes are a clear signal of Hyundai’s determination to grow sales in Europe from a forecast of 420,000 units this year to 520,000 in 2006 and 580,000 in 2007."