The new Hyundai Atos – which was revealed wearing the Santro badge in India earlier in October 2018 – will ride on an updated version of the Grand i10’s platform.
Speaking to indianautosblog.com, Puneet Anand, senior general manager for marketing at Hyundai Motor India, revealed the new budget hatchback would switch from the old Atos architecture to a version of the current Grand i10’s underpinnings.
“Different platform from first Santro is used for the new Santro [Atos] and it is also sharing the platform with the Grand i10. That is the platform that has been given because we say it is a bigger, wider, [more] spacious car. It has more length, more width, and more wheelbase,” Anand told the publication.
So, exactly how much smaller is it than the Grand i10? Well, we now know the new Atos measures 3 610 mm long, which makes it a full 155 mm shorter than the model under which it will slot. The Atos is 1 645 mm wide and 1 560 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2 400 mm (the latter just 25 mm down on that of the Grand i10).
We have also since learned that the naturally aspirated 1,1-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine will offer 51 kW at 5 500 r/min and 99 N.m at 4 500 r/min, facilitating a top speed of 150 km/h. Transmission options will include a five-speed manual and an automated manual gearbox with the same number of cogs.
Anand also revealed exports of the new Santro/Atos from India would commence in early 2019.
“So, basically, South Africa is one market; we are also looking at the Latin American countries, we are also looking at Middle-Eastern countries and we are also looking at some of the Southeast Asian markets,” he told indianautosblog.com.
“Somewhere in the first quarter of next year [2019], after February, we will start exporting Santro to the global markets,” Anand confirmed.
In September 2018, Stanley Anderson, Hyundai Automotive SA’s director of sales and operations, seemingly confirmed the Atos nameplate would make a comeback to local shores, saying the brand was aiming to bring in the new model during the first quarter of 2019 “for under R150 000”.
