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HYUNDAI’S RANGE
IS GROWING
When the Korean
vehicle manufacturer, Hyundai, entered the local commercial vehicle
segment nearly nine years ago, it focused on the core requirements
of the market at the time and quickly captured a large portion of
the market that had previously been neglected by other
manufacturers. Its introduction of the now legendary H100, which is
effectively a cross between a truck and a bakkie, won immediate
support and a significant number of fans.
Since then, Hyundai
has firmly established itself among small, medium and large
businesses that have a need for reliable, versatile transport. The
diesel bakkie took on far more established competitors and proved
itself a viable option, with a long list of standard benefits. Now,
in addition to the standard bakkie and the recently updated Tipper
version, Hyundai has introduced the HD65 and HD72 purpose-built
trucks, aimed at business operators, as well as large fleet
owners.
The introduction of
these two new trucks further contributes to the company’s strong
and successful relationship with Hyundai Automotive South Africa,
Hyundai Motor Company’s distributor for passenger cars, sport
utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles in South
Africa.
Power and
reliability
Power and reliability
define the true value of a truck. For the most economical
performance, the HD 72 features a D4DA 3.9-litre turbocharged,
inter-cooled engine, with a built in turbo protector that produces a
maximum output of 114 kW at 3200 rpm and 380 Nm of torque at 1800
rpm.
The HD65 features a
D4AL 3.3-litre turbocharged, inter-cooled engine, also with a
built-in turbo protector that produces 85 kW at 3400 rpm and
displaces 294 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm.
The inter-cooled
engine delivers a flat torque curve, allowing for a better torque
range, giving the HD 65 and HD 72 better durability under load,
economy and superb performance. This ensures that the HD 65
comfortably carries a load capacity of 2 500 kg, while the HD 72
offers a load capacity of 3 500 kg.
Comfort and
Safety
Integral to overall
vehicle efficiency is a happy, comfortable driver. Hyundai takes
this fact to heart and therefore has drivers help design its cabs.
As a result, all Hyundai cabs are as quiet and roomy as possible
with excellent field-of-vision. Power steering and a telescopic
steering column are just some of the features that help make driving
a Hyundai truck such a pleasant task.
Safety advances in the
HD 65 and HD72 truck series begin with the strong and rigid ‘safety
cab’, which offers a higher level of protection against frontal
and side collisions.
To increase the safety
inside the cab, foam is injected into the front pillar cavities, the
roof panel is reinforced with steel ribs and interior materials are
flame-retardant. Vehicle stability has been enhanced by increasing
the front and rear wheel tread distance. A large-capacity brake
booster helps improve braking performance and a large-capacity
vacuum pump increases braking pressure while requiring minimal pedal
effort. Drum brake linings are larger for additional friction and
better braking performance.
Vehicle stability and
control during sudden braking maneuvers is enhanced by the load
sensing proportioning valve, which distributes braking force between
the front and rear axles in proportion to the cargo weight
distribution over each axle. Furthermore, exhaust brake systems are
standard on both the HD 65 and HD 72 trucks.
Several solutions were
developed in response to the challenge of improving visibility.
First, the size of the windscreen was maximized thus improving
forward lines of sight. The vertically stacked headlamps cast a
stronger beam for better visibility while driving at night, and long
wiper blades increase the glass sweep area. The wiper arms include
built-in washers which are more effective in dispersing washer fluid
particularly to the outer edges. The wiper control now features an
adjustable intermittent setting.
Low noise and
vibration
Cab noise and
vibration has been significantly reduced in the HD 65 and HD72,
making the ride more comfortable for the driver. It is well known
that noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) are the automotive
engineers’ toughest enemies. However, Hyundai’s HD 65 and HD 72
engineers have brought down NVH levels to those of a passenger car.
Impressively low NVH performance figures were attained through a
combination of factors including the application of the very latest
NVH testing equipment and the use of an electronic cab analysis
system.
Significantly large
reductions in NVH levels were obtained by removing the roof water
drip rails and by installing a moulded door panel instead of the
previous welded one. In order to reduce wind noise, the corner vane
has been removed and the door opening gap has been reduced to 4.3
millimeters. In addition, triple door seals have been applied and
more sound deadening material installed.
The HD 65 and HD 72
are fully imported as chassis cab units, thereby affording the
customer the opportunity to choose their own locally manufactured
body configuration to suit their particular needs.
Solid Backing
While Hyundai does
market larger trucks in other parts of the world, South African
customers can buy Hyundai products locally with confidence.
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group which includes over two dozen
auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing over 68,000
people worldwide, Hyundai vehicles are sold in 193 countries through
some 5000 dealerships and showrooms.
Hyundai’s innovation
and expertise worldwide has seen commercial vehicles sales
sky-rocket, while flourishing local sales attest to the
company’s focus on satisfying the needs of the market. Hyundai
commercial vehicles are available from Hyundai commercial
dealerships nationwide.
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