Hyundai

Manufacturer Overview

It all started with a small repair shop. Now Hyundai owns and operates the world's largest assembly plant.

The simple formula began with one man: Chung Ju-Yung. Born the son of a peasant farmer, Mr Ju-Yung launched Hyundai in 1947 at the age of 32. At first it was a small vehicle repair shop. Then it grew. And became the Hyundai Auto Service Centre. 20 years later, Hyundai vehicle assembly was born. The Pony hatchback soon followed. And now, in 2005, Hyundai owns and operates the world’s largest assembly plant.

This is the story of a man who always insisted on quality, kept his promises, and created a company that’s taking the world by storm.

Chung Ju-Yung was born into a poor Korean family. But his fortunes were set to change. In 1947, aged just 32, he founded the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company. By the 1960s, it was one of Korea’s largest construction companies. The secret of its success? Chung Ju-Yung always insisted on delivering quality products on budget and on time.

In 1966, Chung Ju-Yung established the Hyundai Motor Company as a manufacturing business to sit alongside Hyundai's core construction company. The motor company had grown out of a modest array of repair shops into a national chain of service centres - and was about to embrace assembly for the first time. The Hyundai Pony became its first independently designed and manufactured model. Unveiled at the 55th Turin International Motor Fair in 1974, it was exported in 1976, and by 1984, Hyundai had produced over 500,000 models. In 1992, the company had also created its first proprietary engine: Alpha.

Our global design centres are at the heart of these advances. Populated by talented, freethinking individuals, each team brings innovative insight and ideas to every Hyundai design.

Our recent advances include headrests that minimise whiplash and seatbelt pre-tensioners that restrain drivers earlier in a crash. Hyundai cars now also have smart airbags that sense impact strength, driver's seating and belt position, and regulate inflation pressure accordingly. Side and curtain airbags also reduce the risk of injury from side collisions.

Following extensive car-to-car collision testing, we’ve lowered the bumper height on our 4x4s. We've also made our bumpers more collapsible, and, by strengthening exterior side panels, we’ve increased safety in side impacts.