Hyundai Grand i10 rolls off Abans’ assembly line

Sri Lanka’s first locally assembled Hyundai Grand i10 1.2l Auto was ceremonially unveiled by His Excellency, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the Hyundai Showroom, Colombo City Centre on February 10. The launch was graced by Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Santhush Woonjin JEONG and Minister of Industries, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana and gave the invitees a first-hand experience of the all-new Hyundai Grand i10’s sleek design, innovative technology, advanced features and the capabilities of Sri Lanka youth.

This venture, a Technology partnership between Abans Auto and Hyundai Motor Company of Korea, has paved the way for the devolution of the latest engineering processes, world-class component manufacturing technologies and further technology partnerships with internationally acclaimed OEM vendors, signifying a revolution in Sri Lankan automotive engineering.

Similarly, upon using the wealth of experience in setting up world-leading assembly and manufacturing facilities across the globe, Hyundai was comprehensively involved in setting up the state-of-the-art vehicle assembly line (presently at its final stages of completion) in Seeduwa, where the Grand i10 was assembled. The massive enterprise is expected to further uplift the national automobile assembly and automotive components manufacturing industry to greater heights, giving Sri Lankan industry much-deserved recognition on the international stage.

The unveiling marks the fruition of a partnership entered into in late 2020, when the Hyundai Motor Company of Korea, reached an agreement with Abans Auto, authorising the reputed local automotive retailer to assemble Hyundai automobiles and manufacture components under licence in Sri Lanka. This is the second such venture by a global automotive manufacturer in Sri Lanka. The project is a direct technical collaboration with Hyundai, the world’s thirdlargest automobile manufacturer and the most prominent to enter into vehicle assembly and localisation in Sri Lanka.

The project to date has achieved a significant level of technology transfer and human capital development. Hyundai has paved the way for globally renowned component manufacturers to collaborate directly with local counterparts to locally produce components to Hyundai’s exacting standards.