autos sport

Not to be outdone by the likes of Fiat and its range of fashion house designed special edition models, Hyundai's Italian arm partnered with Milanese fashion brand Fiorucci to create a special series of models based on the i10 city car and the larger i20 supermini.

Both the i10 and i20 by Fiorucci models are characterized by the unique color combos inside and out as well as their upgraded standard equipment and the use of exclusive materials in the cabin.

The most vibrant proposal is the i10 by Fiorucci. It is available with a choice of five colors including Deep Ocean Blue, Oyster Gray, Sleek Silver, Stone Black or Crystal White, with details such as the mirror caps and grille finished in either Fuscia (pink) or Verde Lime (lime green).

The two tone theme is repeated inside on the seat upholstery, dashboard trim, door panels, the unique gearshift knob and floor mats.

Added features include the retractable softop and a Park Assist system with a 4.5 inch monitor on the central mirror that's connected to the rear camera. The i10 by Fiorucci is powered by a 66HP 1.1-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with prices starting from €10,990.

For the more serious fashionistas, Hyundai offers the larger i20 by Fiorucci. Italian buyers can choose from four different colors (Crystal White, Blue Spark, Dark Grey, Sleek Silver and Black Diamond). All exterior details are finished in a matte black color.

Fiorucci upgraded the i20's interior with unique materials and a black and orange two-tone theme. The special edition i20 also gets two glass sunroofs and the same Park Assist system found in its smaller sibling. The only available engine option is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit with 78 ponies. Prices in Italy start from €14,990.

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The Paris Motor Show isn't all concept cars and new model launches; some manufacturers use the event to showcase limited edition models to pique the public's interest. One such limited run model is the i20 Sport Edition, co-developed by Hyundai's European R&D team and aftermarket tuners Car Research and Development (CRD) in Germany.

The exterior of the i20 Sport Edition gets body-colored front skirts and wheelarch flares, glossy mesh grille insert and B-pillar, black bezel headlights, daytime running lights, smoked side and rear glass, dark red tinted taillights and 17-inch Brabus alloys wrapped in Yokohama rubber.

On the inside, there is orange leather wrapped Recaros, a chrome shift knob and 7-inch touch screen sat nav. The centre console, door panels and gearshift cover also get the leather treatment.

The i20 Sport Edition goes into limited production in the first half of 2011, whereupon Hyundai will announce engine and transmission specs. Available as either 3dr or 5dr model, it will be manufactured in Hyundai's existing i20 plants in either India or Turkey, depending on the market.

By Tristan Hankins

What you're looking at here is the first teaser sketch of Hyundai's foray into Europe's mini-MPV segment, the ix20, which will make its world premiere along with the facelifted i10 city car at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris on September 30th.

Based on the underpinnings of the Kia Venga, the ix20 was designed and developed at Hyundai's European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and is the second car in Europe after the ix35 (known as the Tucson in the States) to adopt the South Korean firm's new 'fluidic sculpture' styling language.

Even though Hyundai is keeping details about the new ix20 confidential, being a sister model to the Kia Venga B-Segment MPV means European buyers should expect a similar engine lineup with 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre gasoline and diesel engines ranging in output from 75 to 115 horsepower.

As for the facelifted 2011 i10 city car, while Hyundai has yet to release photos, the company said the upgraded version of its city car benefits from "a comprehensive set of enhancements in terms of design, specification and competiveness – including a new 1.0-litre engine with CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km."

Check back for more details and images on both cars as the 2010 Paris Auto Show gets nearer.

The European market Hyundai i20 has received some minor improvements under the hood as well as to the aerodynamics and the interior of the car. Hyundai started by adding a small spoiler to the underneath of the vehicle to improve airflow around the wheels, while all i20s now use low friction engine oil and an alternator management system.

These changes help the best-selling 1.2-litre petrol engine reduce its CO2 emissions by 5g/km to 119g/km, while the 1.4-liter petrol model sees a 13g/km drop to 129g/km as well as a 4.3mpg UK improvement in fuel consumption.

As for the diesel engines, CO2 emissions on the 75HP model drop by 6g/km to 110g/km. Thanks to the introduction of a new 6-speed gearbox, the 90HP version achieves a 7.2% improvement in fuel economy.

Hyundai also made a few minor changes to the interior. Along with the addition of an 'Eco Drive' indicator that suggests the best time to change gear, the dashboard and instrument illumination is now blue instead of red, while Bluetooth phone connectivity with voice recognition is now added as standard on all models except the entry-level Classic.

The South Korean supermini is available to order now, with prices in the UK starting from £9,520.