New Delhi: Hyundai Motor India has announced the launch of the diesel variant of its Getz Prime.

Commenting on the launch of the Getz Prime Diesel, H S Lheem, managing director, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, "Following the success of Getz Prime in India, we have decided to add another variant to the Getz Prime range. The diesel variant will provide the much needed economy for some of our customers who travel long distances everyday."

The car comes with a state-of-the-art 1.5 litre, four-cylinder CRDi turbo charged diesel engine with VGT, which is quiet, powerful and according to the company, absolute fun to drive. Lheem says it will enable Hyundai''s customers to enjoy the performance of a power packed diesel engine.

The performance and safety features make the Getz Prime a popular car in markets abroad, specially in Europe where it is well liked for its sporty styling, performance and safety. In terms of safety, the Getz Prime meets stringent European safety norms, and enjoys a 4-star European NCAP rating.

The new Getz Prime 1.5 diesel four-cylinder Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) engine produces an impressive 110 PS@4000 rpm as peak power, ensuring quick response and robust acceleration. It delivers an impressive torque of 24 kgm@1900~2750rpm, providing for pick-up and performance. The car has a ground clearance of 160mm, adequate for moving around Indian roads. The engine is mated to an efficient 5-speed manual transmission.

The diesel Getz is available with new beige interiors. April 2007 had seen the launch of the new Getz Prime in two engine variants in petrol, the economical 1.1 litre and the more powerful 1.3 litre engines. The Getz Prime Diesel is the new addition to the line-up and is expected to hugely bolster the popularity of the Getz Prime.

The Getz Prime is also exported, with Europe being a favoured destination where the car has done well in the 20 odd countries that it is exported to. From March 2007 till now 13,668 units have been exported, and plans for the year include 24,000 units that will be shipped mainly to Greece, Germany, Italy and Spain. The list of the countries to which the Getz Prime is exported is set to grow substantially over the next few years, with South Africa, Israel and Turkey scheduled to be added to the list almost immediately.

With Hyundai adding production capacity in India next year onwards, the country will be the main sourcing hub for the Getz Prime, in accordance with global plans of making India a hub for small car exports.

The Getz Prime Diesel will be available in the company''s showrooms across India after the first week of October 2007, at an ex-showroom price of Rs569,900 (Delhi).