Australian Car Guide

2001 June: Daimlerchrysler and Hyundai have announced joint plans to build engines for commercial vehicles. DC bought 10% of Hyundai ~September 2000.

2001 March: Terracan 4x4 testing reactions at the Motor Show.

2000 November: Santa Fe 4x4 (right) gets its Australian press launch and "the cars for sale are on the boat".

2000 August 16^th:  The Hyundai Business Group is to separate the Hyundai Motor Company, founder Chung Ju-Yung selling 6.1% of the motor operation. The Motor Group will include Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors (see 1998), Hyundai Precision Industries, Hyundai Capital Services, Hyundai Pipe, Hyundai Aerospace and two internet companies. Hyundai has an alliance with Daimler Chrysler which includes a commercial vehicle joint project and agreements to work together with Mitsubishi Motors (in which Daimler Chrysler holds a significant stake).

2000 June 26: "DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai Motor Co. have agreed to form an alliance under the terms of which Daimler Chrysler will acquire a 10 percent stake in Hyundai [for A$720 million]. [...] 50/50 joint venture for the development, production & marketing of commercial vehicles. An alliance for the development & production of passenger car. To submit a non-binding bid for Daewoo Motor Co. to investigate the merits for the alliance between Hyundai Motor Co. and Daimler Chrysler.".

1999, January: the Santa Fe light-duty four wheel drive came out at the 1999 Detroit Motor Show. One sale mid 2000, Korea.

1998, October 21: Hyundai won the bidding to take-over Kia, the deal to be approved, or not, by 17 November.
The contract was formally signed on 1 December 1998.

1998, February: Automotive chief executive, Mr. C. K. Liew, announced that Hyundai would have a recreational 4WD to compete with CR-V and RAV4 by the Sydney 2000 Olympic-Games. (See the Santa Fe, 1/1999.)

1997: Hyundai are better known for 2WD cars but make four wheel drives too - this one spotted by Tony Wright is the spitting image of an early Pajero and must point to a technology exchange? The location is the entrance to Thang Loi Hotel, Hanoi, in late October 1993 - Tony Wright

The picture of the Hyundai as in your 4WD car list, is a so called Hyundai Galloper. Hyundai make these 4WD cars only for the local market and I know they also export it to some countries in Africa. The car is indeed a copy of the Mitsubishi Pajero though the model showed in your page is an old Galloper model. The new Gallopers still do resemble a lot the old Pajero's though they are much more comfortable including electrical mirrors, electrical windows, aircon', deluxe seats etc. The engine is of the Hyundai Motor Company and is a 4 cylinder diesel, which they also use in their vans. The Galloper Exceed has a 2.5 liter diesel engine with approx. 80 hp and a top speed of approx. 135 km/hr. The turbo engine has a 85 hp engine. Further there are the intercooler models and also V6 engines. I have driven a Galloper during my two year stay in Korea and imported it back to Holland and the car is very satisfying.
- Stephan Dusault

Also see the Accent, Elantra, Trajet and Excel cars.