Beijing Hyundai's second automotive plant will start manufacturing three new models in 2008, which are redesigned versions of Elantra HDC, Sonata Yuxiang and the i30, company announcement revealed.

Hyundai's annual capacity in China will double up to 600,000 units after automobile manufacturing begins at the new $1-billion second plant, located on the suburbs of Beijing.

Volume production in the new plant, which is scheduled to start in April 2008, will see the roll out its first model, the new Elantra HDC in the same month. The Elantra HDC featured at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 2007. According to Jin Fangxin, deputy general manager of Beijing Hyundai, the company will also continue the production of the old version of Elantra, along with the new model.

The company plans to make the new Sonata Yuxiang in the second half of 2008, which will be followed by the production of i30 at the end of 2008.  Currently, Hyundai produces and sells five models in China, including the Sonata, Sonata Yuxiang, Elantra, Accent and Tucson.

Beijing Hyundai is a 50:50 joint venture founded in 2002 by Hyundai Motor Co and Beijing Automotive Holdings. In 2007, Beijing Hyundai says it sold 231,137 vehicles in the Chinese market, including 120,333 Elantra, 44,729 Tucson, 26,665 Accent, 25,528 Sonata and 799 Sonata Yuxiang vehicles.

The Korean automaker aims to sell 380,000 vehicles in the Chinese market in 2008, which will mark about 60 per cent increase from last year's 231,000 units. The company is confident of achieving its 2008 target, boosted by the completion of its new plant and the subsequent launch of the new models.