Sales of Hyundai Motor Co.'s popular Grandeur sedan are expected to surpass the 100,000 unit mark this year fueled by strong consumer demand, industry sources said Wednesday.
As of August, 76,360 units of the all-new Grandeur had been sold, and if the brisk pace of sales continues, the best-ever annual sales target for a full-size car may be reached, according to the sources.
The car, sold as the Azera in the United States, began reaching consumers in January and was an instant success with sales topping 10,000 units in February. It currently ranks third overall in domestic sales after Hyundai's Avante compact and the Morning small-size city car, made Kia Motors Corp.
Sales of the Avante reached 86,121 units in the first eight months of the year, with numbers for the Morning hitting 80,838 vehicles.
Hyundai and Kia are flagship companies of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group, which is the fifth-largest automaker in the world.
"If the annual target is reached, Grandeur will be the ninth model to have sold more than 100,000 cars in a one year period after such cars as Hyundai's Sonata, Kia's Pride and Renault Samsung Motors Co.'s SM5," an industry insider said.
Sales of the Sonata exceeded the annual 100,000 unit mark 18 times, making it the best selling mid-sized car in the country.
Hyundai's Accent subcompact and Avante series have reported annual sales exceeding 100,000 units six and nine times, respectively, which has contributed to the company's dominance in the local market. (Yonhap)