Korean manufacturer Hyundai celebrated the production of its 100 millionth vehicle recently, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 rolled off the production line at the company’s Ulsan Plant, this facility recognised as the birthplace of the Korean car industry. Here in 1975 Hyundai produced its first independently developed model the Pony. For the record Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967, building its first car, a Ford Cortina under license, before moving on to its own car design a year later. I well remember the brand’s arrival in Australia under Alan Bond’s distribution in 1986 where it became one of our fastest growing brands with the cheap and cheerful small Excel hatchback. The company snapped up Kia in the mid-nineties – last year becoming the world’s third biggest producer delivering 7.1 million vehicles behind Volkswagen with 8.8 million and Toyota with 10.8 million. I’m David Berthon.

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