Hyundai exporting 6,000 cars for handicapped persons to Libya

Hyundai Motor Co. has won an order for 6,000 Verna compact cars for handicapped use in an international bid invited by the Libyan government, the South Korean auto-maker said Thursday.

The first shipment of 2,500 units to Libya was conducted in the day at Ulsan port and the shipment of the remainder will be finished by the end of next month, said the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

The Hyundai compact model Verna were the cars shipped and will be offered to members of handicapped organizations under the Libyan government. Under its planned economy system, the Libyan government has imported most of automobiles, but with the double exchange rate system being cancelled, the imports of foreign vehicles will likely surge, a Hyndai official said, adding that Hyundai hopes to upgrade its brand image in Libya and step up the export of its models.

Hyundai Motor exported 4,000 units of its compact car Accent to Libya in 1995 as well as 500 units of its mid-sized sedan Sonata in 2000.