Hyundai and Kia – both part of Hyundai Motor – have said they will speed up platform sharing to cut research and development costs and improve HM’s competitiveness.


The Yonhap news agency reported that the plan calls for building six basic platforms for all vehicles made by the companies by 2012.


At present the two companies use a combined 18 different platforms to make 32 models. Yonhap said. Of these, six are shared to make different vehicles like Hyundai’s Avante (sold in the US as the Elantra) and Kia’s Forte.