The vice president of Hyundai Motor Europe, Allan Rushforth, is expected to visit Malta shortly.

Mr Rushforth is responsible for all European sales, after sales and marketing activities.

With over 25 years automotive experience, Mr Rushforth previously held senior positions with various automotive companies around the world.

Upon his appointment, Mr Rushforth was entrusted with helping Hyundai enhance brand image and grow market share in Europe. Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea's largest auto manufacturer, has just posted its best monthly sales performance ever as sales rose 11.4 per cent to 253,846 units on a global basis from a year earlier. This brought first half sales to a record high of 1,481,152 units, a 14.2 per cent year-on-year increase. This result was mainly achieved thanks to overseas sales, a company spokesman said.

Hyundai's domestic passenger car sales drove the company to new heights. In fact, Hyundai last month reached the ranks of the Global Top Five Automakers.

Malta is considered to be a very important market for Hyundai. Even though the Maltese market is small, Hyundai has been one of the top three best-sellers over the past six years, with market share figures entering double digit numbers, car industry sources said.

This is also an important period for Hyundai because of the re-launch of a number of its models.