The recruitment drive is designed to help the carmaker cope with a massive product onslaught that will see six cars and two vans launched within the next 18 months. Starting with the i30 small family hatchback, launching in September, several new products are slated to follow in spring 2008.

They include the i10 city car, a Transit-sized van and minibus codenamed TQ, and the i30 estate called the cross-wagon. The i40 Mondeo rival (plus a Matrix supermini MPV) are both due in the summer, while the i20 supermini arrives in the autumn. To deal with all this activity, which will transform Hyundai's range and is expected to double its current sales to 70,000 by 2012, Jim Campbell, Hyundai UK's marketing director, told Motor Trader he could “happily cope with another 40-50 dealers”.

However, both new and existing dealers will have to conform to a new set of standards and margin structure that will take into account customer service ratings – based on facilities, sales processes and product presentation – as well as just units sold. Campbell said dealers have been positive about the proposed change – which should be in place by the end of the year – even though in the short term the extra investment in sales training and facilities needed to meet the standards will hit income. But he pledged the margin structure would be “very clear” and added: “There is no point doing it unless it improves standards. This is not just a one product story, it's a mindset change.” Dealers have been invited to the Millbrook proving ground for training on the highly specified i30 in July.