Lock them in

Automobile firms worried about the impact of rising petrol/diesel prices would do well to learn a thing or two from Korean automaker Hyundai, which has just launched several models in the US by assuring buyers they could buy gas at $1.49 a gallon, or around half that prevailing in the open market — Hyundai would make good the difference in costs at select petrol outlets. Depending upon how much the average buyer drives in a year, auto firms may find this a useful tool with which to attract customers. Apart from other methods, Hyundai has also been using sites like Twitter to attract customers.