Citing the country's rapid sales expansion and Hyundai's desire to maintain its market share, Hyundai's top executive in China said: "We would need a fourth plant."

"The question is when will it be and that is being reviewed," said J.M Noh, president of Beijing Hyundai, the Korean automaker's joint venture with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co.

A spokesman later clarified Noh's statement, which was made through an interpreter. The spokesman said Hyundai has not decided to build a fourth plant in China, but that the matter is under review.

Noh said he agrees with forecasts that call for China's passenger car sales to rise from about 12.7 million units this year to "around 20 million after 2015" and 30 million after 2020.

Noh said Hyundai expects to maintain its share of the passenger vehicle market, which was 6.3 percent last year.

In 2010, Beijing Hyundai sold 703,000 passenger cars, putting it fourth behind Shanghai GM, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW VW.

Hyundai broke ground on its third Chinese plant in December, a 300,000-unit facility in the Beijing area that will bring its China capacity to 1 million units when it is fully operational in 2013. Hyundai's other two plants also are in Beijing. Hyundai has not said what models will be built there.