Rolls-Royce opens world’s first boutique showroom in Seoul

British luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce opened a boutique showroom in Seoul on Wednesday -- its first anywhere in the world -- pledging to provide “ultimate quality control” for the luxury cars by complying with the amended Automobile Management Act, also known as South Korea’s “lemon law.”“It is our responsibility as a pinnacle luxury brand to reassure our South Korean customers that we would stand by our promise of ultimate quality, ultimate quality control, and of course attention to detail,” sai

Feb. 20, 2019

Infiniti unveils all-new QX50 premium crossover

The five-passenger QX50 compact crossover by Japanese automaker Nissan’s luxury car brand Infiniti hits the South Korean market Wednesday with a redesigned interior and exterior. The 2019 model features the 2.0L VC turbo engine with technology developed for the first time in the world’s combustion engine history, according to the company.  (Infiniti)The technology is based on a multilink system that automatically controls the range of the engine’s piston for optimized power and fuel efficiency,

Feb. 20, 2019

Han Sung Motor launches 8th Dream Gream project for aspiring artists

An annual scholarship program for aspiring artists by Han Sung Motor, the largest official dealer of Mercedes-Benz, was launched for its 8th year on Tuesday, with 15 new recipients. The Dream Gream is a corporate social responsibility program initiated by the dealer in 2012. The project is dedicated to broaden the horizons of young artists, and offer them a chance to participate in the list of art shows, the company explained. Under this year’s theme, “Customize your story,” the Dream Gream scho

Feb. 19, 2019

Kumho Tire tops replacement tire market in Korea

Kumho Tire has maintained its top position in South Korea’s replacement tire market for two years in a row, data from the Korea Tire Manufacturers Association showed Tuesday.Buoyed by consumer demand for premium tires and the launch of new tire products last year, Kumho Tire said it had recorded high sales of tires here.According to data from the association, Kumho Tire ranked No. 1 with sales of 6.52 million tires in 2018, accounting for 40.6 percent of locally produced tires sold in the countr

Feb. 19, 2019

[Video] Hyundai Motor chief makes video debut on Nexo

Taking a step closer to the company’s young workforce, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun recently made a surprise video debut -- filming himself test-driving the Nexo, the fuel-cell electric vehicle that the company is betting on as the key to its future growth.In the video, a CEO message addressed to the carmaker’s midlevel employees, Chung drinks coffee and checks his “urgent email” while the vehicle is in self-driving mode.Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Ch

Feb. 15, 2019

Kumho Tire promotes VP to CEO

Kumho Tire Co., South Korea's second-largest tiremaker, said Thursday its vice president Jeon Dae-jin has been named its new chief executive officer.Kumho Tire, controlled by Chinese tiremaker Qingdao Doublestar Co., said its board members approved Jeon's promotion to president and appointed the 60-year-old as the new CEO. Jeon Dae-jin (Yonhap)Jeon has been serving as acting CEO for Kumho Tire since December following the resignation of former CEO Kim Jong-ho.Jeon joined Kumho Tire in 1984 and h

Feb. 14, 2019

[Photo News] Chung Eui-sun meets Tiger Woods at Genesis Open

From left: Hyundai Motor Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun poses with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, tournament host Tiger Woods, and Executive Vice President and global head of the Genesis brand Manfred Fitzgerald at the Genesis Open Championship held at the Riviera Country Club in California on Wednesday. Genesis, Hyundai Motor's luxury brand, is the title sponsor of the tournament. (Yonhap)The status of the Genesis Open will be elevated to an invitational tournament starting next year

Feb. 14, 2019

Peugeot to challenge local SUVs with upgraded lineup

JEJU -- With continued demand for larger sport utility vehicles here following changing lifestyles, more foreign carmakers are rolling in larger premium family models with upgraded functions and interior space.French automobile maker Peugeot is one of them. Earlier this year, the carmaker’s new 3008 and 5008 SUVs, which came back with larger space and multifunction steering wheels, hit the domestic market.  Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUV (Hanbul Motors)The new five-seater 3008 SUV features the new EA

Feb. 13, 2019

Hyundai Mobis showcases hydrogen fuel-based power generator

Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea's top auto parts maker, said Wednesday that it has begun operations of a hydrogen fuel cell-based power generator.The generator employed at the company's Chungju factory, 147 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is equipped with fuel cells powering the midsize Nexo SUV. (Yonhap)The Nexo hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is made by Hyundai Motor Co., a sister company of Hyundai Mobis. Both are affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group, the world's fifth-largest automotive congl

Feb. 13, 2019

Six Hyundai, Kia vehicles win iF Design Award 2019

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that six of its vehicles have won the iF Design Award this year, marking the fifth straight year its cars have received recognition.Hyundai Motor Co.'s new flagship Palisade SUV and Le Fil Rouge concept vehicle each won in the coveted automobiles/vehicles category at the annual competition. The Palisade is a high-end, three-row SUV that made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year.  (Yonhap)Hyundai's Le Fil Rouge concept car was also showcased at the Gen

Feb. 12, 2019

Mercedes-Benz ranks 4th in local sales, outselling GM, Renault Samsung

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz placed fourth on the list of carmakers’ sales here in January, outselling some with manufacturing bases here.According to industry data, the importer and the distributor of the German carmaker sold 5,796 vehicles last month, accounting for 4 percent of the total 114,632 vehicles sold.  Mercedes-Benz S Class (Mercedes-Benz Korea)The number of vehicles places Mercedes-Benz behind Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and SsangYong Motor. Hyundai and its sister company Kia

Feb. 11, 2019

South Korea’s automobile production slips 2.1 percent

South Korea’s automobile production slipped by 2.1 percent last year, falling a third year in a row, according to industry data Sunday.The Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association said that South Korea produced 4.02 million automobiles last year, a fall of 2.1 percent from the previous year. China topped the list in production terms, followed by the US, Japan, Germany, India and Mexico, in that order. South Korea, at No. 8, was followed by Brazil, Spain and France. China’s 4.2 percent fall in

Feb. 10, 2019

Han Sung Motors offers ‘residual value guarantee’

Han Sung Motors will run a residual value guarantee program for Mercedes-AMG certified secondhand vehicles, according to the company on Friday. The program launched by the largest dealer of Mercedes-Benz in South Korea makes it the first company to offer such a program, according to company officials. (Han Sung Motors)Customers who buy an AMG-certified secondhand car from Han Sung Motors can have up to 90 percent of the purchase price guaranteed upon reselling after some six months of use, and 8

Feb. 8, 2019

[Weekender] Reinterpreting taxis in era of sharing economy

Taxis are more than a means of transport for Koreans. They serve as a platform where people talk about life, societal changes and, of course, politics, with those behind the wheel. On top of their cultural and social value, for decades, they have been one of the most reliable and relatively inexpensive door-to-door transport services, offering convenience to people with hectic city lives. These are probably the reasons why taxis and drivers appear frequently in cultural content. (Yonhap)From mov

Feb. 7, 2019

[Weekender] How soon will flying taxis arrive here?

It is the clash between taxi operators and carpooling services that is making headlines today. But automakers and tech startups around the world are already taking the next step, showcasing the latest future mobility technologies designed to take the control of vehicles from human hands. This technological adventure to create a new industry leaves one question that we all want to know: so when will flying cars or robot taxis become commercialized? During the Consumer Electronics Show that took p

Feb. 7, 2019

[Weekender] Carpooling, an option not threat

Amid the ongoing clash between taxi drivers and those moving to create new technology-based services, the head of a local ride-sharing company has called for ways to coexist, saying that carpooling is just another option, not a threat to the taxi industry. Expressing deep concern, Seo Young-wu, CEO of ride-sharing startup Poolus, highlighted the death of a 57-year-old taxi driver who set himself on fire in protest against a carpooling service late last year.Poolus CEO Seo Young-wu (Poolus)The pl

Feb. 7, 2019

US sales of Hyundai, Kia rise in Jan.

Sales of South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. in the United States grew from a year earlier in January, the companies said Saturday, with both reporting sharp increases in sales of sport utility vehicles.According to Hyundai Motor, the company sold 40,796 cars in the US last month, up 2.9 percent from the same month last year.The company said its sales of SUVs jumped 37 percent on-year to 21,007 units, accounting for more than half of its overall s

Feb. 2, 2019

Korean auto writers pick Hyundai’s Palisade as Car of the Year

Hyundai Motor’s sports utility vehicle Palisade that debuted late last year has been named Car of the Year by a group of Korean auto journalists, the organization said Wednesday. The vehicle also scored highest marks in the SUV category, the Korea Automobile Journalists Association said in a statement. (Yonhap)The association that comprises 48 newspapers, TV stations and magazines tested 58 vehicles from 21 brands from late last year at three separate test-drive sessions. The Palisade scored 93.

Jan. 30, 2019

SK Holdings invests $100m in US smart glass maker

SK Holdings, the holding company of the nation’s second-largest conglomerate by market cap, has invested $100 million into American smart glass manufacturer Kinestral in a deal that gives the Korean company the right to manufacture and sell the product in China.Smart glass tints to darker neutral grays to block solar heat and light when voltage is applied. The product, used both for residential and commercial buildings, blocks 99 percent of ultraviolet light and reduces 30 percent of heat energy

Jan. 30, 2019

Hyundai’s Genesis to debut in China, but faces hurdles

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor is planning to launch its luxury brand Genesis in China, seeking a change in its sales strategy that has only targeted the mass market for years.Hyundai Motor is in preparation for the official launch of the brand, said officials in Seoul, and is looking for places to start the business in Shanghai.The carmaker is reviewing launches in the regional basis of the world’s largest auto market along with Shanghai to compete with other luxury automakers that have

Jan. 30, 2019