Mercedes-Benz CSR committee embracing diversity, reaching out further

The Mercedes-Benz corporate social responsibility committee is celebrating its fifth anniversary and is now reaching out to a wider range of communities in need, as part of an effort to increase social acceptance of gender and cultural diversity.Saying the CSR program had reached its “adolescence,” Dimitris Psillakis -- chairman of the Mercedes-Benz CSR committee, which is made up of the carmaker and its dealers -- said the multibillion-won charity platform would expand its education

June 30, 2019

BMW Korea launches face-lifted 7 Series

BMW Korea, importer and distributer of the German luxury car, on Wednesday unveiled its face-lifted 7 series, targeting customers in theirs 30s and 40s, younger than its rival Mercedes-Benz.With its attractive kidney grille -- 50 percent larger than its predecessor -- the latest 7 series has deployed an L shape LED rear lamp and state-of-the-art drive assistant features to highlight its reputation as a high luxury sedan, the company said. The predecessor, the sixth-generation 7 Series, was unvei

June 26, 2019

Mercedes-Benz’s Startup Autobahn scouts talented Korean startups

Global automotive companies are starting to heavily invest in autonomous driving, customized infotainment systems and sensor technology to improve driver assistance features. And it has become critical to secure talents for relevant technology development. Startup Autobahn, a Mercedes-Benz-backed open innovation platform for startups founded in 2016 under the German automotive group Daimler, sees that the automotive industry is now going through a “war of startup talents.”&ldquo

June 26, 2019

Seoul considering extending tax benefits on eco-friendly cars: finance minister

South Korea is considering extending a temporary tax cut on purchases of all-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars, the finance minister saidTuesday, in the latest move to help eco-friendly cars expand their presence here.Since 2017, the government has waived a 5 percent special excise tax on purchases of all-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars. The temporary tax cut is set to end in December this year. Hong Nam-ki, the minister of economy and finance, said that the govern

June 25, 2019

[Graphic News] S. Korean brands again sweep J.D. Power’s US initial quality survey

　South Korean brands again demonstrated the best initial quality among 32 automotive brands sold in the United States, according to an annual ranking by researcher J.D. Power, with about half of the domestic brands better than average and all European brands below average. 　Genesis, Kia and Hyundai, all part of Hyundai Motor Group, were the top three brands in the 2019 US Initial Quality Study, which measures problems in the first 90 days of vehicle ownership. 　Ford Motor ranked fourth followed

June 25, 2019

SsangYong pioneers ‘open top SUV’ with Rexton Sports series

SsangYong Motor seeks to conventionalize the use of pickup trucks in South Korea by introducing its Rexton Sports series as “open top SUVs,” the carmaker said Tuesday.Both the Rexton Sports and the new Rexton Sports Khan introduced in January boast most features of the company’s flagship SUV model G4 Rexton, but also include a large deck space designed for drivers who enjoy outdoor activities and recreational sports. By introducing the series as an open top SUV, the company hop

June 25, 2019

Hyundai Motor to deliver 2,000 Ioniqs to Singaporean taxi firm

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor said Monday it will deliver additional units of Ioniq hybrid to a Singaporean transportation company, prolonging its lead as vehicle supplier in the local market.Confirming its contract with ComfortDelGro, Hyundai Motor will be supplying 2,000 units of Ioniq gasoline hybrid vehicles, 1,500 units by the end of this year and the remaining within the first half of next year, officials said.The Singaporean company, which is the largest transportation business op

June 24, 2019

Kia launches face-lifted K7 Premier with five engine options

Kia Motor has unveiled its redone upper-midsized sedan K7 Premier, offering five different engine options, and began sales in Korea on Monday, according to officials.The latest version is the first face-lifted version since the launch of the K7 model in 2016. According to the automaker, the K7 Premier comes with five different engine options to satisfy diversified consumer needs: new G2.5 GDi, 3.0 gasoline, 2.4 hybrid, 2.2 diesel and 3.0 liquefied petroleum injected engines. Kia Motors&rsqu

June 24, 2019

[Foreign Execs in Korea: 2] Hyundai Mobis seeks to build confidence, forge new partnerships for growth

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews with foreign executives at Korean firms on their role and vision for change, growth in the homogenous corporate world. -- Ed.YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- What struck Gregory Baratoff, a US auto engineer with a long career background in Germany, when he started working in South Korea was the sense of low esteem that prevailed in his new office. Since joining Hyundai Mobis, the auto parts maker under Hyundai Motor Group, in 2017, Baratoff has b

June 23, 2019

Kia debuts in India with new compact SUV Seltos

Kia Motors entered the Indian market on Thursday with the unveiling of its compact sport utility vehicle Seltos. “Seltos is Kia Motors’ new global model, and we are very delighted to introduce Seltos for the first time here in India, a rising market for the automotive industry,” said Kia Motors President Park Han-woo during a ceremony at Gurgaon’s A Dot Convention Center in India on Thursday.  According to the automaker, Seltos stands out with its full light-emi

June 21, 2019

[From the Scene] Hamburg on mission to digitalize urban mobility

HAMBURG, Germany -- In Hamburg, Germany, where the fight against carbon emissions is in full swing, having more electrified cars on the streets is not the only solution the city has in mind -- it also wants to have fewer cars, or more shared cars. To this end, the digitalization of urban mobility and creating space for future technologies to evolve is key.Germany’s second-largest city with a population of 1.8 million, Hamburg is promoting itself as a “mobility lighthouse,” turn

June 19, 2019

[EXCLUSIVE] Hyundai Motor, Saudi Aramco to cooperate on hydrogen

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor will partner Aramco, the biggest oil company in the world, on the “comprehensive” development of hydrogen energy, sources told The Korea Herald on Wednesday.An official familiar with the matter said the two companies would sign a memorandum of understanding on hydrogen-related business in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun.The Saudi Prince visits Seoul

June 19, 2019

Nissan’s 6th-generation Altima to hit Korea in July

Amid rebounding sedan sales in the South Korean market, Nissan Korea said it will launch a sixth-generation model of its bestselling midsized sedan, the Altima, here in July. According to the carmaker, the most distinctive aspect of the fully transformed Altima is its design.  With a sportier, more dynamic exterior design, Nissan said it had equipped the latest Altima with its award-winning Nissan Vmotion 2.0 design. In 2017, the Nissan Vmotion 2.0 was recognized as the best concept ca

June 18, 2019

With upgraded QM6, Renault Samsung hopes to cement top spot in midsized SUV market

Just days after a dramatic consensus with its labor union ended a year of confrontation and strikes, Renault Samsung unveiled a facelifted version of the QM6, the automaker’s most popular midsized sport utility vehicle, in Seoul on Tuesday.The QM6 is the automaker’s most trusted model, accounting for 61.2 percent of the country’s midsized gasoline SUV sales from September of 2017 to April this year, selling 41,191 vehicles.With the upgraded model, which is also the country&rsqu

June 18, 2019

Porsche Korea opens world’s 8th studio in Gangnam

Porsche Korea, local unit of the German luxury carmaker, opened a new studio in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on Tuesday, in a bid to appeal better to younger customers.The new retail format introduced by the carmaker is the eight of its kind in the world and has been opened to provide a wide-ranging brand experience, from cars to custom-made accessories. “Porsche Korea will position ‘Porsche Studio Cheongdam’ as a cultural space where existing customers as well as potential cl

June 18, 2019

4 out of 10 autos sold through May were SUVs

Four out of 10 vehicles sold in South Korea from January to May were sport utility vehicles, reflecting growing demand for recreational vehicles, industry sales data showed Monday. In the first five months, domestic and imported carmakers sold 612,043 vehicles, with SUVs accounting for 42 percent, according to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. "The ratio of SUVs in overall passenger car sales is expected

June 17, 2019

Hyundai Mobis to install Krell audio system in K7 Premier

Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts maker under Hyundai Motor Group, said Sunday it has partnered with US high-end home audio systems manufacturer Krell for Kia’s K7 Premier.The partnership is part of Hyundai Mobis’ efforts to collaborate with technology-based companies on autonomous driving and connectivity, aimed at providing premium audio systems for in-vehicle infotainment, it added. The company plans to further its partnership with Krell by deploying the audio systems in new vehicles t

June 16, 2019

Hyundai Motor Group chief calls for global effort toward ‘hydrogen economy’

Chung Eui-sun, Hyundai Motor Group executive vice chairman, called for world leaders to take action for the hydrogen-focused energy transition during the Group of 20 meeting of environment and energy ministers Saturday. Chung, who co-chairs the Hydrogen Council, was invited to exchange views on the global energy paradigm and to analyze the role and possibilities of hydrogen energy, Hyundai Motor Group said Sunday. The council comprising some 60 companies is a global CEO-level initiative for

June 16, 2019

Hankook Tire & Technology aims to lead market through innovative tech

Following the change in its name last month to Hankook Tire & Technology, the firm said Sunday it plans to lead the global original equipment tire market by beefing up its research and development on innovative technology. In May, the company was renamed from Hankook Tire as part of its holding company Hankook Technology Group’s rebranding to redefine its focus. The group said it included the word “technology” to reflect its long-term mission to achieve innovation

June 16, 2019

Hyundai, Kia invest in US self-driving firm Aurora Innovation

Hyundai Motor and its sister company Kia Motors said Thursday that they are investing in US self-driving technology company Aurora Innovation to develop and further enhance the autonomous vehicle platform. The investment is part of the automakers’ plan to become a game changer in the global autonomous driving ecosystem and to launch an autonomous vehicle at an early stage, Hyundai Motor Group said, without disclosing the size of the investment. The two companies will strengthen c

June 13, 2019