[Photo News] Kia in Paris Show

Michael Cole, chief operating officer at Kia Motors Europe, attends a news conference on the media day at auto show Mondial de l‘Automobile in Paris, France, Thursday. (Reuters-Yonhap)

Sept. 30, 2016

GM exec says diversity will lead auto industry for long

BUSAN -- A General Motors executive has said diversity will dominate the new automobile industry in terms of power train types and competitors, as boundaries are increasingly blurred. Daniel Nicholson, vice president of GM’s Global Propulsion Systems, said although GM is in a leading position in electrification, he doesn’t think one power train will lead the future auto industry.“Eco-friendly cars -- electric and hybrid -- and internal combustion will peacefully coexist for a significant period

Sept. 29, 2016

Hyundai Motor hit by first labor strike in 12 years

Hyundai Motor, the nation’s largest carmaker, is expected to suffer from a substantial delay in production, as unionized workers have staged a full-pledged protest Monday for the first time in 12 years.In attempt to pressurize Hyundai Motor over a stalled wage deal, the workers decided not to show up in their workplaces in Ulsan, Jeonju and Asan, halting operations of all of the carmaker’s production lines Monday. From Tuesday, workers will not work six hours a day for the entire week, the union

Sept. 26, 2016

[Photo News] Global friendship tour hosted by Hyundai

Foreign students who attended the 2016 Global Friendship Tour hosted by Hyundai Motor pose at the auditorium of Inha University on Friday. Hyundai Motor provided 400 foreign students studying in Korea with opportunities to experience Korean culture through the tour. (Hyundai Motor)

Sept. 25, 2016

[Behind the wheel] Comfortable and efficient SUV QM6 widens competition

JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- Motorists looking for affordable sport utility vehicles have a wider range of options now. Renault Samsung‘s latest SUV, the new QM6, has jumped into the fray, with a set of smart features designed to boost the driving experience.The QM6 inherited its “design DNA” from the SM6, Renault Samsung’s popular midsize sedan, the company said. And it does indeed look like a SUV version of the SM6, with daytime light-emitting diode headlights that have a unique futu

Sept. 25, 2016

[Behind the Wheel] Powerful yet elegant BMW 750Li

JEJU CITY, Jejudo -- German auto giant BMW invited the press on Friday to get behind the wheel of its flagship model 750Li xDrive on Jejudo, a resort island off the southern coast of South Korea, to mark its 100th anniversary. The new gasoline model, which delivers maximum 450 horsepower with a 66.3 kilogram-meter torque, offered peppy acceleration, breaking the stereotype that the feel of a large sedan is slow and heavy. It offered comfort driving below 3,000 revolutions per minute.The highligh

Sept. 25, 2016

Renault Samsung recalls 1.8 cars per vehicle sold

Renault Samsung Motors Co., the South Korean unit of French carmaker Renault S.A., has recalled nearly two vehicles per car it sold in the last five years, according to data compiled Thursday.According to Rep. Yoon Hu-duk of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, the carmaker has recalled 765,435 units between 2011 and the first half of this year, 1.8 times more than the number of vehicles it sold. A separate report by the Korea Automobiles Manufacturers Association showed that Renault Samsu

Sept. 22, 2016

Korea sells more green cars than Germany in H1

South Korea sold more environmentally friendly vehicles than Germany, the largest producer of automobiles in the world, in the first half of the year, data showed Monday.According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, carmakers in Korea sold a combined 26,161 cars while those in Germany sold 25,031 cars.The sales of green cars in Korea between January and June surged 64 percent from the previous year while Germany saw a 21 percent increase in the same period. Germany is the third-la

Sept. 19, 2016

Korean carmakers to unveil hatchbacks, electric cars for Paris show

South Korean carmakers are seeking market expansion in Europe through the upcoming Paris Motor Show, unveiling an array of new cars and concept vehicles targeting consumers sensitive to environment issues and fuel efficiency.The nation’s largest automaker, Hyundai Motor is set to bring both the new hatchback i30 and Ioniq lines of energy-efficient cars to the show. But the company remains undecided on its main concept for the show, an official said, adding that Hyundai is still contemplating whe

Sept. 18, 2016

Hyundai Motor bets on hydrogen fuel-cell cars

Hydrogen fuel-cell cars may eventually become a common sight on Korean roads as the government and the nation’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor are making efforts to spread usage of the new eco-friendly vehicles. Hyundai Motor said Monday it would launch taxi and car-sharing businesses with its hydrogen powered cars in the nation, a move which came a month after the government set up a control tower to boost the growth of eco-friendly cars.  (Yonhap)The automaker said it plans to start its pilot

Sept. 12, 2016

[Behind the Wheel] Fuel efficient but comfortable SM6 diesel

Renault Samsung’s latest rollout SM6 diesel is ready to repeat the popularity of its gasoline model unveiled early this year. During a test drive last week, the new diesel model offered a stable driving experience at speeds of more than 100 kilometers per hour. The vehicle got 15.5 kilometers per liter on a 900-kilometer round-trip between Seoul and Tongyeong, located on the nation’s southern coast. It is slightly lower than its official fuel efficiency of 17 kilometers per liter apparently as t

Sept. 11, 2016

Kia Motors to use Mexico as bridge to Americas

South Korea’s second-largest automaker Kia Motors aims to use its plant in Mexico as a base to target the North and South American auto markets, Hyundai Motor Group chairman said Wednesday. Kia’s new manufacturing plant -- the automaker’s sixth overseas production base -- has an annual production capacity of 400,000 units with an investment of $3 billion, the company said. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo at the opening of Kia Motors' new plant in New Leon, Northeastern Mexico on Sept

Sept. 8, 2016