GM Korea vows to attain double-digit market share

GM Korea has resolved to secure more than 10 percent of the local market on a yearly basis, unveiling its plan to launch new models of the Chevrolet series. Mike Arcamone, president and CEO of General Motors’ local unit, stressed that the automaker could see “double-digit market share” in Korea at t

Aug. 31, 2011

Kia hybrid seeks Guinness record

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, said Friday that its Optima hybrid mid-size car will try to set a new Guinness World Record for the best mileage car by driving through the United States.The Guinness challenge started with an Optima sedan leaving its production plant in West

Aug. 28, 2011

BMW expects Mercedes-Benz to start 2012 as top seller

 Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW, on a pace to become the top-selling luxury auto brand in the U.S. this year, will probably be outsold by Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz early next year, a top executive said. Updated C-Class compact Mercedes models will go on sale later this year and probably mak

Aug. 28, 2011

Debate over electronic vs. hybrid resurfaces

LG Corp.’s announcement that it will jointly build electric cars with General Motors Friday is brining hope to Renault Samsung, which wants to sell the vehicles here. However, the debate over next-generation cars remains very much alive with Hyundai on the hybrid side.Lee Ki-sang, director of Hyunda

Aug. 28, 2011

Audi reveals ultra-light urban concept car

Ingolstadt, Germany (DPA) ― Audi has revealed an ultra-light concept car designed for congested urban areas combining what it says are elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car fitted intoa radical new idea. Audi urban conceptOrientated strictly on light weight construction the wheels are

Aug. 21, 2011

BMW X3 with extended range of engines

Munich (DPA) ― BMW is offering the X3 Sports Activity Vehicle with an extended range of engines promising more performanceand greater fuel efficiency as well as options including a real-timetraffic information function. BMW X3From the European autumn this year the X3 will come with a choiceof three

Aug. 21, 2011

Volvo recalls S80 sedan for steering fluid leak

Global automaker Volvo is recalling 447 cars in South Korea due to a detective hose that could lead to leakage of power steering fluid, the government said Thursday. Volvo-S80The vehicles subject to the recall are the S80 passenger sedans produced between March 8, 2006, and May 16, 2007, according t

Aug. 21, 2011

Kia, GM Korea vie for city car sales

Kia Motors Corp. and GM Korea Co. have been in keen competition to dominate the growing “city car” market at home as high fuel prices continue to burden households.According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, local sales of automobiles with engine displacements of up to 1 liter grew

Aug. 21, 2011

Lexus readies new GS to win sales lost to BMW, Mercedes

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus, set to lose its position as the top-selling U.S. luxury car brand after 11 years, is revamping its line to regain sales lost to Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW. The 2013 Lexus GS 350 goes on sale in February with a new look, larger interio

Aug. 21, 2011

The rise of diesel cars

 Diesel-powered mid-sized sedans are growing ever more popular among a slew of new models launched this year.Diesel cars took up more than 30 percent of the import market share for the first time in July, Korea Auto Industries Corp. Association said.The economically cheaper option has been in h

Aug. 14, 2011

Import cars to grab 10% of Korean market by 2012

Foreign carmakers are expected to capture 10 percent of Korea’s automobile market in about a year after they saw the market share surpass 1 percent for the first time in 2002.Buoyed by active sales of smaller sized sedans among newcomers such as Peugeot and Honda Motor in early 2000s, import vehicle

Aug. 7, 2011

Demand for hybrid sedans rising

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motor are posting a rapid growth in sales of hybrid sedans at home, following outstanding performances in the U.S. market.In July, about 15 percent of Hyundai-Kia’s customers who purchased the automakers’ Sonata and K5 picked the hybrid version of the sedans, Hyundai Motor Grou

Aug. 2, 2011

Nissan to battle German carmakers in Korea

Japanese automaker introduces new models to attract consumersNissan is set to wage a sales battles with German automakers in Korea by aggressively marketing its Infiniti series and the Cube, a characteristic box-like model.The second-largest automaker in Japan has set the goal of making the Infiniti series become one of the top three import brands in the premium luxury segment.“We are mapping out

July 31, 2011

Mahindra sees India’s 1st cult brand aided by Ssangyong

The Actyon of Ssangyong Motor Co.At Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea’s third-largest maker of sport utility vehicles, just about everything that could go wrong did in the past two decades. The company switched owners four times, faced bankruptcy and suffered one of the most violent strikes in modern Korean history in 2009. Workers in that clash took control of a plant for almost three months, usin

July 31, 2011

Sonata, K5 hybrids draw global attention

Hyundai-Kia gear up to catch up with Toyota hybridsHyundai Motor and Kia Motors had fallen behind Toyota Motor and Honda Motor in developing fuel-efficient and eco-friendly vehicles.But the nation’s two affiliated companies have plunged into keen competition to dominate the international green car markets by launching the hybrid version of popular sedans this year.“While we have joined the growing

July 28, 2011

Hyundai’s Chung pushes hybrid car marketing

Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo has instructed his staff to actively publicize at home and abroad that Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have become global players with competitive technologies. Chung Mong-kooDespite marked growth in overseas sales, Hyundai and Kia had failed to garner international acknowledgement in the core technology sector.But this year, Chung’s pride and promotion str

July 24, 2011