Volvo P1800 celebrate 50th anniversary

The Volvo P1800 has turned 50. The eye candy of classic style lovers debuted in 1961, and shaped the image of Volvo as a maker of vehicles with style and diamond-hard durability. The design by Peitro Frua later morphed the sports car into a Grand Turismo Estate that inspired the Volvo 30 ― the modern equivalent of the P1800. The 1800 model boasts world famous durability, with the 1800S headed for

June 5, 2011

Mercedes-Benz offers free check-ups

Mercedes-Benz Korea is offering check-ups and coolant replacement free of charge until June 25, the company said. Available at 23 services across the country, the promotional offer celebrates 125 years of its business operation. The local office of German carmaker is also offering 16 percent discount on selected components as part of the offer. “The check-ups are to help drivers prepare their summ

June 5, 2011

Kia expands U.S. production by 20 percent

Kia Motors Corp., Korea’s second-largest automaker, announced plans last week to raise output at its Georgia plant by 20 percent, underscoring the U.S. industry’s biggest market-share gain this year.Kia, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., raised its U.S. share 0.8 percentage points to 3.8 percent through May, topping gains of 0.7 point for General Motors Co. and 0.6 point for Hyundai, according to

June 5, 2011

Toyota pledges to overtake BMW in Korea

Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda vowed to become the champion of sales among foreign automakers in Korea by 2014, promising tough competition with German players.During his visit to Seoul over the weekend, Toyoda said, “Though we may not able to restore our brand image all at once, we will make efforts to top the list of Korea’s import car market within three years.”The CEO’s commitment came dur

June 5, 2011

Two-seater thrills lure uptown drivers

High-end vehicles lead foreign carmakers’ charge in Korean marketBuoyed by a growing love for sports cars by the well-to-do, foreign luxury car brands are upping their share of the domestic car market.Auto analysts say more are turning to exotic options accompanying fast, topless thrills often with luxury amenities like rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic climate control with pollen filte

June 5, 2011

Hyundai-Kia grabs 10% of U.S. market

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. saw their U.S. market share exceed 10 percent for the first time in May, mainly thanks to robust demand for new models.The automakers under the wing of Hyundai Motor Group sold 107,426 vehicles in the United States last month, up 21 percent from a year earlier.They captured 10.1 percent of the American market, where the total sales of global aut

June 2, 2011

India’s Tata Motors reports flourishing profits, led by JLR

MUMBAI (AFP) ― India’s top vehicle maker Tata Motors on Thursday reported a nearly fourfold increase in annual profit, boosted by booming sales and strong demand for British brands Jaguar and Land Rover.Net profit was 92.7 billion rupees ($2.04 billion) for the year to the end of March 2011, up from 25.7 billion rupees in the previous year, the company said in a statement to the Bombay Stock Excha

May 29, 2011

Jaguar draws customers with unique designs

Jaguar is targeting the Korean market by launching modern sedans and increasing the number of showrooms in major cities here.Its unique and beautiful designs are attracting Korean customers, especially people who want to buy a different type of car.“Many owners of BMW or Mercedes-Benz have replaced their cars with Jaguar models,” a Jaguar-Land Rover Korea spokesman said.“While vehicles of German o

May 29, 2011

Korea, Germany vie to be world’s No. 4 carmaker

Seoul is projected to capture 11% of the world’s auto production market within four yearsKorea has been striving to become one of the world’s four largest automakers, though the nation ranked fifth for six consecutive years between 2005 and 2010.Though Korea grabbed fourth place in the global auto manufacturing ranking in 1997, it suffered difficulties in the wake of the 1997-98 financial crisis.N

May 29, 2011

Peugeot 508 makes Asia-premier debut in S. Korea

   Hanbul Motors Corp., the local importer and distributor of French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen, introduced the new Peugeot 508 in South Korea on Wednesday, also marking the vehicle's Asia debut.   The passenger sedan comes in two trims -- the chaste Allure version with a 2.0-liter engine and the sportier GT version with a 2.2-liter HDi engine.   The Peugeot 508 Allure has a maximum horsepower

May 25, 2011

Carmakers face output cut on parts firm strike

Police launched a probe Monday into an illegal strike by an auto parts manufacturer in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, which is prompting work suspension at plants of the nation’s major carmakers including Hyundai Motor in Ulsan.The police said they are considering requesting an arrest warrant for the company’s labor union leaders, as well as for key players behind the strike and the illegal occ

May 23, 2011

GM Korea unveils Cruze hatchback in Seoul

(Yonhap News)  GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., on Monday introduced its all-new hatchback, the Chevrolet Cruze5, in South Korea, adding what it called a "sexy and smart" vehicle to its Chevrolet lineup.   Based on GM's mid-size passenger car the Chevrolet Cruze, the hatchback comes in two trims -- with a 1.8-liter gasoline engine or a 2.0-liter turbo diese

May 23, 2011

Audi Korea launches app for iPad

Audi Korea, the local importer of luxury German car brand Audi, said it launched an iPad application for customers to view Audi magazine. The free application allows iPad users to keep up with the latest news about the German cars and promotional offers.Audi magazine, sent to its customers on a quarterly basis, not only covers Audi products but also contains exclusive interviews with sports stars

May 22, 2011