Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo was selected as the second-most influential figure in the world’s automotive industry by U.S.-based publication Motor Trend.

Last year, Chung ranked fifth on the “power list” named by the auto magazine.
Over the past few years, Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors have achieved all of the goals Chung set, the magazine said. 

It also said competitors, including Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Ford Motor and General Motors, are paying keen attention not to the price tags of Hyundai-Kia cars’ but to their designs and quality.

Citing the shortage of supply for Hyundai’s Sonata sedan in the market, Motor Trend said the 2012 outlook on the two affiliated automakers is “excellent.”
This year’s No. 1 in the Power List went to Chrysler Group chairman Sergio Marchionne and Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally grabbed third place.

Among the figures on the top 10 list are Volkswagen AG board of management chairman Martin Winterkorn (fourth), General Motors North America President Mark Reuss (fifth), and Hyundai USA CEO John Krafcik (eighth).

General Motors chairman Dan Akerson ranked ninth and BMW AG chairman Norbert Reithofer ranked 10th.

In late November, Hyundai Motor’s Chung was selected as Asia’s best automobile industry leader by the U.S.-based publication Automotive News.
On this year’s list of auto industry “All-Stars,” Automotive News selected Chung as the top CEO among Asian firms for his part in increasing Hyundai-Kia’s presence in the global market.

He grabbed the top post for the second consecutive year, beating chief executives of Japanese carmakers.

The list names top CEOs and executives from the automotive industries of Asia, Europe and North America.

By Kim Yon-se
(kys@heraldcorp.com)