Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said he hopes to see expanding cooperation between the Middle East country’s startups and South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor in the fields of smart, connected and green mobility, the company said Monday.In his visit to the Hyundai R&D Center in Namyang, Gyeonggi Province, the Israeli leader met the carmaker’s de facto chief, Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, vowing to take the lead in the development of future cars by strengthening partnership

BMW’s 620d Gran Tourismo, the German carmaker’s new entry-level diesel variant of the 6 series, was released in the Korean market in April. Since then, a total of 314 cars have been sold as of the first week of July.When the Korea Herald drove the 620d GT on the 40 kilometer route from Seoul Station to a cafe in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, the car’s concept was distinctive -- a luxury sedan with functionality and spaciousness but still stylish in its coupe frame. &n

With the popularity of larger, spacious cars globally, South Korea saw sales of recreational vehicles hit 300,000 units in the first half of the year. According to five major carmakers here -- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SsangYong Motors, Renault Samsung and General Motors -- a total of 303,315 RVs were sold here from January to June. This accounted for 48.4 percent of total sales of cars here, an increase of about 3 percentage points from the same period the previous year. RVs refer to

Japanese automakers are expanding their presence in South Korea, industry data showed Sunday, as the popularity of their hybrid models is rising in the imported car market. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association and automakers, Japanese auto brands took a 21.5 percent share of the imported car market in the first half of the year, the highest figure since 25.3 percent in 2010. The sales of five Japanese auto brands -- Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan and

Hyundai Motor announced Thursday the launch of its smallest sport utility vehicle Venue, setting an annual sales target of 15,000 units in the future and 8,000 units within the year. The Venue completes the carmaker’s SUV lineup, in which it has invested heavily in recent years, defying market criticism of its reliance on midsized sedans. This latest addition to its SUV lineup takes its place alongside the flagship Palisade, the Santa Fe compact, the Tucson subcompact and the entry-level K

Hyundai Motor expects to enter the US pickup market soon with what’s likely to be an American-made vehicle aimed at luring buyers who aren’t traditional truck owners, an executive said Monday.“It’ll be a very versatile vehicle,” Michael O’Brien, vice president of product, corporate and digital planning for Hyundai’s US unit, said in an interview. “That has the promise of creating a whole new class of buyers.” The South Korean automaker won&rs

Hyundai Motor Group has seen an increase in its US sales for 11 consecutive months, the South Korean automaker’s US office said Friday.According to Hyundai Motor America, the Korean carmaker sold 64,200 units in June, about 2 percent rise from a year earlier. Sport utility vehicles led the uptrend, the company said, recording a 10 percent sales increase on-year and accounting for 53 percent of the total monthly sales. By type, 50 percent of SUV sales in the US last month was led by su

Hyundai Motor Group announced Wednesday that it had become the first company in the world to develop a technology called Continuously Variable Valve Duration, which will improve engine performance and fuel efficiency once the automaker begins mass-producing CVVD-equipped engines for use in Hyundai and Kia cars later this year. According to the company, CVVD technology enhances the function of the engine by optimizing the timing of the opening and closing of the valve at all four stages of its po

Kia Motors’ full-sized K7 sedan has been always compared to its competitor, the Grandeur, a same-class sedan from its sister company Hyundai Motor. And the rival Grandeur has always topped the sales rankings in the category, selling 46,790 units this year as of June, while K7 sold 12,652 units. Kia Motors’ latest K7 Premier has been face-lifted to bring the car “up to date,” the automaker said, but the changes were so extensive that it almost feels like new generatio

ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s only electric-powered car race, will take place in Seoul in May next year, Formula E Korea said Tuesday. Dubbed Seoul E-Prix 2020, the championship’s 10th race in its sixth season will be held at Jamsil Sports Complex and on roads around the Olympic Park on May 3. Fourteen rounds will take place in 12 cities, finishing the race in London in July. Participating automotive firms include Audi, Jaguar, Nissan, DS, BMW, Mercedes-Benz a

Since the 2015 launch of the Tivoli, SsangYong Motor’s bestselling compact sport utility vehicle has been especially popular among drivers who prefer a compact, stylish SUV -- one that is suitable for urban driving and has a more spacious trunk than a sedan.But after four years, the Very New Tivoli is here. This face-lifted version will appeal to drivers seeking a dynamic driving experience, a powerful engine and the chance to try out different driving modes. During the 170-kilometer test

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

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

Head of open innovation platform finds Korean startups’ craziness, cool new way of thinking relevant to future mobility

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