Persistent rumors of struggling GM Korea leaving the country seemed closer to reality Tuesday upon comments by General Motors CEO Mary Barra who said the automaker would have to “take action” in Korea against challenging costs.“Clearly, Korea is a challenge for us,” Barra said during a conference call with analysts on Tuesday. “The Chevrolet brand has done well, but the current cost structure has become challenging, and we’re going to have to take action going forward to have a viable business,”

Porsche Korea flagged its best monthly sales in January on the back of strong demands of the new flagship Panamera sports sedan, data showed Tuesday. The German luxury carmaker sold a total 535 units here last month of which the new Panamera sedan, released September last year, made up 337 units, according to data from Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.The entry line of Panamera 4 was particularly in-demand by Korean drivers, which the carmaker sold 285 units.Porsche Paname

Asiana Airlines, South Korea’s second-biggest full-service carrier by sales, on Tuesday celebrated the 30th anniversary of its foundation and vowed to restore financial stability.“We will successfully complete efforts to normalize management this year, which marks the 30th anniversary of establishment, on turnaround seen since 2016,” said Asiana Airlines CEO Kim Soo-cheon during a press conference at Westin Chosun Hotel in central Seoul.“Asiana Airlines takes great pride that we have demolished

Hyundai Mobis has become the auto industry’s second parts maker to mass produce and supply high-tech braking and parking systems with a larger goal to take over the global market, the company said Tuesday.“This has provided an opportunity for Hyundai Mobis, a late comer to braking and parking systems, to gain a foot hold as a leading company worldwide,” the company said. Hyundai Mobis' automated parking system Remote Smart Parking Assist (Hyundai Mobis) Marking the first among companies here, Hy

Automaker aims to sell 10,000 hydroelectric vehicles by 2022

Hyundai Motor successfully demonstrated its self-driving technology through its next generation fuel cell electric vehicle Nexo and luxury sedan Genesis G80 from Seoul to PyeongChang, the company said Sunday. Marking the first-ever autonomous driving demonstrated on a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, three units of Nexo alongside two units of Genesis G80 equipped with level four automation were used for last week’s test drive.There are five levels of self-driving with five being fully autonomous whic

South Korean President Moon Jae-in sought to promote the country's indigenously developed self-driving cars Friday, demonstrating their safety by riding in one himself.The president was joined by an official from the local developer of autonomous cars, Hyundai Motor Co., for a 15-minute ride in a self-driving fuel cell electric vehicle on the Seoul-Busan expressway."Self-driving fuel cell vehicles are a new type of vehicle that are at the very front of the Moon Jae-in administration's drive for

An artificial intelligence-powered voice recognition service developed by South Korean mobile messaging giant Kakao will be available on Hyundai and Kia vehicles, the companies said Thursday.Kakao’s voice assistant service can be downloaded at Hyundai and Kia’s membership websites, called Blue Members and Red Members.  Artificial intelligence-powered voice recognition navigation service (Hyundai Motor)Vehicles available for the Kakao service include the i30, Avante, Sonata New Rise, i40, Grandeu

Amid rising concerns that the government could run out of subsidies for green cars, registrations for electric vehicle subsidies began at 156 provincial governments nationwide, the Ministry of Environment said Thursday.A total of 16 models made by seven local and foreign carmakers are qualified to receive subsidies of up to 12 million won ($11,160) per electric vehicle from the central government, and between 4.4 million and 11 million from provincial governments this year.The amount of subsidy

Volvo Trucks Korea, the No. 1 commercial vehicle importer by sales, aims to sell over 3,100 units this year, as part of its long-term sales goal to reach 4,000 units in 2020, the company said Wednesday.“Last year, we celebrated a successful 20th anniversary of business here. By prioritizing safety and customer service this year, we hope to increase sales by 10 percent from last year,” Kim Young-jae, managing director of Volvo Trucks Korea, told reporters during a New Year’s conference in norther

Posco Daewoo, the trading arm of South Korean steel giant Posco, is seeking to expand its energy business, in particular in the natural gas sector, by joining the league of energy giants across the world. (Yonhap)Its CEO Kim Young-sang attended an annual meeting hosted by General Electric-controlled Baker Hughes, the world’s largest oil field service company, as a panelist to discuss global energy trends, the company said. As the only Korean panelist, Kim spoke about successful business models t

Best for community rides, urban compact electric vehicles are creating a niche market in the fast-growing green car segment, satisfying the need for more personalized, mobile and cost-effective products.The Twizy, imported and distributed by Renault Samsung, opened the market for micro electric vehicles last year. A total of 691 units were sold in the first year, with more than 1,000 requests for government subsidies for the French two-seater electric vehicle. Renault’s Twizy (Renault Samsung)Th

Hyundai Motor unveiled its fourth generation Santa Fe midsize sport utility vehicle armed with a slew of human-centered technology features with an aim to bolster its SUV portfolio and boost sales in the US.“Made on human-centered philosophy, we meticulously considered customers’ requests. Going beyond its role as transportation, we believe the new Santa Fe is a life companion,” said Hyo-lin Kim, director of Hyundai Motor’s User Experience Planning Group, during the media preview held at Hyundai

Volkswagen Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German carmaker, resumes sales of its vehicles here next month, beginning with the new Passat GT that will open for preorders Thursday. Since its debut in 1973, Volkswagen has sold around 22 million units of the Passat. The new Passat GT is the eighth generation of the brand. “The latest model is expected to become a leader in the mid-size sedan segment here, as it is upgraded with completely new premium options and safety features,” th

The Genesis G70, a sports sedan by Hyundai Motor, was named the car of the year by an association of South Korean reporters covering the auto industry Monday. The Korea Automobile Journalist Association tested 55 models that sold more than 300 units here in South Korea last year, conducting test drive sessions at a driving circuit to evaluate the overall performance of cars. Evaluation categories included maintenance, design, product quality, function and cost effectiveness, it said.  Genesis G7