The Korea Herald

Renault Samsung’s workers reject wage deal

Aug 31, 2014

Workers of Renault Samsung Motor voted down a tentative wage deal their union had reached with management earlier this year, contending that it falls short of their expectations, the company confirmed on Sunday. The agreement was rejected on Friday, with 62.9 percent of the 2,448 union members voting against it. The union of the carmaker said it plans to hold a general meeting of workers next week to discuss the future course of action.The latest development may lead to partial walkouts similar
BMW expands footprint in Korea beyond cars

Aug 31, 2014

German luxury carmaker BMW, the best-selling foreign car brand in Korea for the past 14 years, is seeking a bigger footprint in Korea by expanding its presence to social contribution and research and development activities.“Elevating sales figures is not enough to maintain No. 1 status. We are making continued efforts to add value to owning a BMW in Korea,” said BMW Korea CEO Kim Hyo-joon. In July 2011, BMW Korea launched the BMW Korea Future Fund, the first charitable foundation set up by a for
Jaguar Land Rover kicks off used car business in Korea

Aug 31, 2014

Jaguar Land Rover Korea’s used car exhibition gallery at the auto gallery in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul (Jaguar Land Rover Korea)Jaguar Land Rover Korea on Thursday opened a secondhand car exhibition at its auto gallery in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, to sell used cars that have been quality-certified by the British luxury carmaker.This is the first used car sales business in the Asia-Pacific region for the prestige automotive company. “Having the Asia-Pacific’s first used car exhibition gall
Jeep Cherokee returns strong in 7 years

Aug 24, 2014

The Jeep Cherokee, the iconic mid-size sport utility vehicle, has made a comeback here Wednesday after a seven-year hiatus. Before it was replaced with the Jeep Liberty, the Cherokee sold 2.5 million vehicles since its debut in 1974. In a bid to repeat that success, Jeep resurrected the Cherokee nameplate for the Liberty’s successor. “It is a moment that I have long waited,” Chrysler Korea CEO Pablo Ross said at the car’s launch in Seoul on Wednesday. “We want to redefine again the mid-size SUV
BMW X4, a savvy oddball

Aug 24, 2014

BMW expands SUV lineup with coupe-like versions
Kia outpaces Hyundai in auto exports for first time

Aug 24, 2014

South Korea’s No. 2 automaker Kia Motors Corp. surpassed its larger sister company Hyundai Motor Co. in auto exports for the first time in the first seven months of this year, industry data showed Sunday.Kia Motors exported 772,559 vehicles in the January-July period, outstripping Hyundai Motor’s shipments of 722,129 units, according to the data by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., was a distant third with exp
Ssangyong zeroes in on Europe, China

Aug 24, 2014

Ssangyong Motor on Sunday said it will focus on strengthening its global sales network, especially in the burgeoning Chinese and European markets. “With the New Korando C getting a positive response in the European market, we can proudly say that Ssangyong’s next big market is Europe, alongside China,” said Choi Jin-woong, a spokesman for Ssangyong. The company expects to sell 81,500 vehicles overseas by the end of the year, which is almost double from the 49,288 sold in 2010. The upbeat target
Hyundai fears output loss from partial strikes

Aug 22, 2014

Union workers at Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant staged four-hour partial strikes on Friday amid their stalled talks with management over considering bonuses part of regular wages. With the union planning to refuse overtime work on the weekend, South Korea’s largest carmaker is expected to suffer production losses worth some 150 billion won ($147 million) for this week alone. The 47,000 member union put down its tools for two hours on Friday morning and two hours again in the evening. It plans to co
BMW Driving Center open to public

Aug 22, 2014

BMW opened its first driving center in Asia, located on Yeongjongdo Island, some 40 kilometers west of Seoul, to the public on Friday, officials said. The BMW complex consists of a 2.6 kilometer racetrack; a BMW car gallery; a restaurant; the Junior Campus, an education program for children; and food and drink facilities. The facility is the third of its kind, following driving centers in Germany and the U.S.Entry is free of charge, while some fees will be required for test-driving vehicles and
[Graphic News] More drivers embrace hybrid and electric cars

Aug 21, 2014

Global sales of hybrid and electric cars have more than tripled to 3.49 million in 2013 from 1 million in 2011. The eco-friendly car market is expected to continue the recent momentum in the coming years to sell 10.45 million units by 2020, according to market research firm B3. South Korea is also seeing an upward trend, with hybrids and electric cars selling 14,535 and 434 vehicles, respectively, in the first half of the year. Industry watchers’ combined annual sales would reach 30,000 sales th
Hyundai merges units as succession looms

Aug 20, 2014

Hyundai Motor Group is speeding up efforts to restructure its businesses in a move that could pave the way for the much-anticipated power succession from chairman Chung Mong-koo to his only son, Hyundai Motor vice chairman Eui-sun. In a regulatory filing Tuesday, Hyundai Wia, an auto parts affiliate of the Korean auto giant, said it would be merging with two other parts makers, Hyundai Wisco and Hyundai Metia, as of Nov. 1.The company explained that the merger was part of its parent group’s larg
Kia bets big on Sorento to revitalize flagging sales

Aug 19, 2014

Kia Motors on Tuesday unveiled a fully altered version of its flagship sport utility vehicle, the Sorento, with which the carmaker hopes to revive its recent sluggish sales in South Korea.The country’s second-largest automaker offered a sneak peek of the All New Sorento, ahead of its official launch next week, at the carmaker’s new global quality control center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. “We have poured all of our resources into (making) a globally competitive SUV,” said In Chi-wang, execut
Macan expands Porsche appeal

Aug 17, 2014

Macan crossover feels lighter and more athletic than bigger brother Cayenne
New Audi A8 enjoys strong sales

Aug 17, 2014

German carmaker Audi’s flagship sedan, the Audi A8, has been going strong in the market. Armed with cutting-edge technology and an enhanced sporty design, the A8 has sold more than 150 units since its July 3 launch, Audi Korea said. “The New Audi A8 actively lays out Audi’s key spirit of design, traffic comfort and drivers’ convenience,” Johannes Thammer, managing director of Audi Korea, told Korean press at the vehicle’s launch. Under Audi’s slogan “Advancement through Technology,” the new Audi
Chrysler 300C offers bold luxury

Aug 17, 2014

Since its debut in 2004, the Chrysler 300C has represented a sense of power and refinement as the U.S. carmaker’s flagship luxury sedan.The roomy and luxurious large sedan, named the “top safety pick” by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is one of Chrysler’s top-selling models. In Korea, its sales have exceeded the 10,000 mark. In the first seven months this year, it has sold 498 vehicles here. The 300C is a large five-passenger sedan with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. Two engine