The Korea Herald

Toyota labor union to request salary increase as profit surges

Feb 2, 2014

Toyota Motor Corp.’s labor union is seeking a raise in workers’ base salary for the first time in five years as analysts estimate profit at Japan’s biggest manufacturer rose to a record profit this fiscal year.The workers will ask at the annual spring labor negotiations for a net 4,000 yen ($39) average increase in monthly wages and annual bonuses valued at 6.8 months’ salary, according to a statement from the union yesterday.The demand from the workers of the world’s biggest automaker comes aft
BMW recalls over 14,000 cars in Korea

Jan 28, 2014

BMW Group Korea, the local importer of German automaker BMW AG, is recalling over 14,000 vehicles sold here because of faulty wiring and a defective oil pump that could impair braking, the transportation ministry said Tuesday. The faulty wiring found in over 10,000 vehicles of 12 different types could cause a failure of various lights, including turn signals, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.The recall affects a total of 11,695 vehicles, including 9,822 units of th
GM Korea takes steps to ease downsizing concerns

Jan 27, 2014

Union workers at GM Korea Co.’s regional plant said Monday that they were told the management will not insist on introducing a single work shift, a measure that eases fears of downsizing among employees.The carmaker is the South Korean unit of U.S. auto giant General Motors Co. which had announced late last year that it would not be selling Chevrolet-branded cars in Europe from 2016 onward. The decision instantly raised speculation that the automaker would start layoffs in Korea, a major product
Macan a great fit for Korea: Porsche

Jan 26, 2014

In Korea, where Confucianism still lingers and it’s safer to be conservative, sexy cars have yet to catch on in earnest despite a growing demand.Sales may be picking up, but it’s still rather rare to come across red-hot sports cars on the road since people seem content with buying and parking their goods in the garage, rather than flaunting them. In this sense, Porsche’s Macan series ― a compact crossover SUV ― seems to be a perfect fit for Korea. Armed with a rather affordable price and an unmi
Toyota beats GM in 2013 as 10 million vehicles sold

Jan 26, 2014

Toyota Motor Corp. set a target of selling an unprecedented 10 million vehicles in 2014 after leading General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG in global auto deliveries for a second straight year. Worldwide vehicle sales at Toyota, including deliveries from subsidiaries Hino Motors Ltd. and Daihatsu Motor Co., rose 2.4 percent to 9.98 million units last year, the Toyota City, Japan-based automaker said in a statement on Thursday. That compared with the 9.71 million units sold by GM and over 9.7 mill
Kia Soul: Great eye candy, iffy performance

Jan 26, 2014

Adorable on the outside, but lacking on the inside
Kumho Tires wins third iF design award

Jan 26, 2014

Kumho Tires said Thursday that the company won Germany’s iF Design Award in the category of product design with its high-performance tires, the ECSTA PS91 and the ECSTA HS51.Designed to be equipped on high-performance super cars, both tires have checkered flag logos on their tread patterns and sidewalls and other design features that boast dynamism and sportiness, the company said. The iF Design Award carries 60 years of prestige and tradition and is regarded as one of world’s most renowned inte
BMW aims for electric i3 price tag similar to 3 Series

Jan 26, 2014

BMW expects the new i3 electric vehicle to be priced in the U.S. similarly to a 3 Series compact car, the automaker’s top executive for the market said. “It will be in the ballpark of a normally” equipped 3 Series, Ludwig Willisch, head of BMW North America, said during a presentation at J.D. Power’s International Automotive Roundtable in New Orleans, which is being held in advance of the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention.The four-door i3 small car, the first offering of
Porsche eyes growth in Korea

Jan 23, 2014

New models, showrooms part of expansionary push
Renault Samsung launches QM5 Neo SUV

Jan 22, 2014

Renault Samsung Motors Co., the local unit of French automaker Renault S.A., said Wednesday it launched a refreshed version of its popular QM5 compact sport-utility vehicle in South Korea.The country’s smallest carmaker said the QM5 Neo features design aspects that were first introduced on the mini-crossover QM3.Compared to the existing design, the QM5 Neo has more flowing and athletic body lines, which give the car a more “premium” appearance, the company claimed. The new car also has enhanced
[Photo News] Car of the year

Jan 21, 2014
[Photo News] BMW reaches high

Jan 20, 2014
Terms of a hot hatch ― Volkswagen Golf

Jan 19, 2014

For Hyundai Motor, the Volkswagen Golf may be both a source of inspiration and an eyesore. The Korean carmaker often admits that its engineers take the popular hatch apart to study, and its latest compact cars have a greater competitive edge than ever before. (A Volkswagen executive also once told me that the company was inspecting new vehicles from Hyundai as well.)But after my four-day test drive of the Golf, I felt there was still a clear gap that cannot be narrowed soon between the two rival
‘Let it snow,’ Jaguar roars

Jan 19, 2014

Jaguar pledges to become a game-changer in the luxury car market with an all-wheeldrive system
Rolls-Royce sees record sales in Korea

Jan 19, 2014

Rolls-Royce, the high-end luxury carmaker owned by BMW Group, said last week that it sold 30 units last year in Korea ― its highest sales yet.The Rolls-Royce Ghost, priced at about 400 million won ($375,000) here, accounted for 27 of the 30 cars that were sold, proving to be the bestselling model among Korean big spenders.The wide popularity of the Ghost demonstrates the growth potential for the super-luxury segment in Korea, according to Lee Chul-seung, the head of the official importer Rolls-R