The Korea Herald

Macho Beetle wins men over

Sept 15, 2013

No car had more female appeal than the Volkswagen Beetle. But in an apparent move to lure more men, the 2013 Beetle is equipped with more aggressive styling and personality.Volkswagen says women used to make up nearly 70 percent of Beetle buyers. With the more macho Beetle, the carmaker aims to get the male-female ratio to 50-50. Completely redesigned last year, the latest version abandoned the iconic arched silhouette with the body getting longer, wider and lower. But the cheerful overall look
Ford names U.S. sales chief as Toyota tests market place

Sept 15, 2013

Ford Motor Co., the second-biggest U.S. automaker, named a new U.S. sales chief whose challenge will be to maintain a sales lead over Toyota Motor Corp. and its growing willingness to discount cars such as the Camry. Ken Czubay, 64, the current U.S. sales chief, is retiring, effective Nov. 1. He will be replaced by John Felice, 51, the Dearborn, Michigan-based company said in a statement. Ford also named Barb Samardzich, 54, chief operating officer in Europe, where she now heads product developm
Porsche says China growth to quicken next year after Macan

Sept 15, 2013

Porsche AG’s China chief executive forecast sales growth in the country will accelerate next year, fueled by the introduction of the Macan compact SUV and a push to expand into the inner regions of the country. “The epicenter of the world has for many reasons moved from the U.S., across Europe and now is sitting in Asia, and China is obviously the powerhouse of Asia,” Deesch Papke said during an interview Thursday in the southern city of Foshan, where Porsche is introducing its newest Panamera c
Hyundai Equus sets record sales in U.S.

Sept 15, 2013

One out of 10 “luxury cars” sold in the United States last month was Hyundai Motor’s flagship premium sedan Equus, with the sales figure exceeding the 400 mark for the first time. According to industry data, the Equus sold 435 units last month in the U.S., up 73 units from the previous record of 362 set in July last year. Boosted by the record sales, its market share in the U.S. premium car segment, which used to hover at 6 to 7 percent has soared to its highest-ever level, 9.7 percent.In the wo
The Van delivers ultimate comfort

Sept 15, 2013

Say no more about vans if you’ve not yet ridden in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, built by Daimler in Germany but refurbished by The Van in Korea. Measuring nearly 3 meters tall and close to 2 meters wide, the Sprinter is a sophisticated box of gleaming steel on the outside, while it’s interior is all about customization.Satisfying the tastes of an upscale clientele is the specialty of The Van, the only authorized body maker for Sprinter vans in Korea. From DVD players and 40-inch televisions to air
Ford’s Mulally denies immediate flight to MS

Sept 8, 2013

Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said he intends to stay as head of the second-biggest U.S. carmaker through next year, following reports that Microsoft Corp. may seek to recruit him. “I plan to continue to serve as Ford’s president and CEO until at least the end of 2014,” to remain “absolutely laser focused” on earnings growth, Mulally wrote in an email to Bloomberg News on Friday. “I love serving Ford and will continue serving Ford,” Mulally said in an interview from Berlin
Hyundai Rotem, Russia to cooperate on train project

Sept 8, 2013

Hyundai Rotem, Korea’s biggest maker of rolling stocks, on Sunday said it has taken a big step in connecting the railroads of Asia and Europe by agreeing to work with a Russian state-run train manufacturer on the project. Executives from UralVagonZovod, a train-making unit owned wholly by the Russian government, will be visiting Hyundai Rotem’s Changwon plant and research institute to discuss how to cooperate and share technology for the bilateral train and railway project. The reports of the ag
Prius Plug-in Hybrid proves superbly capable

Sept 8, 2013

Everybody has his or her own idea of what’s cool in a vehicle, but a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to drive a car that completely changed my outlook on what that is. After a spin in the Prius Plug-in Hybrid from Toyota, I was bowled over by its tenacity, strength and overall efficiency. Covering various types of roads from the jam-packed streets of Gangnam to the hills of Songnisan Mountain in Chungcheong Province, the Prius Plug-in ― not yet commercially available in Korea ― proved
Record GM, Nissan plug-in U.S. sales in Aug.

Sept 8, 2013

General Motors Co. and Nissan Motor Co., the biggest sellers of rechargeable cars, posted record U.S. plug-in sales in August as their low-cost leases pushed battery-vehicle deliveries this year past 2012’s tally. GM delivered 3,351 Chevrolet Volt plug-in sedans last month, up 18 percent from a year earlier, and Nissan’s all-electric Leaf hatchback sales more than tripled to 2,420, the companies said Sept. 4. U.S. plug-in hybrid and battery car sales totaled 57,976 in 2013’s first eight months,
Hyundai moving to open 3rd North American plant

Sept 8, 2013

Hyundai Motor Group’s latest plans to set up its own dealer network in Mexico is fueling speculation that the carmaker may be moving closer to buildings its third North American assembly plant in Mexico. The Korean auto giant, in a move that would eventually sever its 14-year-old ties with Chrysler Group, announced last month that it would establish a sales unit in Mexico early next year in a bid to expand its presence in the region. The reports come as a slew of other major automakers including
Kia’s Morning becomes top seller in first 8 months

Sept 3, 2013

Kia Motors’ subcompact Morning was ranked as the best-selling model in South Korea in the first eight months of 2013, data showed Tuesday.Kia sold 62,123 Mornings in the January-August period, with Hyundai Motor’s mid-sized Sonata sedan following with 61,532 units.Hyundai’s full-sized Grandeur sedan was in third place with 61,153 vehicles sold, according to the sales data released by Kia and Hyundai.Morning became the best-selling model in the country between January and June before slipping to
BMW, Tesla emerge as electric car rivals

Sept 2, 2013

BMW, the world’s top “premium” car brand in both sales and brand recognition, probably never thought it would be up against a newcomer like Tesla, but the situation today is that the German carmaker may indeed have something to fear.“We won’t say BMW perceives Tesla as a rival, but it is closely watching the company,” said one industry source close to the matter.Tesla, on the other hand, appeared to be nonchalant and fearless, with the CEO Elon Musk commenting that “there’s room to improve on th
Domestic carmakers’ sales up in August

Sept 2, 2013

South Korea’s largest carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday that its sales jumped 29.1 percent in August from a year earlier despite partial strikes that cut the carmaker‘s vehicle output.Hyundai sold 381,429 vehicles in August, compared with 295,449 units in the same month in 2012, the company said in a statement.For the first eight months, Hyundai sold more than 3.13 million units, up 11.5 percent from a year ago, according to Hyundai.The strong sales performance came despite Hyundai’s 46,000
Renault’s Tavares said to have asked Ghosn for wider role

Sept 1, 2013

Renault SA Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares proposed taking on a wider role at the French carmaker in meetings last week with Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn, two people familiar with the matter said. Ghosn, who is also the CEO of alliance partner Nissan Motor Co., turned him down and offered to let him stay as COO, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. Tavares, who would have still reported to Ghosn under his proposal for a broader role, deci
Chevrolet Spark EV no glorified golf cart

Sept 1, 2013

To sum up a test-drive experience for Chevrolet’s Spark EV, I would start with “unusual.”Because it was my first time driving a purely electric vehicle, there are limitations to my evaluation, such as being unable to compare it to its rivals, for instance.But even with minimal references to rely on, I still had certain expectations, partly from my experience with hybrids.And it was precisely as I had imagined ― nothing more, nothing less.As I was driving the Spark EV, I thought of the prejudice