BMW, undeniably one of the hottest-selling imported cars in the Korean market today, was on fire this week at the Seoul Motor Show where it unveiled a record number of cars and motorbikes ― 26, to be exact. Among the plethora of models, the BMW New 3 Series Gran Turismo, the New M6 Gran Coupe and the New Z4 were showcased for the first time in Asia. As some of the most heart-stopping models at the show, the cars were an indication of the challenges BMW is eager to meet, according to BMW Korea’s

Porsche is likely to maintain a low profile at this year’s Seoul Motor Show, but the Korean debut of the new Cayman and Cayman S seem enough to captivate sports car fans here. The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engine layout rear-wheel-drive coupe derived from Porsche’s second- and third-generation Boxster roadster. The new, third-generation two-seat sports car has again undergone a complete redevelopment. It is lower and longer, lighter and faster, and more efficient and powerful then ever, the carmak

Ssangyong Motor CEO Lee Yoo-il pledged to shake up the competition in the local luxury sedan market long dominated by Hyundai and foreign rivals at the unveiling of its newest Chairman at the Seoul Motor Show on Thursday.“In the large sedan segment where competition with imported carmakers is fierce, I believe the Chairman W Summit will become a game-changer,” he said, introducing the model. He set this year’s sales target for the new Chairman at about 500 vehicles. The Chairman W Summit, which

For Audi, the hottest-selling luxury car brand in Korea, the year 2012 was stunning, with its car sales almost doubling from a year ago. This year the carmaker aims higher, rolling out sportier, high-performance models. At the heart of the ambitious plan is the R8 sports car. At Seoul Motor Show that kicked off Thursday, Audi unveiled a total of 22 vehicles ― the most among foreign brands ― including two Korean debuts, the R8 V10 Coupe and Spyder.“Introducing more vehicles than other imported br

Mercedes-Benz Korea made several debuts at Seoul Motor Show that kicked off Thursday. One was the long-anticipated A-Class, the smallest, cheapest Mercedes that will finally hit the Korean market in the latter half of this year. Even though the car debuted globally in 1997, the German luxury carmaker has delayed the launch of the 1,800 cc hatchback in Korea where its larger sedans are enjoying an unrivaled premium image. The other debut on the day was Britta Seeger, the Korean unit’s new and fir

One of the highlights at this year’s Seoul Motor Show may be the presentation by Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum for the long-anticipated F-Type roadster. In his first visit to Korea, the legendary car designer, 59, personally unveiled the two-seat F-Type, the first sports car made by the British luxury brand since the 1970s. “It’s a true breakthrough product for Jaguar. It marks our return to the sports car market,” he said of the F-Type, which will go on sale globally this summer. In order

Renault Samsung is out to recapture the hearts of Koreans, this time with a compact SUV crossover and the SM5 XE TCE that it rolled out at Seoul Motor Show this week. The cars were distinctively cool, and reflected the promise the carmaker, which has performed weakly over the past few years, is making anew to consumers all over the world and in Asia. The number of reporters who packed the Renault Samsung showroom was, if anything, testament that the company was ready for a comeback.“Featuring a

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province ― More than 300 vehicles, including nine world debuts and 16 new introductions in Asia, will show off their beauties at the Seoul Motor Show which kicked off Thursday starting with a media preview. Korean carmakers, among other players, have geared up to prevail during the largest automotive event held on their home turf. Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor dominates the largest exhibition space of 6,800 square meters and shows off 38 vehicles, including the HND-9, a luxury

Models pose with cars being showcased at the Seoul Motor Show. The biennial event kicked off on Thursday with a media preview. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)<관련 한글 기사>2013 서울 국제모터쇼 미모의 레이싱걸 '화제'2013 서울 국제모터쇼가 28일 경기 고양 일산 킨텍스에서 프레스데이를 시작으로 개막했다.한국자동차산업협회·한국수입자동차협회·한국자동차공업협동조합이 주최하고, 지식경제부·환경부·국토해양부·고양시가 후원하는 이번 모터쇼는 4월 7일까지 열 린다.

Fleur Pellerin, the Korean-born French minister overlooking small and mid-sized enterprises and the digital economy, is joining the austerity policy of her Socialist government, given her choice of the Citroen DS5 as her official car during her short stay in Korea.  Considering that visiting foreign VIPs usually prefer to ride in luxury limousines, the diesel hatchback with an engine capacity of only 1,997cc seems to be a reflection of the practical French chic. According to an industry source,

Carlos Ghosn laid a $5 billion bet in 2009 that the world’s next Ford Model T would be electric, and that Nissan Motor Co. would lead a revolution embraced by nations such as Denmark. Three years later, sales of Leaf plug- in vehicles in the Nordic country: 73.Nissan’s chief executive officer has long fronted a campaign to convince the world that by the end of the decade, 1 in 10 cars sold will be electric. Customers haven’t bought in, as prices remain high and charging stations are few and far

This is the second in a three-part series of stories contributed by BMW Group Korea. The author is currently CFO at the company in Seoul. ― Ed.“Sustainable” ― what does it actually mean? It’s a strange word, isn’t it? Although it’s a trendy term and on everyone’s lips, I decided to go the extra mile and look it up in German. The dictionary proposes “nachhaltig” another word that sounds vague to me, even though I am German. Feeding this German word into a French dictionary, however, is much more

CEO calls Korea a ‘test-bed market’ for the iconic minicar

Jaguar’s design chief Ian Callum will make his first visit to Korea next week to unveil the much-anticipated two-seat sports car F-Type during the Seoul Motor Show, Jaguar Land Rover Korea said Friday. The top car designer, who will be accompanied by Land Rover’s design studio director David Saddington, plans to hold a special design session to discuss the British carmaker’s design philosophy at the motor show’s media preview on March 28. Callum took office as the design chief for Jaguar in 1999