Trailblazer, Trax drive up GM Korea’s exports

GM Korea, the Korean arm of the US auto giant General Motors, logged robust export sales in October, taking up nearly 20 percent of the nation’s total automobile exports, industry estimates showed Monday.

Out of the total 225,391 Korea-made vehicles exported in October, 42,623 units or 18.9 percent were accounted for by GM’s two popular SUV models -- the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Trax Crossover -- according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.

GM Korea's numbers mark the third-largest share of automobile exports after Hyundai (46 percent) and Kia (31.9 percent). Renault Motors Korea and KG Mobility, formerly SsangYong Motor, accounted for 1.9 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.

The GM figure also represents a 87.5 percent surge from the same period last year, reflecting the company's rapid overseas expansion.

In February, the company expanded its foray into the US market by starting to manufacture the Trax Crossover compact at its Changwon plant in South Gyeongsang Province.

Between January and October, the company exported a total of 337,114 units, claiming a 14.8 percent share of Korea's automobile export volume. Over the cited period, the Chevrolet Trailblazer topped the list, with a cumulative export volume of 176,123 units, while the Trax Crossover ranked fourth with 137,700 units.

If this trend continues, industry watchers predict that the Trailblazer could become the top exported model of the year.