Renault’s Korean unit to lead SUV development

Renault Samsung Motors, the South Korean unit of French carmaker Renault S.A., will be fully in charge of the research and development of new sport utility vehicles for the Renault group, the company said Thursday. 

The decision follows the success of the mid-size SUV QM6 which sold more than 10,000 units in Korea since its launch in September. QM6, also known as the Koleos overseas, was developed by the Renault Samsung Technical Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

The technical center in Korea, which has 1,000 workers, is one of the group’s five R&D centers around the world. The facility has the full capacity to oversee the process from car design to production, the company said. By Park Ga-young (gypark@heraldcorp.com)