BMW seeks full-fledged recovery in Korea

With an aim to escape the stigma of last year’s fire accidents involving its vehicles last year, German automaker BMW on Thursday pledged to regain customer trust and introduce future-forward models in South Korea, as it attended the Seoul Motor Show at Kintex from Thursday.

During a meeting with reporters, BMW reiterated its apology to Korean customers for accidents caused by the BMW sedans. Last year, nearly 30 engines caught on fire among BMW’s 520d sedan models, although the precise causes have not been verified.

“We are very sorry for the current concern over inconveniences that some of our vehicles have caused,” said Pieter Nota during a press conference at the motor show in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

“We understand that (Korea) has the highest standard and expectations for customers here. Korea shares our passion for our technology and innovation. So therefore, we are truly sorry for current concern.”

The announcement came after the government decide to ban about 20,000 BMWs from streets here after a spate of vehicles catching fire. The measure was applied to cars that had not yet been sent back to BMW for safety checks under a voluntary recall.

The German carmaker also pledged to increase the amount of purchasing components from Korean companies to 55 percent. BMW said it will reach the goal by 2020 with a plan to cooperate with Korean vendors.

BMW also pledged to invest heavily in the Korean market with an aim to combine the carmaker’s technology with the 5G network. For that, the carmaker said it had signed a contract with two Korean companies to capitalize on 5G technology.

During the Seoul Motor Show, BMW introduced its flagship models for futuristic and conventional fans alike. The German company showcased 29 new models under the slogan of “Connect with the future of BMW.”

Among them are its concept car of MW i Vision Dynamics and M8 Gran Coupe. In commemorating the 60th anniversary of Mini Cooper, the company showcased for the first time in Asia an all-electric version of the classic Mini.

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)