 Renault Samsung Motors CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger explains about the “QM5,” his company’s first sport utility vehicle (SUV), during a launching ceremony at the automaker’s factory in Busan, Monday. / Yonhap |
By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter
Renault Samsung Motors, the South Korean unit of France’s Renault SA, Monday unveiled the ``QM5,’’ the automaker’s first sport utility vehicle (SUV) in an effort to boost domestic sales.
Company officials said that the mini SUV would be introduced the South Korean market from early December. It is also set to go on sale globally from next month, according to the officials.
The QM5 is the first SUV model of Renault Samsung, ranked fourth place in the country's automobile industry. It has so far sold only small-, mid- and large-sized sedans, each named as the ``SM3,’’ ``SM5’’ and ``SM7,’’ in South Korea.
Equipped with a two-liter diesel engine outsourced from Renault, the vehicle boasts of a maximum 173hp, which is pretty good for such a modest displacement. A gasoline version QM5 with a 2.5-liter engine will be introduced early next year.
Renault Samsung has invested over 560 billion won ($610 million) over the past 28 months to develop the SUV model under the project name ``QMX.’’ It made its debut as a small crossover concept vehicle at the Seoul Motor Show in April.
Renault Samsung Motors CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger said in the launching ceremony in Busan that the vehicle was ``invented by Nissan, styled by Renault and built in South Korea’’ _ a direct result of the alliance.
The production facility in Busan, the country’s second-largest city, is equipped to manufacture 100,000 units per year, with almost half of these destined for the local market.
Renault took control of the now-defunct Samsung Motors in 2000 following the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Renault holds 80.1 percent in the automaker, while Samsung Group, the country’s biggest conglomerate, owns the remainder.
jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr
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