Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Automakers vie to take center stage
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Renault Samsung Motors EOLAB concept
By Park Jin-hai
By Park Jin-hai
Automakers will showcase new vehicles and concept cars at this year's Seoul Motor Show that begins today.
Under the theme "Experience the Technology, Feel the Artistry" 32 companies are displaying 370 cars during the ten-day event that runs until April 12 at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.
Eleven carmakers unveiled 14 concept cars.
Hyundai Motor, the country’s largest carmaker, is premiering its two-door crossover Enduro.
GM Korea the new Spark mini car
The urban SUV has a front looking like a sports car but a crossover side silhouette. Using side and rear view cameras, the Enduro boasts a sleek exterior with no side mirrors. The Enduro is the “perfect partner for individuals living in the modern city with energetic, athletic lifestyles,” Hyundai said in a release.
Hyundai is also showing 29 sedans, including the Sonata plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and recently launched all-new Tucson sport utility vehicle, and 12 commercial vehicles.
Kia Motors has the NOVO concept on display, suggesting the carmaker’s design capabilities and future orientation of Kia badged cars. The company said that it is trying to introduce an “analogue” sentiment in a more futurist way. The compact coupe-styled sedan concept, designed at Kia’s Namyang design center, has a newly interpreted “tiger nose” and much sportier exterior.
Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS
Kia’s K5 midsize sedan also made its debut. The popular sedan developed with the design concept of advanced modern dynamics by Peter Schreyer comes in two versions ― modern extreme and sporty extreme ― and with seven engine types, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
Ssangyong Motors, the local unit of the Mahindra Group, showcased the XAV (eXciting Authentic SUV), a new concept SUV.
Sharing its chassis with the Tivoli, a compact SUV the automaker says to become a turning point for Ssangyong, the box-shaped SUV exudes the iconic strong image of the early Korando SUV. It has unique shoulder wing designed front and a rear that exposes a spare tire and auxiliary fuel tank.
Ssangyong Motor the XAV concept
Renault Samsung Motors’ EOLAB PHEV concept, being showcased for the first time in Asia, pushes fuel efficiency to its extreme, traveling 100 kilometers on a liter of fuel.
Toyota under the slogan of “You are so Smart” displayed its Mirai fuel cell vehicle concept and FT-1 sports car concept, while Volkswagen unveiled its “ultimate Golf,” the Design Vision GTI Concept, for the first time in Asia.
Automakers are also showing their new cars that will hit showrooms this year, seeking to take a bigger share of the overheating imported car market.
BMW Korea displayed a total of 23 models including the new Series 6 Gran Coupe, a convertible, and the high performance M6 Gran Coupe. The company also introduced its first Plug-in Hybrid EV sports car, the i8.
Audi Korea has 22 models on show, including eight premiere models in Korea, all awaiting their launches this year.
They are the new Audi A6, Audi S6, Audi A7, Audi S7, Audi RS 7, Audi TT, Audi A1 and Audi Q3.
The company believes that the best-selling mid-size A6, with an upgraded powertrain alongside new design elements, will earn the hearts of customers at the motor show. The model is set to make an official debut here during the first half of this year along with the high-performance Audi S6.
GM Korea, the local unit of General Motors, is showcasing a fully changed Spark with improved safety features including Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Spot Alert.
The new Spark has a sleeker and more mature look, thanks to its longer wheelbase and lower body. “At its core, the all-new Spark is still the fun, agile urban car that made the first-generation model so popular. But it delivers that fun driving experience with greater sophistication,” said GM Korea President and CEO Sergio Rocha.
For the biennial motor show, about 160,000 people have bought entrance tickets in advance, up 25 percent from two years ago, according to its organizer.
The motor show will run from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during weekdays and from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends.