James Bond's Aston Martin launched here

Models stand next to British supercar maker Aston Martin’s Rapide S, Vanquish and DB9, at the British Embassy in Seoul, Friday. The firm plans to introduce 11 models to Korea to provide a wider choice for customers. / Yonhap

By Park Jin-hai

Dr. Ulrich Bez Aston Martin chairman

Aston Martin, better known as the makers of James Bond’s car, roared into the Korean market Friday, heating up the already intense competition in the country's growing luxury sports and supercar market.

Kiheung International, which also imports Harley-Davidson, was designated as the authorized dealer and importer of Aston Martin, which announced the sales of such models as the DB and Vanquish.

“It is such an iconic brand,” said British Ambassador Charles Hay, at a media event at the British Embassy in Seoul. “For a young boy and girl growing up in the U.K., it is everybody’s dream one day to have an Aston Martin.”

Dr. Ulrich Bez, chairman of Aston Martin, said he was convinced the brand was right for Korea. “It is for those who love special and who love design and emotional products, and this is what Aston Martin is all about,” he said.

Aston Martin said it plans to introduce 11 models to Korea to provide a wide choice for customers.

“Aston Martin is over 100 years old and still exclusive, more exclusive than Rolls-Royce and Ferrari,” Dr. Bez said. “Among the carmakers with a history of more than 100 years, we are the only one not owned by a carmaker that mass produces cars.”

The supercar takes an average of 200 hours to build and 70,000 have been sold globally over the past century, according to the company.

Sales of British branded cars in Korea have increased sharply over the past five years. In 2009, 2,000 were exported to Korea, but that increased to 13,000 in 2014.

"Korea is a very, very interesting market,” said Patrick Nilsson, Asia Pacific regional director of Aston Martin. “I see steady growth, because when we offer the service through a dealer partner, we will grow our customer base here that will multiply year by year.

"We are going to sell as many cars as possible, and that is what a manufacturer would say, but we will do it the right way.” He did not give a sales target.

Aston Martin plans to open its showroom and service center in mid-April in Banpo, southern Seoul, to provide a one-stop service for consulting, sales and maintenance.

"We want to bring the soul of Aston Martin to Seoul rather than the car itself,” said Lee Kye-woong, CEO of Kiheung International. “Not just selling the car, we will seek to introduce British luxury to Korea.”

With its launch, the Korean luxury and supercar market is expected to heat up. Maserati sold 723 vehicles here last year, registering a record 469 percent growth from 2013.

The sale of supercars with price tags over 150 million won numbered 5,616 last year, nearly double the 2,923 a year earlier, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.

The "super luxury car" market accounted for 2.86 percent of total imports, with nearly 200,000 sold last year.