Carmakers woo motorists with limited editions

By Nam Hyun-woo

A growing number of carmakers are introducing limited edition cars, pitching their scarcity and uniqueness to boost sales and brand identity, industry officials said Sunday.

They said the domestic automobile market is flooded with imported vehicles, and it is becoming harder for consumers to distinguish themselves with their car. Thus, auto makers are employing this a marketing strategy to provide a new experience for customers.

According to Hyundai Motor, it will start retailing the Kona Iron Man Edition, Jan. 23.

It is a collaborative product created between the carmaker and entertainment giant Marvel, featuring design aspects of the studio's Iron Man character on the compact SUV. It is the world's first mass-production car to carry design features from Marvel.

As a limited edition, 7,000 have been manufactured, and 1,700 of them will be available in Korea.

Hyundai Motor picked the color of Iron Man's first suit in 1963's “Tales of Suspense” for the body color, and used red lines inspired by Iron Man's latest armor.

The logo of Marvel, Iron Man's mask and Stark Industries were applied in and outside of the vehicle, as well as distinctive heads-up display graphics used exclusively for the Kona Iron Man edition.

It comes with a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine coupled with seven-speed dual clutch transmission, and is priced at 29.45 million won.

Renault Samsung introduced a limited edition of its Clio hatchback last month.

Named the Steel Edition, it has different contours and aspects in and outside the vehicle, and only 120 are available for sale. It is priced at 21.55 million won.

Peugeot is also employing a limited edition strategy.

The French carmaker last month rolled out the new Peugeot 508 La Premiere ― a limited edition of the new 508 sedan ― and began taking preorders earlier this month. The car features advanced performance and a Night Vision system.

The Night Vision system is nighttime driving assistance, in which the infrared cameras on the car detect moving objects 200 to 250 meters ahead of the vehicle and show them on the heads-up display. By detecting things out of the headlamps' range, the car can provide a safer driving environment, the carmaker said.

“For most automakers these days, it is difficult to distinguish their products from others on the domestic market as imported vehicles are becoming very common,” an official at a domestic carmaker said.

“Since growing number of consumers are seeking unique value in every product they purchase, carmakers are also promptly reacting to the trends, releasing limited edition cars or tailored options.”