SsangYong XUV 1

SsangYong Motor Company, which was acquired by Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra, has revealed plans to unveil a brand-new crossover vehicle in September!



Named SsangYong XUV 1, the concept crossover is scheduled to make its official public premiere at the forth-coming Frankfurt Auto Show. The carmaker describes its new concept CUV as a "premium Crossover Utility Vehicle" that belongs to sub-compact car segment.



This means the XUV 1 concept is about the same size as Nissan Juke or Kia Soul crossover and slightly smaller than new Hyundai Tucson CUV.



In terms of design, the concept vehicle boasts attractive exterior layout (see the official teaser images) with a plethora of unique styling elements.The SsangYong XUV 1 features a wraparound wind-screen that extends the glass area to the large C-pillars and coach style doors.



Inside, the concept car features flexible seating layouts while all chief functions inside the cabin are controlled via mobile devices and smart instruments...



More details will be available once the vehicle makes its public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show (next month).



What does this mean for Hyundai and other carmakers? Simply, more competition!

SsangYong XUV 1 image gallery:

New Samsung QM5 to challenge Hyundai ix35/Tucson, Kia Sorento CUV

Renault Samsung Motors, which operates in South Korea and exports its cars to a dozen of foreign countries, unveiled its facelifted QM5 crossover vehicle in Korea.

With the new QM5, the Renault Samsung Motors aims to challenge the South Korean crossover rivals such as Hyundai ix35 and Kia Sorento CUVs.

The all-new Samsung QM5 is a slightly redesigned crossover vehicle, which has been on sale in Korea for about two years. The model has also been sold in Europe as Renault Koleos.

The mid-cycle makeover affected the exterior, which now features sportier front fascia with redesigned headlamps and radiator grille that provide the vehicle a more urban style.

The new QM5 features upgraded four-cylinder engines (diesel and gasoline) and slightly redesigned interior lay-out with upper grade materials.

Renault-Samsung hopes that latest styling changes and powertrain upgrades will spawn more interest in the new QM5 crossover in Korea. The company hopes to take some sales from Hyundai ix35 and 2012 Kia Sorento, as well as Kia Sportage crossover.

Is Kia K9 the same car as Hyundai Equus luxury sedan?

Spies have caught the all-new Kia K9 luxury sedan in Korea. The Kia K9 has been rumored to hit the South Korean market in spring 2012 as a 2013 model year. No official details about the car has been released as of yet, however, Kia fans over at Kia-World.net reported that the K9 luxury sedan shares powertrain technology with the 2011 Hyundai Equus.

Hyundai Equus sits on a rear-wheel drive platform, meaning the Kia K9 will become Kia's first ever rear-wheel-drive sedan. If rumors appear to be true, then the K9 will be powered by Hyundai's Tau V8 engine. It is not known which engine Hyundai will put under the hood of Kia's luxury car, but there are two options; the 4,6L V8 or 5,0L V8. In both cases, the V8 powerplant features GDI technology and churns out plenty of horsepower.

The 8-speed automatic transmission is also expected to be fitted under the hood of new Kia K9. Stay tuned for more news... [Photosource: bobaedream.co.kr]

New Chevrolet Aveo, Hyundai Accent rival

As we mentioned in the previous post, GM Daewoo unveiled the all-new Chevrolet Aveo sub-compact car in the South Korean market today. The all-new Aveo, which will compete against Hyundai Accent / Verna in Korea, is already the second vehicle GM Daewoo launched this week. And there are more to come...

The all-new Chevrolet Aveo is a great looking car, which is fun to drive said Mike Arcamone, president of GM Daewoo. Its boasts bold exterior styling and offers the most spacious interior in the segment.

According to the carmaker, the new Aveo will be offered in two forms - as a five-door hatchback and 4-door sedan. Initially, only the 5-door Aveo will be available, while 4-door sedan is scheduled to hit the market in May 2011.

The new Aveo will be powered by 1.6L four-cylinder engine that generates 114 horsepower, which is less than its main rival, the all-new Hyundai Accent, which is also offered with the 1.6L engine. The engine will be coupled with either a six-spped manual or automatic tranmsission.

Pricing for the Hyundai Accent rival starts at $10,080 for the base model and top $12,480 for the top-end Chevrolet Aveo model. [image source: Koreaherald.com]

Daewoo launches all-new Chevrolet Orlando MPV in South Korea

GM Daewoo unveils new 7-seat MPV named Chevrolet Orlando...

The all-new Orlando MPV is introducing a new vehicle segment in South Korea says Mike Arcamone, president and CEO of GM Daewoo. Defining the vehicle as South Korea's first Active Life Vehicle -ALV, the Orlando comes equipped with 2.0L diesel engine packing impressive 163 horsepower and maximum torque of 36.7 kilogram-meters.

The large-sized MPV achieves 17.4 km/l when fitted with six-speed manual transmission or 14.0 km/l with automatic transmission.

In Korea, the new Orlando is available in three different trims with pricing starting at 19 million for the base Orlando model and 24 million won for the top-of-the-range model (US$17.200 - $21.700).

The all-new Orlando MPV is the first new vehicle GM plans to roll out in Korea in order to acquire larger market share. Currently, the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group holds more than 75 percent of the domestic market.

In addition, to bringing new models such as Orlando MPV and Chevrolet Aveo compact car, GM Daewoo will also be renamed to GM Korea Co. [image source: Yonhap News]

Hyundai i20 rival: the all-new Chevrolet Aveo sub-compact car

Hyundai i20 is finally getting a decent competitor from Chevrolet. The all-new Aveo sub-compact car set to make its official debut in Korea.

The all-new Chevrolet Aveo sub-compact car just made its official premiere at the auto show in Paris and it is now heading towards Asian markets. According to GM Daewoo, the 2011 Aveo will hit the South Korean market in the first half of 2011 and other Asian markets in the second half of next year.

The company has already announced it plans to introduce the Chevrolet brand in South Korea and the new Aveo sub-compact car will be the first vehicle to wear the Chevy badging. Later next year, the new Aveo will be joined by Chevrolet Camaro, which has been on sale in the U.S. market for quite some time now.

GM Daewoo plans to introduce several other new models to compete against Hyundai and Kia brands in Korea. Both carmakers together hold more than 50 percent new car market share. By introducing new brand and new models in its domestic market, GM Daewoo forecasts that its new car sales will increase by around 10 percent.

GM Daewoo plans to attack Hyundai-Kia with 8 new models

Hyundai's facing stiffer competition on its local car market. GM-Daewoo plans 8 new models for next 12 months.



GM-Daewoo announced it plans to unveil 8 new models in Korea over the span of next 12 months. The third-largest Korean carmaker is planning to completely renew its current model line-up, which consists of eight passenger cars and two commercial vehicles.

The automaker will invest more than $5 billion to renew and launch 8 new models. With this huge investment, GM-Daewoo wants to lift its sales by 20 percent and push up its domestic market share into double digits this year.

The South Korean carmaker will launch new Alpheon sedan, rebadged Chevrolet Orlando and a completely new small hatchback model that will replace the current Gentra X. It will also unveil a revamped mid-size sedan, replacing Daewoo Tosca, new Lacetti Premiere and Winstorm crossover vehicle.

The legendary Chevrolet Camaro, already on sale in the U.S. market, is also expected to hit the Korean shores. GM Daewoo plans to start selling the rear-wheel-drive sports car in Korea sometime next year.

At the up-coming Paris Auto Show, Chevrolet is going to unveil a new 5-door Cruze hatchback. The more pracical model to the four-door sedan will also appear in Korean showrooms soon, according to GM-Daewoo.

The above-mentioned plan could hurt Hyundai sales, but the South Korean largest automaker has an answer, and that is, launching new cars as well. There are new Veloster, Elantra, Sonata hybrid and Azera mid-size sedan waiting to hit the market within a few months. So, let's the game begin.

Early picture of 2011 Ssangyong Korando C hits the web

We were sent some early shots of new Ssangyong Korando C crossover. Codenamed C200, the Korando C was first previewed as a futuristic concept car at the 2008 Pars Auto Show. The hot-looking crossover model previewed the upcoming production model, which was announced to compete against established compact nameplates, such as Toyota Rav4, Hyundai Tucson and VW Tiguan.

Called the Korando C, the model will be the first Ssangyong vehicle to feature a monocoque body. It is said to be available with a brand-new 2.0L diesel engine that generates 181 horsepower. According to the company, the all-new four-cyl. diesel engine is environment-friendly and satisfies EURO V environmental regulations. Two six-speed transmissions (manual and automatic) will also be offered across the range along with a plethora of safety and luxury features.

The official launch date for the Ssangyong Korando C crossover has not been finalized yet, but our sources state that the automaker will put the new model into production in July and commence its sales in South Korea in the third quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, Ssangyong Motor Company announced today that its May 2010 sales ( domestic sales and exports ) jumped by 145 percent from a year ago to come in at 7,028 units. This was the second consecutive month when the troubled automaker sold more than 7,000 new cars.

Much of Ssangyong's rise was fueled by overseas sales which increased by more than 600 percent to about 4,300 units last month. Hyundai's domestic sales, on the other hand, fell more than 20 percent in May 2010.

Subaru plans to start selling cars in South Korea

The sixth largest carmaker in Japan, the Subaru announced it will start selling its cars in South Korean market in April. A subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries, which was founded back in 1958, will be operated by Subaru Korea.

At the beginning, the company will offer three vehicles including the Legacy mid-size sedan, Outback crossover vehicle and Forester SUV. The company revealed it plans to secure dealerships with maintenance capabilities in the major cities such as Seoul, Busan, Gwangju and Bundang, while later it may expand to other smaller cities.

Sales projections for the first year have been set at a very modest 600 units. Out of 600 vehicles sold, half are set aside for the sedan, and the remainder is divided equally between the Forester SUV and Outback crossover.

Prices have not been released yet and will be announced closer to the launching date set for April 2010.

With every new entry onto Korean market, Hyundai is facing stronger competition. Yet, the Korean largest automaker is confident it can retain more than 50 percent market share in 2010.

P.S. Mitsubishi ASX, which has made its unofficial debut yesterday, is rumored to enter Korean auto market sometime next year to challenge Hyundai's new Tucson and Kia's upcoming Sportage replacement.

2011 Nissan Micra

It's time to give a brief look at Hyundai's competition. More praticularly, we will review the forth-coming Nissan Micra, which is scheduled to make its official debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

Micra is Nissan's most successful sub-compact car that has been on sale ever since 1982. The current model of Nissan Micra, which has been first displayed at 2002 Paris Auto Show, has sold in thousands of units each year and has proved to be a successful contender in the popular B-car segment. It was especially successful in Europe, where it has been the best selling Nissan vehicle for years - until the Qashqai crossover showed up.

Scheduled to go on sale early next year, Nissan will replace the current Micra with a completely redesigned model, which will incorprate Nissan's latest design DNA, new eco-friendly engines and advanced transmissions.

Latest reports suggest that Nissan Micra will be powered by Renault's 1.2L gasoline turbo engine that already propels Renault Twingo. It will also be available with a fuel-sipping diesel engine, while latest rumors also indicate that Nissan is preparing a hybrid version of new Micra.

While no test mules of next Micra have been spied so far, we have gotten our hand on two designe sketches that give us a sneak peak preview at what could the 2010 Micra look like.