Major automakers to vie for spotlight at Seoul Motor Show

By Koh Byung-joon and Kim You Jin ILSAN, South Korea, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and foreign automakers will showcase their new vehicles and concept cars at this year's Seoul Motor Show that will officially kick off Friday, with an aim to leave a strong impression on potential buyers. A total of 32 brands will put 370 cars on display during the event to be held until April 12 under the theme of "Experience the Technology, Feel the Artistry" at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Ilsan, just north of Seoul. Five automakers based in South Korea will also join the event with their new models, vying to lure as much attention as possible with their latest designs, functions and new technologies that could define their business directions in the years to come. Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, will display about 30 sedans and 12 commercial vehicles. They include the much-anticipated two-door Enduro crossover utility vehicle concept along with the Sonata plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and such recently launched cars as the all-new Tucson sport utility vehicle. Sales of the Sonata hybrid will begin in South Korea in the second half. Starting next year Hyundai Motor aims to sell more than 6,000 units annually. Kia Motors Corp., the country's second-largest carmaker and an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, is seeking to make a big splash by first unveiling its new K5 midsize sedan during the motor show. The Novo sport concept car equipped with futuristic interior and exterior designs and state-of-the-art driving convenience features will also be on display. "This year's motor show will provide you with an opportunity to confirm Kia Motors' commitment to growth and the future, while experiencing future-oriented technologies designed for safe and convenient driving," Park Han-woo, head of Kia Motors, told reporters during a press day event held ahead of the official launch of the show. GM Korea, the local unit of U.S. General Motors Co., also plans to showcase a full change model of the Spark equipped with state-of-the-art safety and convenience features. The Spark is one of the company's best-sellers with more than 1 million units being sold since hitting the market in 2009. "Design and engineering of the all-new Chevrolet Spark was led by our international team here in GM Korea together with global team collaboration," GM Korea President and CEO Sergio Rocha said during a press conference. "It is a truly a global car built to meet expectation of the customers around the world. I am really proud to announce that the production for domestic and export units will be in the second half of this year," he added. The super-mini Renault EOLAB PHEV concept will also be showcased for the first time in Asia by Renault Samsung Motors Co. The concept is known to travel 100 kilometers on a liter of fuel. "This vehicle can travel up to a distance of 60 kilometers with a speed of 120 kilometers per hour with the electric motor alone while producing zero emission," One can choose using only electric motor during weekdays and get an extra else from the internal combustion engine when going on a long distance trip during weekends," Renault Samsung CEO Francois Provost told reporters during a press conference. Ssangyong Motor Co. -- the smallest carmaker here, which is owned by India's Mahindra and Mahindra Group -- will join other carmakers in displaying around 20 cars and concepts. It expects the XAV concept, which has a box-style exterior and looks reminiscent of the popular Korando, will impress visitors. In a press conference to unveil the concept car to reporters, Ssangyong Motor CEO Choi Johng-sik said that the XAV well demonstrates Ssangyong Motor's "brand identity by representing genuine SUV DNA and the spirit of youth." The Seoul Motor Show will be a place where almost all foreign brands selling vehicles in Korea along with supercar makers, such as Bentley and Maserati, will open booths and showcase their cars. In particular, Volkswagen will unveil the Design Vision GTI concept for the first time in Asia in a booth of 2,250 square meters, the largest size reserved for a single foreign brand. In addition to such new cars, the event will become a venue for visitors to enjoy diverse hands-on activities, such as test driving electric and other environmentally friendly vehicles. Seven EVs will be available to test drive during the motor show. Other futuristic auto technologies, such as autonomous driving, will also be on display. Along with new vehicles such motorcycle brands as Yamaha Motorcycle and BMW Motorrad will meet visitors with their latest products. For the biennial motor show, the 10th of its kind, organizers said about 160,000 people have bought entrance tickets in advance, which is up 25 percent from two years ago. 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, they added. kokobj@yna.co.kr (END)