Going Green
Seoul Motor Show this year is characterized by the color green. This does not mean that all cars will be literally painted green, but rather signifies that a lot of participants will exhibit cars with eco-friendly engines and energy-efficient batteries. Green cars will be a necessity to meet the call to lower all carbon dioxide emissions and save energy. The show will provide visitors with the opportunity to see what green cars look like and how green cars' engines and batteries work.
Hyundai Motor Company will emphasize the philosophy of the green car. Hyundai will unveil the Avante LPI Hybrid, its first green car ever, as well as a concept car named HND-4. The Avante LPI Hybrid is a cutting-edge green car with a Lithium polymer battery. It also has a Gamma engine of 1600cc with a 15Kw motor. HND-4, a new hybrid car, is expected to draw visitors and experts to its debut since it will be a new signature product from Hyundai, the sixth largest automaker in the global market.
KIA Motors also expects its concept car KND-5 to catch the eyes of visitors. It presents a showcase for the New Sorento with a 2.2 Liter Disiel R Engine, a maximum 200HP, and mileage of 14.1 Km per Liter. KIA will show such concept cars as the KOUP KCD-4, KCD-5, Kia No 3 (KED-6), and Forte, New Morning, Soul.
Ssangyong Motor, GM-Daewoo, Renault-Samsung and CT&T will show their new cars - Sssangyong's C-200, Renault-Samsung's RSM concept car, GM-Daewoo's new Matiz - with efforts to assemble green cars to compete with their counterparts in domestic and global markets.
Recessionless Show
Visitors can meet the faces of Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Ford, Lincoln, Toyota, Honda, Lexus and other foreign carmakers from nine different countries during the show period. Some of them initially hesitated to join the show because they had to find ways to cut the possible cost in this time of recession. At the last minute, many decided to participate as they acknowledged the importance of the Korean market that has recently shown an increase in the sales of import cars. Toyota, especially, was one of the most dramatic final entrants, silencing rumors that it would not make it to the show.
Toyota will present its Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; Mercedes-Benz its GLK-Class; Audi its Q 5 2.0 TDI; Lexus its RX450h; Lincoln its MKZ; Volkswagen its Tiguan R-Line 1.4 TSI; Honda its Insight and Ford with its Mustang.
Icing on the Cake
The show will become a business spot for domestic buyers and buyers from abroad. President Hoh-Moon said that he expects ten thousand buyers to come and business deals worth 120 million dollars to be signed during the 11-day exhibition.
