GM Korea to roll out Chevy cars here
The new Spark expected to lead to normalization
GM’s Korean affiliate will roll out Chevrolet cars that Koreans want to see on the road here, GM Korea President Kaher Kazem said Wednesday, in what appears to be a bid to regain the trust of domestic consumers amid its efforts to normalize its operation.
During a showcasing event for the upgraded Chevrolet Spark, Kazem said GM Korea is currently surveying Korean consumers’ preferences for Chevrolet models yet to be released in Korea.
In the survey, the company asks consumers for their preferences on seven models: the Traverse and Equinox midsize SUVs, the Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs, the Colorado and the Silverado pickup trucks and the Corvette sports car. “Chevrolet is a global brand. We have a very diverse portfolio and we will make sure customers in Korea have access to Chevy models brought from around the world,” Kazem said during the event in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.
“GM Korea has full confidence about the future and will update consumers with new models.” Of those unintroduced models, the Equinox will be displayed at the 2018 Busan International Motor Show next month and will go on sale within this year, while the others will depend on domestic demand.
GM Korea has been struggling with financial difficulties, with its Detroit headquarters announcing a plan to shut down its plant in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, by May and requesting state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) provide financial support for the Korean unit.
This led to suspicions GM may withdraw from Korea, aggravating consumer trust on the Chevrolet brand, as well as contracting its Korea sales from January to April to 26,405, down 26.8 percent from the same period a year earlier. After staging a tug-of-war between creditors and its labor union, the company announced the normalization of its business, after GM and KDB, which is also a major GM Korea stakeholder, agreed to a deal earlier this month to inject capital to save the Korean unit.
Kazem said the upgraded Spark will be a new “start” for GM Korea, which pledged to bring 15 new cars and upgraded models here in the next five years to show its commitment to the Korean market.
“Based on its stability and driving performance, the Spark has been playing a very important role not only in the domestic market but also in the overseas market,” Kazem said. “With its exceptional safety and bolstered value, the new Spark is expected to play a pivotal role in Chevrolet’s recovery in domestic sales.”