Seoul Motor Show Opens in April

Expo will showcase latest eco-friendly and high-performance, energy-saving cars and futuristic vehicles

The Seoul Motor Show 2009 will kick off on April 2 for an 11-day run at KINTEX in Goyang, north of Seoul, with 158 exhibitors including 33 foreign companies from 10 countries participating.
True to the theme, "Beautiful Technology, Wonderful Design," the coming Seoul Motor Show will give spectators an opportunity to get a glimpse into future auto market trends, theories of automobiles and the latest technologies, said Hur Wan, secretary general of the Seoul Motor Show 2009 Organizing Committee.
The biennial is the only international motor show in Korea accredited by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA). The seventh show in 2009 will display passenger cars, commercial vehicles, auto parts, tires, accessories and maintenance equipment.
The sagging global economy has already made a dent in the fair to some extent. More than 200 companies had initially applied for space, but some cancelled their participation, including such would-be newcomers as Nissan and Mitsubishi, who decided to delay their launch of business here.
However, such major brands as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Honda, Volkswagen, Audi, Ford and Lincoln will return to the fair, while the worlds's No. 1 automaker, Toyota, will be among the newcomers at the Seoul Motor Show. The cancellation by some brands, citing the economic downturn, will not have much impact on the domestic markets, so exhibition space for the Seoul Motor Show 2009 will decline 8.4 percent to 54,176 sq. meters, organizers said.
With over 1 million spectators expected to visit the fair, the vacancies left by some brands' cancellations, will be set aside for the "World Auto History Pavilion" in which visitors can take a quick look at the roots and traces of the automobile industry. About 10 classic cars, including the world's first internal-combustion engine car, the Benz Petant, and one of the eight remaining Hillman Straight 8, primarily made of wood, will be on display, adding to spectators' excitement.
The upcoming motor show will highlight a diverse array of the latest and new concept cars.
Toyota's hybrid Camry and Prius, Lexus' IS250C and Ford's Fusion and Mustang will be put on the market for the first time in Asia during the fair. Mercedes Benz's GLK-Class; Audi's Q5 2.0 TDI; Lexus' RX450h; Lincoln's MKZ; Volkswagen's Tiguan R-Line 1.4 TSI; and Honda's Insight will be unveiled to Korean spectators for the first time.
The motor show will also feature concept cars to take a look into the future of the auto world. Waiting for the upcoming show will be such concept cars as Hyundai's HND-4, which will make its world debut along with its HED-6. Kia's VG will also be unveiled for the first time, along with new versions of the N°3, Soul and Forte Coupe. Ssangyong's C-200 will make its world debut and will also show off its Diesel Hybrid. GM Daewoo will give viewers a look at the next-generation Matiz and its Orlando. Renault Samsung will feature the RSM concept car and the ZEROE, Toyota will put the i-REAL, RiN and the FT-HS on display, and Honda will show off its CR-Z.
Amid the mounting global concern over low-carbon, green growth, eco-friendly, highly efficient, energy-saving cars, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell, electric and other green cars will be unveiled. Hyundai's Avante LPI hybrid, Santa Fe hybrid, Verna hybrid, Click hybrid, Tucson fuel cell electric vehicle, Kia's Forte LPI hybrid, MOHAVE FCEV, Soul hybrid, and cee'd hybrid will be on display to take a share in the eco-environmental vehicle market. Foreign brands including Lexus'RX450h, LS600hl, GS450h, Toyota's Camry hybrid, Prius, Honda's Insight and Civic hybrid will appear in the show. Hyundai Mobis, Bridgestone Tire and other Korean and foreign parts makers will participate in the fair to show off their latest technologies.
Organizers said about 150 ranking government officials and auto businesspeople from 10 countries around the world will get together to attend the APEC Auto Dialogue Congress, a government-civilian consultative body designed to facilitate auto trade and liberalize investments, which will take place from March 30 to April 2 as a side event of the motor show.
An international forum on telematics will be held as a side event of the fair to steer the direction of convergence between IT and automobile industries following the growth of electronic systems in automobiles.
The motor show will have such diverse experience events as a do-it-yourself car-manufacturing contest for collegians and a UCC contest.
Twelve units of eight Korean and foreign brands will be put up for raffle.
The fair's press day will be held on April 2 and the motor show will raise its curtain officially at 11 a.m. on April 3. The general public will be allowed to visit the exhibition from April 3 through April 12. The fair will remain open until 8 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on weekends, two hours later than the previous fairs in the interest of spectators.
The fair is expected not only to create new auto demand, but also to have economic spill-over effects worth approximately 800 billion won in employment, production, tourism and transportation plus an expected attraction of about 10,000 foreign buyers and consultations on deals worth some $1.2 billion, organizers said, adding that the trade show will likely become a catalyst for boosting the slumping national economy and contributing to the development of the Korean automobile industry.
The Seoul Motor Show Organizing Committee is comprised of the KAMA, the Korea Automobile Import and Distribution Association (KAIDA) and KAICA.
Organizers said they hope the Seoul Motor Show will become a global top five auto fair together with the shows in Frankfurt, Paris, Detroit and Tokyo.
BMW under Criticism for Not Attending Seoul Motor Show
BMW, a major foreign brand in Korea with a 9 percent share in the Korean imported auto market, is under mounting criticism for failing to participate in the Seoul Motor Show 2009, to be opened at KINTEX in Goyang from April 2-12.
A few foreign major brands, including BMW, Volvo, GM and Porsche, citing unfavorable market conditions caused by the slumping global economy, have canceled their appearance at the automobile fair. In particular, BMW has become the subject of severe criticism over its failure in appearing at the fair as the automaker posted 760 billion won in sales from the Korean market and topped the list of foreign motor brands in terms of accumulated sales amounts.
Industry analysts said the economic rationale behind foreign brands' failures in participating in a motor show, citing bleak business prospects and a whopping participation expense of approximately 1 billion won, appears to be natural, but a motor fair is a showcase aimed at serving clients. In a sense, they said, BMW has made strides in the Korean imported auto market, so despite the economic difficulties, the brand needs to serve Korean clients, particularly children and youth who wish to nurture their dreams by seeing fancy automobiles and their design.
BMW Korea announced a plan not to participate in the upcoming motor show, citing a focus on marketing the "7 Series" that has made its debut recently.
On the other hand, Ssangyong Motor, in a crisis of bankruptcy, will participate in the upcoming fair despite the current business uncertainties. nw

Hur Wan, secretary general of the Seoul Motor Show 2009 Organizing Committee