110124 US Auto Giants Look to Regain Past Glory in Korea

Title : US Auto Giants Look to Regain Past Glory in Korea  US automakers are now shifting gears to stay competitive with its foreign rivals. The big three -- Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors -- are making drastic changes to their new automobiles... to win back... lost customers. And they are also hoping to reclaim some lost territory... here in Korea. Han Da-eun has details.  It looks like American cars might be making a comeback in Korea. After years of painful losses and weak sales in the East Asian country, the big three -- Chrysler, Ford and General Motors -- are coming up with new strategies to win back customers here. US automobiles had once dominated the country's import market during the 1990s, but began to falter since the year 2000... and following their recent bankruptcy restructurings... the three together... posted a mere eight percent of the total auto market in Korea last year. But Chrysler is in the vanguard... to regain lost benefits. The company announced that it will unveil seven new models in Korea this year... which is by far the most since it entered the Korean market back in 1992. (Korean) [INTERVIEW : Song Jae-sung, Managing Director,Chrysler Korea] ''We plan to launch new models that will come with better designs along with higher fuel efficiency and performance. The new models will emphasize the car's emotional quality, which Korean customers are very particular about.'' The Ford Motor Company, which the vice president of Hyundai Motor sees as its strongest American rival, is trying out a new approach to the interior of its cars. It has altered all analogue dashboards to smart, digital forms to attract technology-friendly Korean owners. Meanwhile, General Motors has placed Chevrolet at the forefront instead of its luxury brand Cadillac... to cater to the mass-market. And the newly established GM Korea Company will start manufacturing six Chevrolet cars... while the Camaro and Corvette models will be imported from the US. (Korean) [INTERVIEW : Yoon Dae-sung, Executive Director,Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association ] ''American automakers are expected to launch new models that cater to domestic customers, such as electric or hybrid vehicles.''  Imported auto sales in Korea are projected to surpass 100-thousand units this year. And Korean car experts are paying close attention to whether the three US auto giants which once ruled the country's import market... will be able to succeed. Han Da-eun, Arirang News.