S.Korea car makers Mar sales up 7 pct on new models
SEOUL, April 1 (Reuters) - The combined sales of South
Korea’s automakers, including the country’s No.1, Hyundai Motor
Co (005380.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), grew 7 percent in February from a year ago,
helped by sales of new models, data showed on Tuesday.
Hyundai and the country’s four other auto companies sold
495,379 vehicles in March, compared to 462,796 units a year ago
and 387,232 in February.
Their overseas sales rose 7.3 percent to 383,665 vehicles
in March from a year ago and local sales grew 6.2 percent to
111,714 units.
Auto exports, which account for 10 percent of all South
Korean exports, in March rose an estimated 5.3 percent in value
from a year earlier, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy data
showed.
Hyundai, the world’s No.6 auto maker by sales volume along
with its affiliate Kia Motors Corp (000270.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), sold 258,395
units, 12.4 percent more than a year ago, fueled by its
recently launched top-end Genesis sedan.
South Korean car makers’ sales in March:
Total Change vs Overseas Change
vs
sales yr ago sales yr
ago
Hyundai Motor 258,395 +12.4 199,744
+13.6
Kia Motors 121,166 -3.5 92,850
-9.5
GM Daewoo (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) 87,265 +8.9 76,966
+14.2
Renault Samsung (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) 18,418 +18.0 8,372
+67.4
Ssangyong Motor 032660.KS10,135 -13.1 5,733
-16.4
—————————————————————
- Total 495,379 +7.04 383,665
+7.28
(Reporting by Cheon Jong-woo and Park Ju-min; Editing by
Louise Heavens)
