April 27, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] In a bid to reclaim its No. 3 spot in the local auto market, Audi Volkswagen Korea has signaled a comeback after 1 1/2 years of sales suspension from the diesel gate emissions scandal.

Earlier this month, Audi Korea launched R8 V10, a flagship high performance sports car, the first release in one year and three months since S8 Plus sedan rolled out June last year. 

Volkswagen‘s second generation Tiguan SUV unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show. Audi Volkswagen Korea.

Volkswagen’s four-door coupe Arteon, Passat GT sedan and the new Tiguan SUV are widely expected to be first models launched in 2018.

The three received authorization from the Ministry of Environment this August, which came a year after the government decertified and cancelled sales of some 83,000 units across 32 models. 

Korea’s import car market is expected to grow to some 256,000 units in 2018, up 9 percent from this year’s 235,000 unit estimate largely due to anticipated releases by Audi and Volkswagen, data by Korea Automobile Importers and Exporters Association showed.

Volkswagen’s Arteon coupe was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show this March as Volkswagen’s new flagship model.

Totaling accumulated sales of over 22 million units since its 1973 launch, Passat sedan is the automaker’s bestselling model, the company said.

Aiming to fully resume sales in the first quarter of next year, Volkswagen Korea started a marketing project dubbed ‘new beginning project’ together with a popular Korean singer Zion-T last week.

Volkswagen Korea has been continuing zero-sales since November 2016, while Audi Korea sold 919 units between January and October this year, according to the company.

In the near absence of Audi Volkswagen, Japanese auto brands like Lexus, Toyota and Honda as well as US-based Ford have been competing for the No. 3 best seller spot.

Audi Korea has been pushed out of the list after having come third in terms of annual sales among import cars in 2016 by selling 16,718 units. Volkswagen Korea followed with 13,178 units.

“The company is taking cautious preparations to (fully) resume sales here,” said the spokesperson of Audi Volkswagen Korea.

“As for now there are no official dates scheduled for the launch of new models.”

By Kim Bo-gyung/The Korea Herald (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)